Shore Thing Brand

Riverlife had the bold idea to turn barges into a floating destination for unexpected experiences on Pittsburgh’s riverfront. But after years of planning and problem-solving, the project team had lost some of its initial enthusiasm. We came aboard to give the project a name and identity that could get everyone excited again.

The concept is part playground, part performance space, and part pop-up surprise. We brought the entire Riverlife team together for a discovery session to reconnect with their original vision. Together, we established a shared direction for the experience: welcoming, experimental, buzzworthy — and maybe a bit weird.

The name emerged from an inside joke among Riverlife’s team. During our exploration, one of our designers recognized its potential — and soon everyone else did, too. Shore Thing inspired a logo split by a wave, with one word above the water and the other below.

From there, we developed a visual and verbal brand built on vibrant color, lively typography, playful patterns, and offbeat wordplay. I wrote headlines across the project, carrying that same sense of fun into the brand’s voice.

The brand had to coexist with rotating art installations and the restaurant partner’s established identity without overwhelming or getting lost. We carried its spirit into hand-painted environmental graphics and printed signage, using a pattern drawn from the logo to unify the sprawling space.

We built anticipation on social media with a series of cryptic posts hinting at what was coming. Once Shore Thing opened, the website and social channels kept the conversation alive, promoting events and giving people reasons to return. We weren’t just launching a destination — we were giving Riverlife tools to build its audience.

Shore Thing was the talk of Pittsburgh. Within weeks of launch, Riverlife’s Instagram following had doubled, with more than a million views during the launch period. The project went on to earn a ULI Americas Award for Excellence, and work with Riverlife has expanded beyond this project. What started as an ambitious idea became a lively new presence on Pittsburgh’s riverfront — and a brand ready for anything.

• Discovery and Research
• Naming and Positioning
• Brand Strategy and Identity
• Creative Direction and Design
• Copywriting
• Digital Strategy and UX
• Client Relationships
• Project Management

Created at Landesberg Design