Downtown DYT is a strategic vision done in collaboration with the Downtown Dayton Partnership, brought to life through a visual and verbal identity that invites all creators, fun seekers, collaborators, innovators and game changers to come to downtown Dayton, Ohio to “Do Your Thing.” It sets the stage for a new narrative around downtown Dayton.
Our first step was a deep dive into the city's soul. Through extensive engagement with residents, visitors, and business owners, we uncovered a powerful truth: Daytonians are proud, passionate, and ready for what's next, but felt the city’s story was stuck in the past. The city was full of amazing, yet disconnected, destinations and lacked a cohesive narrative to tie them all together. The narrative became an "Atypical Midwest City." This wasn't about ignoring Dayton's past, but about framing it as the foundation for a future that breaks convention. It’s a place that’s equal parts off-beat and on-point, upscale and down-to-earth. A place where anyone can come and do their thing.
To bring "Atypical Midwest" to life, we created a visual system that was as eclectic and dynamic as the city itself. The creative concept, “Atypical Dimension,” uses vibrant color, dimensional typography, and kaleidoscopic imagery to remix the people, places, and textures of Dayton. This wasn’t just about making Dayton look cool; it was about creating a visual language that could hold all of its wonderful contradictions and passions in one frame. The brand was encapsulated in the moniker "Do Your Thing," which matched both our tone and nodded to acronym DYT.
The result is more than a brand; it’s a platform for civic pride and economic growth. The Downtown DYT identity equips the Downtown Dayton Partnership with a powerful, flexible, and authentic way to tell the city’s new story. It’s a banner for residents to rally behind and a beacon for the businesses, talent, and tourists that will write Dayton's next chapter. It’s a living, breathing identity that proves Dayton isn’t just a great Midwest city—it’s an atypical one.
