Celebrating the bounty of New England

On the surface, it seemed like Boston Public Market (BPM) was thriving—drawing millions of visitors a year, supporting local food entrepreneurs, and championing accessible, healthy food through SNAP and HIP programs. But BPM had a critical branding and funding conundrum—the fact that they are a mission-driven 501(c)(3) organization was lost in all that commerce. So, despite five years of impactful programming, the public largely didn’t know about the market’s history and community-focused efforts, and a lag in philanthropic support proved it. It was high time to set the record straight.

That’s where we came in. We worked with BPM’s staff and board to design a strategic, bold rebrand, leading to a refreshed case for support, high-leverage fundraising recommendations, and an activation plan to help them imagine the marketing, communications, and visitor engagement possibilities.

Client
Boston Public Market Association
Services
Brand Strategy
Brand Voice + Messaging
Fundraising Strategy
Presentation Design + Coaching

Welcome to the stage… a Market on a Mission

We wanted to get the word out: Boston Public Market is so much more than a grocery store. In a city that has fancy food halls popping up like mushrooms, BPM’s nonprofit status and its commitment to building a just, sustainable local food system make it truly unique. We summed this all up with a clear, emphatic tagline: Market on a Mission.

With this new tagline as a mantra, we created an activation strategy for staff and board to bring their refreshed brand to life. We equipped BPM with language and tactics to tell their own unique story and, through that, build the case for their ongoing support. Now, with these tools, they are better able to support local food entrepreneurs and celebrate the best food, music, and art New England has to offer—while also flexing their nonprofit bonafides.