nj ad club award of excellence

The Inn at Shearer Cottage

A Martha’s Vineyard institution for over 100 years, Shearer Cottage is an iconic family-owned inn with a rich history dating back to 1898. The rebrand coincides with a complete renovation of the property, and aims to capture the legacy of its founding family, whose story began in slavery and continues with generations of the Shearer family still running the inn to this day.

Visual Identity
Illustration
Website Design
Social Media Creative Direction

Throughout the rebrand, every design choice was guided by the common thread of honoring the Shearer family history and the greater story of black entrepreneurs and innovators in America. Freight, the main brand font, was made in 2005 by Joshua Darden, the first African American credited as a typeface designer.

The inn’s story is part of a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the property was the first landmark dedicated on the Martha’s Vineyard National African American Heritage Trail. Founders Charles and Henrietta Shearer have also been featured in the Martha’s Vineyard Museum for their entrepreneurship and impact.

The line "my dear friends" as well as the SC mark we created for Shearer Cottage were hand traced from an original letter written by Charles Shearer dating back to 1898. We borrowed the greeting and incorporated it into the branding as a way to welcome guests. Taking inspiration from objects used in the original inn, we also created hand-drawn illustrations of oil lamps.

Historic, comfortable & romantic.

Much of the new brand identity is inspired by the beautiful parks and beaches of Oak Bluffs, with colors chosen from the ocean water and sand, and a look and feel to match the timeless charm of the island.