(Work)
Port of Lake Charles
Defining the origin of something greater
Intro
Ports rarely get rebranded. But then again the Port of Lake Charles isn’t like other ports.
Located in Southwest Louisiana, the Port of Lake Charles has always been a place of raw potential. Forget cargo containers. When we say raw, we mean rock, metal, and lumber to build communities and natural gas to power them. The cargo that passes through the Port of Lake Charles has the potential to be anything.
This stark difference compared to other ports, coupled with their size and flexibility, meant we had an awesome opportunity to define this physical place as the origin of something greater.
Working with the local team, we grew obsessed with their optimism and pride for Louisiana. Their port is a place of connection—where trade and community turn physical things into all-new possibilities.
As a call to importers and exporters and an anthem to their team, we landed on a core message that works doubletime (just like the port’s longshoremen).
Port without limits. It champions the port’s flexibility to business leaders—trade, build, and invest in ways you can’t anywhere else. But also speaks to the team and the community of Lake Charles. Wholehearted, tenacious, kinetic, and sharp, the potential of the port’s community can’t be contained.
This project demanded a unique approach to messaging. As a public entity we explored ways to convey complicated information that felt accessible and collaborative. Many of our favorite lines, after immersing ourselves in the community, become almost sports-like in their love for the home team of Lake Charles.
We knew early on the visuals needed to convey movement of community and goods, while remaining clear and easy to understand. After all, this brand gets seen from a ship, on a flagpole, or painted across the hull of a vessel.
The logo is a combination of abstract arrows that form the face of one of these ships. Its typography nods to the history of the community with shapes reminiscent of the region’s old painted signage, while the more modern fonts convey the brand's sharp and kinetic pragmatism on dock.
Overall, like the verbal identity, the brand had to belong to many people. We’re beyond grateful we got the opportunity to make something an entire community can have pride in. It’s not often you get to build a brand that lives high on a flagpole and down on the ground as a bumper sticker.
Credits:
Designed by Christian Tompkins, Stephanie Kim
Verbal Identity by Clayton Notestine
Design Direction by Meghan Murray
Brand Strategy by Dee Boyle
Animations by Max Prince, Christian Tompkins
Project Management by Patrice Fielder
