When Blank Street opened its first coffee cart in Williamsburg in 2020, the world was shutting down. Born as a lean operational model – small footprints, efficient machines, quick service – Blank Street carved out space for connection when coffee drinkers needed it most.

Fast-forward a few years: dozens of locations across multiple cities, a devoted following, and a business that had started to take on a life of its own. But as Blank Street began to shed its scrappy beginnings and expand, its identity struggled to keep pace. The brand tropes that worked for a challenger started to feel too small for what Blank Street was becoming – and where it wanted to go next.

Regularly remarkable

The inflection point was clear: evolve from startup challenger to generational cultural icon. Shift the daily coffee run from transactional blur into an experience people want to be a part of. Take the opportunity to make the ordinary feel remarkable.

It was a case of amplifying what was already there; a brand that understood the power of small, elevated moments. The insight was simple but potent: life happens in the everyday moments. The coffee you grab before a meeting. The afternoon pick-me-up that resets your mood. Those tiny, ordinary rituals that punctuate the day. 

The idea “Regularly remarkable” became the creative north star. It reflects the tension that makes Blank Street interesting. It’s high and low. AM and PM. Classics and specials. It’s that routine thing you do every day but somehow makes the day a little extra. 

A brand built on duality 

At the heart of Blank Street’s new identity is a thoughtful exploration of dualities: function meets form, utility balances indulgence, and sophistication plays alongside playfulness. These dynamic tensions have been consciously woven into every aspect of the design system, influencing everything from the colour palette and typography to the smallest details. 

We created a visual and verbal identity that plays on these tensions. The logo system nods to the original cart's rectangular window – a blank space where connection happens. The colour palette moves through the day like light across a storefront (6 AM Green to 6 PM Green). Typography balances “Regular Sans” (everyday, 70% of the time) with “Remarkable Sans” (special moments, 30% of the time). The voice ranges from “enviably at ease” to “naturally friendly,” like the barista who knows their craft and knows your name.

The most distinctive shift was in art direction. We created a photography style that feels more Vogue than coffee-shop-stock-photo, drawing inspiration from the world of fashion and vintage editorial. Products are shot with the attention you'd give a new sneaker drop. 

From transaction to transformation

Since launching the new brand identity, Blank Street has transformed from a coffee company to a cultural reference point. Now it has a vocabulary to talk about itself – not just as a place to grab coffee, but as a brand with a point of view. A vibe.

And it's talking internally too. We built an employee value proposition around “Start something extraordinary”, positioning Blank Street as a launchpad for driven dreamers and a workplace where growth is mutual. Because the barista experience is the customer experience.

Most importantly, the work repositioned Blank Street in the minds of their audience – specifically Gen Z. And the results post-launch reflect this objective – 66% of the brand’s engaged audience are 18-24 on TikTok, and 62% are 18-34 on Instagram, and UGC (user-generated content) posts are up 80% YoY. When the Glasgow store launched, Gen Z made up 60% of its first month of sales. 

Because it’s the brand that makes the daily coffee run feel like something worth posting about. Every swing by Blank Street sells a feeling – that spark you get when something ordinary becomes something more.