Shaping the West Palm Beach Branding Scene
By Brian Hall
When you think of a city changing over time, you typically think of the skyline — buildings going up, new businesses setting up shop, old businesses disappearing. But if done right, a big thing that comes with it that can really reshape a city is culture. In West Palm Beach, a vibrant scene of restaurants and cocktail bars, coffeehouses and breweries, vinyl record shops, and arts-focused districts have popped up all throughout town, breathing a new sense of culture into a once–sleepy cityscape. And there’s a branding and design studio that works behind the scenes to make sure so much of it is truly unforgettable: Gather & Seek.
Since 2015, Gather & Seek has been on a mission: “We are changing the West Palm Beach narrative, one brand at a time, by demonstrating that quality design can drive success and innovation.” Whether it’s working with established businesses looking for a brand refresh or startups looking to build their own brand identity, this team of creatives is the foundation behind making so many local businesses stand out and, most importantly, stick with you. They’re reshaping the look and feel of West Palm Beach, both aesthetically and through experience. From logos and websites to packaging and print material, Gather & Seek has a notable client list with the likes of Hive Palm Beach, the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Norton Museum of Art, Rust & Wax, NORA, The Station, Steam Horse Brewing Co., The Blind Monk, Composition Coffee, and yes, Atlantic Current — just to name a few.
Sitting down with Founder Danni Zelaya and Co-Owner Jackie Christensen, it’s ultra clear that their first love is design — a passion to breathe life into the inanimate. And looking at their work, they truly hit the mark. But what exactly defines “good” design?
According to Danni, “Good design should stand the test of time. When we’re building out a brand, there’s going to be that anchor, the structure, the logo, bones that really can stay and hold that brand presence, even through the trends that come at us.” Jackie adds that good design “really needs to resonate with the specific audience for that business. If you’re doing that well, and you’re building that core relationship with your audience, that’s good design.”
The proof that their design efforts are working? “This has always been a transient area, but the influx of people in the last few years has really shown that people are starting to see West Palm Beach as a cool place. It’s a little more quaint. It’s very, you know, tropical and inviting. But a decade ago, Dixie Highway did not look the way it does right now. I think that with like-minded people like us, [West Palm Beach] is only going to continue to be the cool spot to be,” Danni said.
Looking toward the future, their goal is certainly to utilize design to continue to grow West Palm Beach’s cool factor, but it’s also become obvious how important branding really is for the success of a local business. Danni notes, “I see people moving here who might invest in design more. I think that maybe a decade ago, people didn’t feel that competitiveness, like they don’t really need to do this. But now businesses realize they actually need a very good brand in order to survive here and to resonate. I think that’s going to be a big shift that we’re already noticing with our workflows and potential clients coming in.” She adds, “Foreshadowing on what’s already happening, I give it another five to 10 years and imagine, like, holy sh*t, this place is cooler than I could have ever thought it would be.”
