The Rail District–the historic downtown core of Frisco, Texas–is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation to enhance its appeal as a destination for residents and visitors and generate business for local merchants.

Once the bustling heart of the community, today’s Rail District consists of one-of-a-kind shops, services, and eateries that make it a quaint and charming spot to visit. Improvements being made during the revitalization project include better parking, walkability, green spaces, and an overall facelift to the area that promises to propel the Rail District toward a flourishing future and, once again, restore its place as the heart of the city. The project is slated for completion in 2026.

A brand identity was needed to create awareness and market the area. Currently, there is no established Rail District brand. In order to generate excitement and tell the story about the neighbourhood, there’s a need for an ownable, impactful brand personality, voice and tone, and logo and associated creative elements.

The challenge with creating a brand for the Rail District is the sensitivity around the revitalization. The development has faced delays, and sentiments about the project were mixed. Business owners have expressed concerns about the interruptions about reduced vehicular and foot traffic during construction, which in turn led to a dip in profits. Locals have strong opinions about the place they live and work that had to be considered.

To successfully create a new Rail District brand that’s embraced by the community, stakeholder engagement was crucial. We understood the importance of considering the input and opinions of local residents, business owners, and city staff. Working with the City of Frisco and Visit Frisco, we identified a steering group to provide guidance and make decisions about the brand. We established a stakeholder committee of community members who provided input and feedback. We shared regular updates with city council to keep them informed and solicit support. 

Over the course of approximately five months, we were in touch with our stakeholder and steering groups nearly weekly to ensure they constantly felt updated and their inputs were being considered. By approaching the project as a team, everyone felt like an important part of the process. Questions and concerns were addressed promptly, and for the first time, people were able to see demonstrable progress in the Rail District.

A robust discovery phase included surveys of local residents (872 respondents), eight 1:1 stakeholder interviews, landscape review, and several working sessions. We understood it was critical to hear directly from residents and locals about what the Rail District represents and what its story should be in brand form.

Additionally, our team wanted to provide support to local merchants whose businesses were struggling during the construction phase of the redevelopment. We hosted a series of webinars to help them market their businesses, optimise their social media presences, understand their analytics, and work with influencers to provide a much-welcomed boost to their bottom lines. 

The new Rail District brand is informed by our extensive research and represents the insights and attributes we heard from locals during the discovery phase. It is welcoming, lively, nostalgic, genuine, and fun.

The visual identity pulls the Frisco Rail District tagline “Good to Be Here” into a fun, family-friendly logo that nods to the area’s historic charm while incorporating a modern look that will remain fresh for years to come.

The logo’s double line is reminiscent of the historic railway, while the single star plants the identity in Texas — the Lone Star State. The colors — Texas Twilight and Copper Rivet — are nods to Frisco’s important place in the history of the state and the area’s legacy industries.

Print collateral was provided to community members and influencers to distribute throughout the neighborhood, promoting the new brand identity and generating buzz for The Frisco Rail District’s enhancement and redevelopment. 

Our primary goal for this phase of the Rail District brand development was to create an impactful brand that resonated deeply with the local community while fostering support from key stakeholders. We are thrilled to report that we achieved these objectives, as demonstrated by the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from residents, committee members, and the city council. This support is a testament to the strength and effectiveness of our ongoing stakeholder relations strategy, which sparked pride and excitement for the Rail District.

The campaign's success can be measured by the tangible actions it inspired: unanimous backing from the city council, a strong partnership with local committees, and a sense of unity among the community. The print collateral not only captured the essence of the Rail District's heritage but also became a rallying point for local pride, kicked off with a celebration reception hosted in Frisco.

The lasting impact of the campaign is reflected in the continued momentum it has generated, with more community-led initiatives emerging to support the Rail District's vision. The qualitative feedback we’ve received—be it from city leaders or local citizens—provides a clear measure of the campaign’s effectiveness and its role in galvanizing long-term enthusiasm for the area.

The long-term benefits are evident in the growing interest from local businesses and developers who are now more engaged in revitalizing the area. The campaign has laid a strong foundation for future economic growth, with the community's involvement positioning the Rail District for new opportunities in tourism, real estate, entertainment, and small business. By fostering a renewed sense of place and identity, the campaign is already delivering on its promise to energize the local ecosystem and set the stage for lasting economic impact.