Shaketown

SCOPE OF WORK:
Brand Identity
Key Messaging + Brand Storytelling
Market + Competitive Analysis
Campaign Photography + Production
Project Management
Packaging Design
Interior Design
Web Design + Development

The Tale:

The story of Shaketown is one of humble beginnings. In Lynn Valley, British Columbia, in 1895, this little pocket of the universe became the centre of cedar shingle production. A lot of trees. A lot of wood. And a lot of people looking for something to do with it. Sometimes in the world of business, it’s less to do with finding a gap in the market, and more about finding something to do with what you have in abundance. Even more than wood, Shaketown would be abundant with stories. Some shared around wobbling saloon tables. Some in cramped fishing canoes. Whispered after church service. And guffawed while felling a tree. No matter the place, there were stories and characters aplenty.

What’s a brand founded with the name Shaketown to do but tell the tale of this riveting Canadian town. The whole truth and nothin’ but it.

The Age of Opportunity:

The promise of abundant resources and guaranteed labour brought many hopeful folks to the site known as Shaketown. Within just days of the first structure being erected dozens of buildings and businesses were built, including a saloon, courthouse, bank, blacksmith, fire department, butcher, chemist, church, several cabin dwellings and the town’s very own prankster, Silas Cobhobbler, who was known to trick merchants and entertain restless loggers after a hard day falling trees. This small yet thriving community was thrust into existence through shear determination, perseverance, sweat, guts and go-get-em-ness. Far from the ticketyboo hoity-toityness of Moodyville, Shaketown was a town for the people, by the people.

With the surge of new, cosmopolitan-types to the area, animosity grew and two sides formed; salt of the earth Shaketonians — proud of their heritage and the town they had grown, and swanky urbanites wanting to gentrify and modernize the ramshackle town. It would become a legendary conflict of old versus new. Legal battles spilled into civil unrest as the Lynn Valley mob grew larger and more weaponized. Shaketown Mayor Vern Grumley’s attempts were futile and eventually the Lynn Valley Land Claim Committee was too strong even for Grumley, who was rumoured to be able to knock an oxen out cold with one punch! A meager attempt at a revolt occured, ending in bloodshed. Lynn Valley had prevailed. Grumley, disillusioned, disappeared into the forest, never to be seen again.

But fret not friend, for the river of history that flows through the heart of Shaketown is much deeper than just that.

The Age Of Industry:

Although on paper Shaketown had dissolved into what is known today as Lynn Valley, a keen group of community members kept the spirit and story of Shaketown alive. To locals, businesses along Old Tote Road we’re colloquially known as ‘The Shakey Strip.’ Soon intrepid, savvy entrepreneurs sought to rebuild the name and reputable spirit of Shaketown into a bustling neighbourhood community that celebrated and honoured the Shaketown they once knew. Shaketown was reborn!

But then, tragedy. The Great Horse Panic of 1939 caused many of the businesses along The Shakey Strip to close. Merchants were forced to abandon their dreams and move closer to the shores to take up jobs with shipping yards and fishing boats. Shaketown would yet again receed into the shadows of time.

Shaketown was no more, however, Lynn Valley and the surrounding neighbourhoods which made up North Vancouver grew. And they grew and grew, and soon, rows and streets and avenues and boulevards of houses, restaurants and malls sprawled across the once tree covered mountain-land. But soon, the ground on which Shaketown once stood was to become a most sought after parcel of land and new opportunities inspired a second generation of opportunists.

The Age Of Eden:

With the help of renowned North Vancouver architecture and branding firm, Hornerbrook & Langfeld & Partners, and with considerable support from the District of North Vancouver, Jackson St. Georges envisioned a first of it’s kind masterplanned community, to be known as Shaketonia (Shaketown + utopia), a project sure to put Shaketown back on the map. The development, which sprawled nearly 2 square kilometres, would house several condo dwellings, business and community centres, as well as a golf course, movie theatre, middle school, a variety of restaurants, a brewery and of course, a zoo to celebrate the many beautiful fauna of the area. It was to be a fantastical project, unlike anything known to man. A perfect urban oasis, hidden deep within the tall towering evergreens of the North Shore.

Sigh. Not much happened after that. Time simply seemed to pass — day by day, year by year. However…

Modern Age:

One completely unremarkable day, a seemingly ordinary man had a vision. It was a vision of beer. Of tables and chairs and little round pieces of cardstock you put under your mugs so they don’t spill little drippy bits on those aforementioned tables. His vision was of community. To celebrate the past while simultaneously stepping bravely and boldly into a hopeful and prosperous future. This man… he had a vision of Shaketown.

Shaketown Brewing Co. is a brand that honours the rich history of its past. It takes pride in its name and values the town & community above all else. It is a brand that stretches far beyond its own brewery walls. Shaketown is a celebration of North Vancouver, old and new. Real and, well, not so real. The alternative facts of the North Shore. Told by real people making real good beer. Shaketown is the newest (and oldest) brewery in North Vancouver.

A new breed of Shaketonians are born. They are keen, industrious entrepreneurs. They are able, ready and willing to dare, dream and drink. A bold few who take the old with the new.

The Truth:

The truth of it is that after looking for a history about Shaketown to inspire the creative for this new brand, we found a whole lot of nothing — no stories, no archives.

And so, to put it bluntly, we made it all up. 127 years of hearsay history. We created the timeline of Shaketown, from inception to present day (and beyond). With a foundational story established, the citizens and stories of Shaketown came to life through narratives and portrait illustrations. We went deeper still, establishing businesses and industry, creating over 150 logos for a place with barely a mention in the history books. Commerce blended into culture, iconic sports teams, municipal organizations and mom-and-pop shops were born. Shaketown would exist whether history wanted it to or not.

The World:

You can call it pretending, lying, even, if you want to get moral about it, but really, it’s branding. For us, branding is modern myth. We create stories and worlds that people can connect to. World building involves crafting a narrative that can grow with your brand, creating a cast of characters that are relatable; with flaws and backgrounds that give the audience a reason to care and want to know more.

Brand world building allows a brand’s story to scale. It means that every time you need new content, there’s a story to tell. Marketing asks people to care that you’re selling a new product, and frankly, that’s a tough sell. The history of Shaketown allows us to turn the most mundane thing into a brand expression.

Walking through the brewery, you will discover electrical units installed by ‘Shaketown Electric Company’, washrooms serviced by the ‘C.O.S Sanitation Board’. A broad range of historical artifacts are on display, all curated by the ‘Shaketown Historical Society’. The Shaketown Community Board is where you can find ads and announcements for live and local events and businesses such as the Shaketown Zoo, the Shaketown Municipal Bank, Shakey’s Watch Repair and many more.
 
Shaketown is one of the projects we’re most proud of. We took a simple product with a simple brief and created an immersive world. Storytelling turns brands into living, breathing identities. Shaketown started as a name, a glitch in the history of Lynn Valley, but with the magic of storytelling it became a place with a past and an infinite future.