The Box Eight Rebrand
An inside look into where we started, what sparked change, the ins and outs of the process, and more.
Designing for others is second nature to us. Designing for ourselves? That was a whole different challenge.
We’ve spent a decade shaping identities of restaurants, hotels, and hospitality groups through the east coast and throughout the country. But this year, it was our turn to step into the role of client. When it came time to reimagine our own identity, we knew it would take more than just a new coat of paint and hanging up a few picture frames. It meant taking a step back, asking ourselves the same tough questions we ask our partners, and being brutally honest about who we are at the core and where we’re headed next.
Origins & Evolution
The story starts with our founder Jeremy Staub, who launched Box 8 Creative in 2009, under circumstances that were anything but conventional.
“I started Box 8 partly out of desperation and partly out of ‘I had absolutely zero to lose,’” Jeremy recalls. “If it failed, it was just on me. I had been doing freelance for a long time, and had a few contracts that I could get started on, and I felt like opposed to going back to a company, I thought I could push forward on my own.”
Thus, Box 8 Creative was born.
Though known for branding in the hospitality space, Box 8’s start was a little less focused. “It started with everything. I was doing cash for gold ads and getting paid out of someone's trunk. I was doing ads for gyms, real estate, spas, I did whatever I could when I first started,” Jeremy recalls. The introduction to hospitality was one of chance, when Jeremy was introduced to the creator of Barcelona Wine Bar. He was brought on to help streamline all of their print collateral at the time for their 4 locations. “By meeting him, I met other Chefs and I just loved what I was doing. I loved working with restaurants because it was such a part of my life growing up.”
I’m sure you’re wondering (as almost everyone who hears the name does) “what does Box 8 mean?”
“I didn’t want to be “Jeremy Staub Design”. I felt like a different name would make me more serious than I was, bigger than I was. 8 was my number in baseball, and when you're at the plate, you're in the batters box. I wanted something own-able, a little obscure.”
Why Now?
Fast forward to today, and Box Eight looks a little different. What started as Jeremy freelancing solo has become a full-fledged strategy and branding studio with a talented team, expanded services, and a growing reputation in hospitality branding.
“The original clients that I had were existing places and I was just cleaning up their collateral. I did a ton of menu design and print promos for wine and tequila dinners — It didn't start with full brands. Our services have grown 10-fold. The ability to talk strategy and understand where they want to go and help them grow to that—I never imagined having more than 1 designer to help me do stuff.”
But as we grew, one thing became obvious: our brand no longer fit.
“Nothing felt truly me anymore,” Jeremy admits. We all felt it. It felt like we weren’t trying to connect with our clients or speak to them. Which is ironic, because that’s exactly what we help our clients do every day.
So, why now? Because if we wanted to stand out as the hospitality branding studio, it was time for our own studio to finally reflect the way we show up for others.
The Rebrand Process
We treated ourselves like any other client—which, to be honest, made the whole thing both harder and better. Rather than shortcutting the work because it was “for us,” we leaned into the Box 8 playbook: strategy first, then identity, then execution. As Jeremy put it, “We followed the Box 8 process. We did a strategy workshop, I selected a mood board, we collaborated with different aspects and got feedback from the team as we went. We followed a timeline and used our proven process to get it to the finish line.”
Discovery & Strategy. Everything began with a workshop—the same kind we run for partners. We mapped out audience, ambition, and the gap between who we were and who we wanted to be. That session clarified that hospitality should be our north star and that warmth, personality, and craft needed to replace the colder, more generic feel the brand had accumulated.
Mood Boards, Research & Direction. Jeremy was initially tasked executing the rebrand based on the strategy workshop distillation. After going through weeks of research he found himself stuck on how to move forward. “Of course being in my own head was the biggest challenge for me. I had so many different thoughts of what it could, should be and I couldn't find clarity. I thought: Why wouldn't I bring in the team to help me execute it that does everything else so well? We have so much talent in the room.”
That’s when our brand designer Emma was selected to lead our rebrand. As Jeremy confidently has shared, “Emma and I collaborate so well. When we talk about design, we feel so aligned. Her work feels the closest to my style. It was never a question in my mind if i was going to give up the project, Emma was the best fit.”
She brought clarity through her research, presenting ideas that spanned from refined and humble, to bold and confident. We moved forward with the direction “At The Wine Bar” because not only did it offer the feeling of refinement and sophistication, but it highlighted the quality and attention to detail Box Eight is known for.
Creative Challenges & Breakthroughs
Of course, designing for yourself is an entirely different beast. When you’re the client and the designer, objectivity tends to fly out the window.
“It’s funny,” Jeremy laughs. “We can tell clients exactly what they need, but when it’s your own brand, you second-guess everything. There’s no creative brief to hide behind.”
There are many inner obstacles you face when designing something so close to you—not interjecting your own personal style and taste, or as Jeremy said, “…sometimes staying out of Emma’s way and letting things happen…”.
One of the biggest challenges was finding the balance between polish and personality. We didn’t want to feel overly corporate, but we also didn’t want to lean so far into playfulness that we lost our credibility. The breakthrough came when we stopped trying to design what we thought we should look like, and instead focused on what felt true.
This sentiment trickled into our brand voice and tone. Emma shared, “Trying to figure out the voice was challenging.” We had many internal reviews and brainstorming sessions reviewing messaging, trying to wordsmith until things felt right. “We wanted it to be cheeky but serious enough to appeal to the clients we are aiming to connect with” Emma said, “But, it also needed to still feel casual and cool – like you're going to meet up with an old friend at a cool wine bar.”
That truth revealed itself in a few defining ideas: confidence, hospitality, and craft. Those became our compass through every creative decision. Once we aligned on that, everything clicked.
The New Identity
The new Box Eight identity is rooted in clarity and character. The refreshed word mark is confident but unfussy—reflecting our belief that strong design doesn’t need to shout. A refined color palette and typographic system bring a modern sensibility that feels elevated yet approachable, much like the hospitality brands we champion.
Visually, the system leaves room for personality—whether through playful copy moments or bold photography—while maintaining a timeless backbone. It’s flexible enough to meet the needs of a growing studio, but cohesive enough to build recognition and trust.
“It finally feels like us,” Jeremy says. “It’s creative, it’s confident, and it has the same kind of energy we bring to every project.” Jeremy made his personal mark by creating the illustration set that perfectly fits within the new brand. “Illustration was personal,” Emma said. “Jeremy started as an illustrator, and our funky chair had to make an appearance”.
We are undoubtedly, and forever will be, friends of the hospitality industry. It was important that our rebrand embodied that, as a nod to our partners, friends, and the future of Box Eight. Subtle moments of hospitality peak through, like the vintage warmth of the color palette, the welcoming tone of the brand messaging, and the intentionally curated type layout and styling. It sparks trust, feels welcoming, and showcases our immense attention to detail. It is a reflection of who we are and the impact we aim to have through our passion of building brands and telling your story.
Impact & Future
Since unveiling the new identity, the impact has been immediate—internally and externally. The new brand has reinvigorated our team, sharpened our positioning, and brought in new conversations with dream clients who now instantly understand what we do best.
“We’ve always said that great branding gives clarity and confidence,” Jeremy reflects. “Now, we feel that for ourselves.”
Looking ahead, this rebrand isn’t an endpoint—it’s a foundation. A reflection of how far we’ve come, and a launchpad for where we’re going next as we continue to shape the future of hospitality brands across the country. We’ve always been friends of the industry, now our brand finally looks the part.
As we expand our client base, we hope to give them a clear understanding of who we are and what we’re about. As Jeremy said, “We really want partners and not clients. We want people to push us to think about something different because they need us to. It helps us get our best work. The ability to build lasting relationships is unique.”
We will always be Connecticut based, but the ability to expand out to other places is so important to our agency. We hope to design for more of the hospitality groups, more CPG, enter the boutique hotel space… while never losing our core client: the young, hungry operator or Chef. One that is growth minded and really forward thinking, passionate, and knows they need a partner like us to start and grow. It’s an honor to be part of their stories.
Final Thoughts
Rebranding ourselves reminded us of what our clients experience—the vulnerability, the excitement, the clarity that comes from rediscovery. It forced us to practice what we preach, and in doing so, we found a new sense of alignment.
A final note from Jeremy, “For us, the rebrand wasn’t just a facelift—it was a recommitment to the industry we love most. We’re excited to see where this new chapter takes us, and the stories we’ll continue to create with our partners in hospitality.”
Because at the end of the day, the Box Eight brand isn’t just about design. It’s about the people, the ideas, and the experiences that make hospitality such a meaningful space to create for.
