Lucky Stranger · Birmingham, AL
Brand Identity System
Status Brand approved — in production
Hub updated May 18, 2026
Prepared by Big Sis Creative Studio

Everything you need to keep strong brand continuity is here: visuals to download, rules to follow, voice & tone and more. Not sure if you're doing it right? Reach out to Big Sis at erin@bigsiscreativestudio.com or jason@bigsiscreativestudio.com

Downloads

Brand Assets

Grab what you need. All current, production-ready Lucky Stranger brand identity files can be accessed here.

Brand Identity Files
Finalized logo and other visual elements in all approved formats, file-types and color versions.
Go to downloads ↗
Brand Textures & Backgrounds
Approved backgrounds, texture overlays, and patterns. For print and digital use, organized by application.
Coming soon
Brand Guidelines PDF
A downloadable version, serving as a source of truth for anyone touching the Lucky Stranger brand.
Coming soon

Files are added here as they're finalized. If you need something specific before it's posted, reach out to Big Sis directly.

Logo System

The mark

The foundation of the Lucky Stranger identity is the hero stacked wordmark. It allows for seamless integration of other visual elements, including Avondale's new favorite black cat. The system expands into extended lockups, horizontal layouts and badge formats. Use what fits the context, and avoid improvising.

→ Download the full logo package

Primary Logo — Approved Color & Background Combinations
Lucky Stranger base logo, Lucky Strike red on white
Lucky Strike on Bleach
Lucky Stranger base logo, white on Lucky Strike red
Bleach on Lucky Strike
Lucky Stranger base logo, Midnight on Cigarette Smoke
Midnight on Cigarette Smoke
Lucky Stranger base logo, Cigarette Smoke on Midnight
Cigarette Smoke on Midnight
Logo Rules
  • One color, always. Lucky and Stranger are the same color in every application. Never split between two colors.
  • Clear space. Maintain ~3/16" margin around the widest and tallest points at all times.
  • Never break the lockup. STRANGER nests within the L and Y descenders by design. Do not reposition, scale, rotate, or adjust independently.
  • Minimum size. STRANGER should never render below 3/4" (print) or 72px at 72dpi. Below this threshold, use the horizontal lockup or cat icon.
  • Visual centering required. The marquee script creates optical asymmetry — always center by eye, never by auto-alignment.
  • Filled, never outlined. Outlined versions are not approved for any use.
  • Black is for partners only. Not an approved in-house production color.
Visual center reference
Lucky Stranger logo visual center and spacing diagram

The marquee script creates optical asymmetry. Use this diagram as your centering reference tool, because auto-centering tools will make the layout feel imbalanced.

Extended Iteration Examples
Lucky Stranger extended logo with cat mark and year, Lucky Strike red and Midnight on Cigarette Smoke
Cat + Year · Red / Midnight
Lucky Stranger year logo, Lucky Strike red on Smoke
Year · Red on Smoke
Lucky Stranger year and tagline logo, Midnight and Cherry on white
Year + Tag · Midnight / Cherry
Extended Logo Rules
  • Less is more. Never more than 2 extensions on the logo. Approved combos only.
  • 2-color lockups: Lucky script and STRANGER each take one approved color. Cat mark, ESTD, and tagline text follow the secondary color.
  • Cat is ALWAYS Midnight — never within a logo lockup on a dark background.
  • Cat mark position is fixed. It sits above the Lucky script at a defined scale. Do not reposition, resize independently, or detach it.
  • ESTD always precedes the year. Never display the year alone. Always reads “ESTD [LOGO] YEAR” as a unit.
  • Tagline only appears in the Year + Tag configuration. “BET ON A GOOD TIME” is not a standalone extension.
  • Red and Midnight in large areas create optical vibration. Never place Midnight on red backgrounds or red on Midnight/blue backgrounds. Exception: cat mark, ESTD, and year text.
Horizontal Logos

The primary logo already has a horizontal shape, and should be used in most cases. These horizontal versions can be utilized when vertical space is extremely limited.

Lucky Stranger horizontal logo, Midnight on Cigarette Smoke
Horizontal · Midnight on Smoke
Lucky Stranger horizontal logo with tagline, Lucky Strike red on Smoke
Horizontal + Tag · Red on Smoke
Badges

(Name TBD), the cat

There are three peeking cat variations with multiple colorways, formats and eye treatments. They can be used as part of the wordmark lockup, or as an isolated mark when the context calls for it: favicons, social avatars, merch stamps, sticker applications, etc.

Lucky Stranger peek cat — variation 1
Lucky Stranger peek cat — variation 2
Lucky Stranger peek cat — with line

Download all cat mark variations

Color

The palette

Five deep, warm, versatile colors that feel a little rough around the edges. The range intentionally aligns with the vibe of the space.

Primary

Lucky Strike

HEX #E71D31
RGB 231, 29, 49
HSB 354° 87% 91%
CMYK 3 99 88 0

The lead. Signage, logo, dominant accents, hero applications.

Midnight

HEX #183C45
RGB 24, 60, 69
HSB 192° 65% 27%
CMYK 89 62 55 46

Primary dark ground. Dark backgrounds, footers, cat mark applications.

Secondary

Cherry

HEX #9F1C32
RGB 159, 28, 50
HSB 350° 82% 62%
CMYK 25 100 79 20

Depth and richness. Extended logo lockups, accents alongside Lucky Strike.

Cigarette Smoke

HEX #EEE6D2
RGB 238, 230, 210
HSB 43° 12% 93%
CMYK 6 7 17 0

Light ground. Paper, body backgrounds, reversed text on dark.

Bleach

HEX #FFFFFF
RGB 255, 255, 255
HSB 0° 0% 100%
CMYK 0 0 0 0

Utility white. Contrast moments, reversed text, clean space.

Fonts

Typography

From headlines and signage, down to menu copy and utility text, each of the four brand typefaces does a specific job.

Web rendering note: Gill Sans and Gibson Script are licensed desktop fonts. This document uses web approximations — Barlow in place of Gill Sans, and Dancing Script in place of Gibson Script. Web font implementation will be reviewed at digital production stage.
Signage / headlines
Gill Sans Bold
Web proxy: Barlow 700
The workhorse. Utilitarian with real weight — the kind of type you'd see stenciled above a bar or hand-painted on a roadside sign. Pulls off the tongue-in-cheek hotel signage register without trying too hard.
Script accent
Gibson Script
Web proxy: Dancing Script 700
The handshake. A simple hand-drawn script for accent words — the kind that shows up next to the bold in vintage type pairings. Friendly without being precious. A word, a phrase, never a paragraph.
Body copy
Gill Sans Semibold & Regular
Web proxy: Barlow 600 / 400
Matches the sans in the signage DNA. Readable at menu scale, legible in low light. Semibold for labels and callouts; Regular for descriptions and longer reads.
Emphasis / accent
GIN
No web proxy — logo and print use only
The same face used for "Stranger" in the logo lockup. Used sparingly — a word that needs visual punch, a label that earns a second look. Not for running text. Not for signage. Just the moments that need it.
Font system and tagline lockups
Font detail and extended applications
Voice & Tone

Voice = personality, tone = mood. Lucky Stranger's voice doesn't change, but the tone shifts depending on the moment. The test: Does it sound like something that would actually be said at the bar? If not, pull it back.

Lucky Stranger sounds like a bartender who's seen everything and is genuinely glad to see you walk in. Matter-of-fact and welcoming, without being eager. Comfortable with whatever the day brings. The voice behind everything we write leans into the good time we promise — without having to promise it out loud.

We are... But not...
InvitingEveryone feels like a regular, even on night one. Indifferent
UnderstatedEfficient and focused, without unnecessary fluff or try-hard energy. Quiet
ConfidentStrong belief in ourselves, without trying to be cool. Arrogant
OptimisticGood fortune is always on the horizon. We buy into that. Naive
WryThere's a wink in there — sometimes more obvious than others. Sarcastic
HonestWe mean what we say. Said respectfully. Blunt

Lucky Stranger's voice remains consistent, but there's a different tone in different rooms. How the message comes out depends on what the situation calls for.

Day-to-day
The regular making conversation.

Easy, approachable, a little playful. Not performing. Not pushing. Just the kind of thing you'd hear from someone who's at home behind that bar.

Promotional
Good fortune's on the horizon.

Confident and direct. No hard sell. Point toward the good time — let people decide to show up. The bar doesn't beg. It invites.

Functional
Let the information do the work.

Hours, menus, signage — plain-spoken and utilitarian. No editorializing. The cleaner, the better. Trust that the brand context already does the talking.

Tagline
Bet on a good time.

A low-stakes invitation. Confident, warm, optimistic. Whatever the night has in store, you're in the right place to see what good fortune comes your way.

  • Signage, napkins & coasters
  • Menus and matchboxes
  • Merch
  • In long-form copy: "You can bet on a good time every time you step through the doors."
Backgrounds

Texture and field

Wood paneling and Step-and-repeat are the two approved options to use as foundational backgrounds. Use these for print, digital, and environmental instead of off-brand textures or stock patterns.

Wood paneling texture
Wood paneling
Environmental / print / dark-mode digital
Lucky Stranger step-and-repeat
Step-and-repeat
Events / photo moments / media walls
Social

Social profiles

Use these approved profile images for social platforms. They can be accessed through the downloads link.

Primary — Solo Cat

Shows better as an avatar at smaller sizes and offers more personality for the page. Use on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook.

Secondary — Wordmark Square

For platforms that support rectangular or larger profile formats. Do not crop the full wordmark yourself.

Coming Soon

Cups

Five different colorway options, each with their own personality. The goal: design a cup people want to steal.

The Local
The Local
Lucky Strike red · Cigarette Smoke print
  • Full wordmark with address and curved tagline eyebrow
  • Feels like something that's been on the bar for years
  • The address detail rewards a closer look
The Tag
The Tag
Lucky Strike red · Cigarette Smoke print
  • Tagline-forward with badge logo anchoring the bottom
  • Leads with brand voice instead of brand mark
  • Type hierarchy is fun and works well at cup scale
The Cat
The Cat
Navy · Cigarette Smoke print
  • Cat mark front and center, logo nested inside the badge
  • The most unique of the five. Feels like merch, not just a cup
  • Dark colorway lets the Cigarette Smoke badge pop with real contrast
The Badge
The Badge
Navy · Cigarette Smoke print
  • Distressed wood-texture badge with wordmark and tagline below
  • Grain and texture add warmth. The grit reads well at this scale
  • Clean and balanced. Strong option if The Cat feels like too much
The Clarity
The Clarity
Translucent · Midnight and Cherry print
  • Year lockup with cat mark. The most refined of the five
  • Translucent cup is a different feel. Lighter, a little unexpected
  • Clear is the only recommended option for using the cat as a standalone element
Considerations
  • Not every design works in every colorway. The cat mark needs a dark cup to land correctly. The tagline design is more flexible.
  • Some designs can work across different color combinations. If you want to see a specific option in a different colorway, just ask.
  • The maroon cup was explored but didn't feel as strong as red. Lucky Strike is the right home for these designs.
  • The navy cup color is close to Midnight, which makes it a natural fit for designs using the Cigarette Smoke palette.
  • White and translucent cups were both tested. Translucent showed the most promise as a secondary option.
  • The distressed and grain textures work better in print than they look on screen. Don't judge those options solely from mockups.
  • Printing on one side only. Decided and locked.
  • If ordering multiple SKUs, red + navy is the strongest two-cup combination.
  • Worth considering a rotating program. New designs or colorways each month or season gives people a reason to come back for the next one. Limited editions could work well here too.
  • Sharpies tied to the bar so people can write their names on their cups. Simple, on-brand, and very Lucky Stranger.
Coming Soon

Signage

Interior and exterior signage specifications and mockups. Developed in collaboration with Hannah on interior design. Files and approved proofs will live here as they're finalized.

IN DEVELOPMENT
Signage applications
Signage files and mockups → will populate here as proofs are approved
Coming Soon

Merch

Branded merchandise — apparel, accessories, print goods. Approved applications live here once production specs are locked.

FILES COMING
Merch applications
Upload merch mockups and production specs → they'll populate here
Presentation 02
April 28, 2026 — Consolidated direction, color system, typography, interior extensions
Presentation 02 — the approved creative direction. Superseded by the brand hub above. Preserved as a record of the review and approval process.
Creative Presentation — April 28, 2026

Lucky Stranger

Consolidated creative direction — "Lucky + Stranger." One logo direction, initial color system, font family recommendations, and early interior extensions. This presentation followed Presentation 01 (April 15) and incorporated client feedback on the two original concepts.

What this presentation was
What it was
  • Reviewing the "frankensteined" logo and visual direction built from feedback
  • Initial color recommendations for the brand system
  • Font family recommendations — the system and why
  • Early look at how the brand extends into interior applications
What it wasn't
  • Print-ready, final logos
  • A finished brand system
  • Finalized taglines
  • A decision that had to be made that day
Client feedback — what we heard going into this presentation
Logo
Keep "Lucky" as the hero — the name, the energy, the lead. Bring the look, feel, and design approach of the Stranger-forward direction to it. Maintain the "Stranger" font from Concept B and explore marrying it with the fluidity and character of "Lucky" from Concept A. Brief: Frankenstein the two together.
Cat mark
Strong love for the cat from Concept B. It's staying — incorporated into the revised identity.
Taglines
Leaning toward "Bet on a good time" for the main bar. Saving "Drinks & Discretion" for the back bar. Strong feeling for both — nothing being discarded.

"We really like the hero being the 'Lucky' vs the 'Stranger' as the first option, however we like the look, feel, and creative direction & design system of the second one. We are hoping to kind of Frankenstein the two together if possible! Also we still love the second cat so hopefully we can keep the cat in there."

— Ali, Nan, Kelsey
Creative direction — Lucky + Stranger
01 — Matchbook
Lucky Stranger matchbook
02 — The mark
Lucky Stranger mark
03 — The system
Lucky Stranger system
Brand in the room — interior extensions

Stenciled logos over found paintings. The cat mark on glass, walls, and signage. Brand as texture, not decoration.

Interior reference 1 Interior reference 2 Interior reference 3
Brand in room — stencil Brand in room — cat mark Brand in room — application
Logo refinements — 5.6.26
The "L"
Options worked up to read clearly as "Lucky" — addressing the misread. Option A is the presented reference.
Distress
Clean and textured versions in development. Texture for physical; clean for digital.
Stranger weight
"Stranger" brought up in visual weight to hold its own alongside "Lucky."
Logo iterations A–G
Next steps from Presentation 02
01

Finalize the brand system

Lock the logo, confirm color system, finalize font selections. Production-ready files once approved.

02

Build brand tone and voice guidelines

Language system to match the visual identity — how Lucky Stranger talks and what it says.

03

Begin on signage

Interior and exterior signage development in collaboration with Hannah — grounded in the brand system and the actual space.

04

Lucky Stranger Disco

Once the core identity is locked, we turn to the sub-brand. LSD has its own visual register — that conversation starts here.

Presentation 01
April 15, 2026 — Two concepts: Lucky and Stranger
Original creative presentation — two directions explored. Superseded by Presentation 02. Preserved as a record of the process and the concepts that shaped the final direction.
Creative Presentation — April 15, 2026

Lucky Stranger

Two creative directions. One decision. The goal: align on which lane to push forward and build out into a full brand system.

Prepared by Big Sis Creative Studio  ·  For Ali, Nan, Kelsey + Jose

Concept A — Lucky

Lucky.

Optimistic. Warm. Hand-painted. Utilitarian bones, dive bar DNA, a logo that looks like it's been above the door for twenty years and belongs there.

Hand-painted signage Warm & utilitarian Dive bar DNA Optimistic Midwest roots Leans "Lucky"
Concept A moodboard
In the world
Lucky matchbook
The mark
Lucky wordmark
The system
Lucky system
Tagline directions
01Fortune favors the thirsty.
02Right place. Right time.
03Take your shot.
04See what happens.
05High spirits, low expectations.
Concept B — Stranger

Stranger.

Mid-century refined. Quietly knowing. The person at the end of the bar who feels familiar, but you can't quite place. Intriguing, intentional. Mysterious in the best possible way.

Mid-century refined Mysterious Intellectual Noir-adjacent Understated Leans "Stranger"
Concept B moodboard
In the world
Stranger matchbook
The mark
Stranger wordmark
The system
Stranger system
Tagline directions
01Lost & found.
02Quality booze. Questionable outcomes.
03Drinks & Discretion.
04Cold drinks. Low lights. OK people.
05AC / Cable TV / Ice Cold Drinks.
Next steps from Presentation 01
01

Digest and reflect

Take a day or two. Let it settle. Gut reactions right after a presentation aren't always the final word.

02

Share feedback

Reactions on each direction — what resonated, what didn't, and any questions that came up.

03

Synthesize and push forward

Based on feedback, refine the chosen direction — tightening the logo, narrowing the tagline, beginning color and type.

04

Presentation 02 — final direction

Refined logo, selected tagline, color and type system, and a clear picture of what Lucky Stranger looks and sounds like going forward.

05

Brand rollout begins

Once the core identity is locked — signage, fonts, colors, logo files, and the Lucky Stranger Disco sublabel.