The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine: Refreshing a Spiritual Brand 

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (CCSJD) located in Manhattan, New York City is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world by volume with a long history of progressive values and inclusivity. CCSJD was looking for an updated brand platform and identity that would help the church navigate key challenges, such as:

• Generational Shift: 34% of Gen Z are religiously unaffiliated, a decline in religious values compared to previous generations.

• Decline in Influence: According to Gallup's 2023 "Confidence in Institutions" report, 75% of Americans believe religion is losing its influence on American life. 

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The Cathedral brought Selman and Brand Federation to the table to conduct a brand audit that would provide a reimagined platform to support a new creative identity. Our objectives were to redefine the brand positioning and strategic brand pillars of CCSJD by:
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• Clearly articulating the Cathedral’s unique value within the Episcopal Church as a spiritual center

• Clearly articulating the Cathedral as a key landmark in the broader New York City cultural and tourism market.

• Engaging a more diverse audience, particularly younger generations and individuals from various backgrounds.

Brand Federation embarked on a research process that involved talking to various internal and external stakeholders plus extensive secondary research into the Christian Church, religion and spirituality to understand:

• Audience perceptions, spiritual needs, and cultural dynamics.

• The legacy of the Cathedral and how equity could be preserved while creating a vision of future relevance

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Brand Platform: Spiritual Replenishment 

The refreshed brand platform centers around offering visitors a place for:
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• Unconditional Kindness

• Divine Inspiration

• Peace & Tranquility

Armed with the new platform, design studio Selman was tapped to refresh the Cathedral’s visual identity. Selman translated the “spiritual replenishment” platform to the externally facing rally cry, “It’s Your Cathedral.” 

The new look re-energized existing community members while providing a fresh, inspiring look for newcomers, embodying the Cathedral’s role as a haven of peace and tranquility.

• Selman’s redesign centered on a new visual identity and wordmark, inspired by the Cathedral’s historic bronze letterforms in Pilgrims’ Pavement and refined by Frere-Jones Type. Complementing the existing Divine font, which references The Gutenberg Bible, a new typeface was introduced, inspired by writing in The Book of Common Prayer. This custom typography connects the Cathedral’s theological traditions with modern digital relevance. New guidelines were created for type layouts to increase legibility and comprehension of everyday materials. 

• The color palette, drawn from the Cathedral’s artwork and shifting daylight through its stained glass, enhances the serene and timeless feel of the space.

• The updated rebrand incorporates welcoming elements in signage with phrases like “Blessings This Way” accompanied by floral designs, and event promotions like “Divine Light Gala” or “Concert for Peace.” The “It’s Your Cathedral” campaign launched the new identity and encapsulates the story of unconditional kindness, making the Cathedral’s mission accessible to all.

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Communications and Rollout:

The rebrand of CCSJD received accolades in the design world, including media placements in Creative Boom, Creative Review, and Print Magazine. Creative Review highlighted the rebranding effort in its article, The World’s Largest Gothic Cathedral Evolves Its Brand, noting that “St John the Divine has long been championing a contemporary design approach, pre-empting a wave of faith institutions rethinking their branding in recent years.” This acknowledges the Cathedral’s innovative spirit and its commitment to connecting with modern audiences.

Community workshops were also scheduled at CCSJD to showcase the interior features that inspired the new identity. Students, designers, and community members enjoyed seeing the divine inspiration of St. John the Divine first hand.