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GCJ Hospitality
Project type
- Brand Positioning & Strategy
- Brand Architecture Development
- Messaging System & Narrative Design
- Creative Direction & Visual Identity
Location
Chicago, IL
Role
Brand Strategy Agency
The Challenge
As part of a growing family of brands, GCJ needed to carve out its own identity. Despite its impact, the brand lacked a distinct presence.
The question at the table:
"How can we establish a unique and distinctive presence among the other established brands within our portfolio?"
There was internal clarity on what GCJ did, but not enough external clarity on what GCJ meant — to the portfolio, to partners, and to the industry.
The Strategy
Threi Strategy guided GCJ through a series of intensive brand positioning workshops and audits to uncover its true role within the portfolio. Through this process, we identified GCJ not just as a service provider, but as the heartbeat and soul of the entire ecosystem.
Internally, this meant GCJ served as the unifier, the connector, and the values carrier.
Externally, it needed to show up as a respected industry leader and cultural cornerstone.
Our strategy delivered:
- A core brand narrative positioning GCJ as The Soul of the Portfolio
- Messaging pillars for internal and external use
- Brand architecture guidance for alignment with sister brands
- Recommendations for visual and verbal identity upgrades
The Execution
With a clear strategic foundation, we tapped our creative partners to bring the brand to life visually.
Deliverables included:
- A refreshed brand identity system, including a new logo that signals strength and unity
- A redesigned website to reflect GCJ’s pivotal role and elevate its digital presence
- Brand visuals and design templates to drive consistency across platforms
- Every visual element was crafted to reinforce GCJ’s position as a respected, culture-led leader in hospitality.
The Results
Internally, GCJ now holds a clarified and celebrated identity as the soul of the portfolio, a role that has shifted how stakeholders communicate and collaborate across the brand ecosystem.
Externally, the refreshed brand has already begun commanding new attention and establishing GCJ as a distinct presence in the national hospitality space.
Key outcomes:
- Key stakeholders measured a 65% lift in renewed confidence across internal leadership teams
- 100% client satisfaction in unified messaging across portfolio brands
- Elevated perception of GCJ’s brand in high-level industry conversations
What GCJ Said
The Threi team listened intently and provided the strategic guidance to lead our branding process. With their intentful focus on strategy and their guidance during the creative process, we were able to re-brand confidently with our story at the forefront.
- Jennifer Hunter-Charles
GCJ is one of the largest Black-owned hospitality resource groups in the nation. Sitting within a broader portfolio of hospitality brands, GCJ provides essential services, workforce development, and consulting support across the industry with a unique focus on equity, representation, and innovation.
