Span (design firm)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Design |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founder | Bud Rodecker, John Pobojewski |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Key people | Bud Rodecker, John Pobojewski, Nick Adam (Associate Partner) |
| Products | Identity creation, branding, exhibition and environmental graphics, motion graphics, interactive media, publication design |
Span is a multidisciplinary design agency located in Chicago, focusing on identity creation, branding, exhibition and environmental graphics, motion graphics, interactive media, and publication design. Established in 2020 by Bud Rodecker and John Pobojewski, both previously affiliated with Thirst studio, Span welcomed Nick Adam as Associate Partner during its 2023 expansion.
Noteworthy projects
In 2024, Span spearheaded the visual rebranding of Chicago’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, drawing creative influence from the indigenous prairie landscape.
The firm also introduced a rebranding campaign for the invasive Asian carp, renaming it Copi with the slogan “Eat Well. Do Good.” This effort aligns with federal and state initiatives encouraging consumption of the species to control its numbers in Midwestern rivers and safeguard the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Span crafted the brand identity for Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), strengthening its public image.
Their 3D motion graphics piece titled Urban Sequoia, which showcases buildings that absorb carbon, debuted at the United Nations Climate Change Conferences in both 2021 and 2022.
The studio was responsible for designing exhibition graphics for Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics held at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum.
Span managed the comprehensive rebranding and brand development for Nazareth University in New York.
They developed the visual identity for South Side Sanctuary, a public park located in Bronzeville, Chicago.
In partnership with Manual Cinema, Span co-produced Countdown, a film combining puppetry and digital animation techniques.
Additionally, Span designed Slow & Low, a retrospective publication honoring Chicago’s Lowrider culture.
Awards
- Anthem Awards recognizing Sustainability, Environment & Climate achievements in 2023.
- AIGA 365 honors received in 2022 and 2024.
- Society of Typographic Arts (STA) 100 awards spanning from 2020 through 2023.
Further reading
- The Definitive Ranking of 2023’s Best and Worst Branding, Fast Co Design, 2023
- To Hook American Diners an Invasive Species of Carp Gets a New Name, The Economist, 2022
- Save the Planet by Eating this Big Ugly Fish, Wired, 2023
- Merriam Webster Dictionary: Copi Definition
- Asian Carp Rebranded as Copi to Tackle US Environmental Crisis, Design Week, 2022
- Span Designs Two Exhibitions Celebrating Trees, Design Week, 2023
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources official launch with Span
- Cooper Hewitt: Behind the Book Design
- How Good Design Promotes Good Health, Smithsonian Magazine, 2022
- New Chicago Park Identity Reflects South Side History and Culture, Creative Boom, 2024
- New Logo and Identity for Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum by Span, Brand New, 2024
- Where Should You Travel This Summer? Let These City Logos Decide, Fast Company, 2024
- “Slow & Low” Celebrates Chicago’s Lowrider Culture, Print Magazine, 2024