We Make Cool Sh*t is pleased to submit the proposal to support the comprehensive rebrand of Newark Happening and reposition Newark as a destination for travel, business, and opportunity. Newark is at an inflection point—energized by major investments, a thriving cultural scene, and growing global attention.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reintroduce Newark to the world and amplify its role on the global stage. Our team is eager to help articulate a modern, authentic destination brand that amplifies Newark’s distinct voice and drives pride, visitation, and inclusive economic opportunity.

Our firm brings deep experience in developing authentic and community-resonating brands for sports. We understand what drives sport culture: connection, pride, performance, and place.

Our founder is a former high-level soccer player who still plays every weekend at Montclair State University in an over-30 league. Before founding Make Cool Sh*t, he served as the Lead Art Director at FanDuel in New York City, where he led creative work for major sports campaigns and partnerships.

That firsthand experience gives our team a unique perspective on how sport, community, and culture intersect. We’ve worked alongside small businesses, nonprofits, supporter groups, and local audiences to grow both the game and the brands built around it.

Beyond design, we understand the dynamics that sustain community and competition—how to create brands that catalyze placemaking, build belonging, and power marketing activity across every channel.

As a New Jersey and Essex County–based company, we know that the strength of any brand lies in the people and businesses that give it life.

Since 2017, we’ve partnered with local entrepreneurs and organizations across food and hospitality, apparel, lifestyle, sports, entertainment, and services—helping small and midsize businesses (the backbone of local economies) shape culture, fuel growth, and inspire pride.

These experiences uniquely position us to build destination brands that resonate with Newark and its people—brands that live beyond logos, inspire loyalty, and reflect the spirit of a city built on creativity, resilience, and hustle.

Our approach combines research, stakeholder collaboration, and strategic planning with bold, lasting design. The result is a brand system that moves seamlessly between the local and the global—rooted in Newark’s unique character yet ready to speak to the world.

We aim to create a brand that doesn’t just represent Newark but radiates from it—physically and digitally. Our process ensures that every detail is powered by Newark’s unique identity and expressed through partnerships with local vendors, makers, and institutions.

The outcome: a destination brand that feels unmistakably homegrown while resonating on the global stage—a brand built with Newark and owned by Newarkers, for the world to see.

We’re excited to collaborate with the Newark Alliance to deliver a destination brand that is rooted in authenticity, amplified by community, and ready for the world stage.

Our promise is simple: to craft a brand that embodies Newark’s creative energy, elevates its voice, and cements its place as one of the most dynamic and forward-moving cities in the world.