Frank’s Place

Since 1974, Frank’s Place has served LGBTQ+ customers in the coastal city of New London, CT. For years, customers traveled from far and wide for its wild drag shows and fundraisers.

Role Creative Director · Web Designer · Coder · Researcher

Deliverables Customer Research · Brand Identity · Wireframes · High-fidelity  · Print

Tools InDesign · Photoshop · Illustrator · Sketch

Timeframe 8 months

Company Manji Designs LLC

View Project →

The Problem

LGBTQ+ customers wanted a fun, inclusive, and safe place to unwind, reminiscent of Frank’s Place’s run during the late-90s. Unfortunately, customer needs fell largely unmet due to changing city demographics and inconsistent business management. Customers grew bored of the lack of entertainment and lively attendance, causing many to leave for a competing venue that offered more.

"How can we regain the customers we’ve lost and increase beverage sales?”

Opportunity

  • Customer Insights: Research customer behaviors, needs, and pain points to drive data-informed business decisions and win back lost customers.
  • Strategic Brand Identity: Re-engage customers and acquire new ones by establishing a streamlined brand identity that resonates with primary customer segments.
  • Online Engagement: Increase social media following and grow website traffic to elevate brand visibility and business discovery.
  • Sales Growth: Increase beverage and kitchen sales to drive revenue growth and strengthen the business’s financial sustainability.

Process

Research & Discovery

Understanding customer needs and motivators began with several interviews and a marketing survey that informed customer demographics, behaviors, and desires. I also conducted a marketing audit to reveal communication gaps, which customer interviews also reflected. View the research report

No items found.

Define

Research insights summarized in customer personas helped inform business decisions, such as menu pricing and prioritizing entertainment. Overall, customers wanted to remain loyal to Frank’s Place but expected a level of effort in return — a matter of consistent, quality entertainment and service.

No items found.

Ideate

No items found.

Branding

Identity

I created a new brand identity and voice to reinvigorate disengaged customers and establish brand recognition.

Photography

I photographed the best Frank’s Place had to offer. Showing its busy nights, softball team, food, and friendly staff helped change the perception about its vitality and cleanliness. Branding included staff uniforms, cheeky event posters, and other print marketing.

No items found.

UX Design

Wireframes illustrated information architecture and provided concepts for content to address communication gaps. We determined that it was essential to tell Frank’s Place’s story to play on nostalgia that was once lost.

No items found.

Visual Design

A new responsive website became a tool to tell the bar's long-standing but lost history and reach customers using their mobile devices on the go.

Iteration 1

‍

The first iteration was a table-based layout before becoming fully responsive and dynamic.
No items found.

Testing

No items found.

Impact

Outcomes
  • Brand Growth & Campaign Reach: Accelerated campaign visibility and community growth by launching a social presence that attracted 1,500+ followers within the first year.
  • Revenue Impact: Generated measurable revenue lift as brand and marketing efforts contributed to a 200-case increase in monthly beverage sales.
  • Employee & Customer Experience: Strengthened employee engagement and customer sentiment, with improved staff morale reflected in both internal and customer surveys.
  • Creative Excellence & Recognition: Earned industry recognition when select print marketing received a Graphic Design USA Award (2010).
Learnings & Reflections
  • Trust & Accountability: Customers are quick to forgive honest mistakes, but winning lasting trust means consistently delivering on promises, time and again.
  • Clarity Over Effort: Customers won't hunt for details. Stand out by communicating simply and building a reputation that outshines complicated or inside-focused messages.
  • Research Context Matters: Collecting survey feedback in the wrong setting—like after drinks—turns insights fuzzy and unreliable.
  • Validation Before Launch: Testing creative ideas with consumers upfront would have turned good campaigns into standout hits.
Connect With Me
© 2026  Brandon W. Mosley & Manji Designs LLC. All rights reserved.