When Rhode Island’s PBS and NPR stations merged, the organization’s new CEO set a bold ambition: to reimagine what public media can be—with, for, and about the people of Rhode Island. Minelli was engaged to set the stage for that ambition. We developed a unifying strategy, name, and brand to carry them forward.
We began by listening. In partnership with our research collaborators, City Square Associates and Expedition Consulting, we connected with thousands of people across the state. Our conversations revealed a desire for programming deeply rooted in Rhode Island’s communities and neighborhoods. We validated the organization’s ambition while adding critical nuance and context to inform the brand strategy and identity.
At the core of the brand strategy is a clear aspiration: to become the beating heart of the community, powered by fearless local journalism, community-centered storytelling, and multiplatform innovation that informs and engages audiences wherever they are. Through extensive naming research, we arrived at Ocean State Media, a name that positions the organization as a key voice in the state. “Ocean State” is the widely recognized nickname for Rhode Island, appearing everywhere from license plates to the state quarter, making it both familiar and deeply rooted in place.
The new visual identity was designed to further evoke a strong sense of place, reflecting Rhode Island’s deep connection to the sea. Its flexibility allows it to perform across a complex ecosystem of applications while remaining memorable, modern, and approachable.
To introduce the new brand, we created a statewide public awareness campaign focused on expressing Ocean State Media’s commitment to the people, stories, questions, and cultures that define Rhode Island. Rolling out across billboards, buses, streaming audio, digital, and social media, the campaign presents the new identity through a simple, confident visual language and two rotating messages. The first establishes the organization’s role: Rhode Island’s home for news and storytelling. The second expresses its singular commitment to the state and its people: Rhode Island, through and through.
