This weekly vinyl listening experience at Lyrik Back Bay creates space for that to happen. No cover charge, no pretense - just curated sound at the right time with people who genuinely want to be there.
The brand identity challenge was working within Lyrik's existing visual world while giving hiFiv its own voice. This meant taking their established color palette and pushing it toward something more vintage and lived-in. It meant creating a wordmark where the letters actually perform the high-five gesture that gets you in. And it meant building a system flexible enough to work across everything from Instagram stories to outdoor signage.
The hiFiv Social brand system captures the authentic energy of vinyl culture while building something entirely new for Boston's music scene. At its core is a wordmark where the "F" and "i" literally become two figures mid-high-five, making every mention of the name an act of connection rather than just communication.
This gesture-as-typography foundation extends through the entire visual system. The color palette takes Lyrik's established colors and shifts them toward vintage record sleeve territory - muted tones that feel lived-in rather than manufactured. "The Spin" pattern system draws from vinyl records and '70s album artwork, creating modular graphics that can be rearranged depending on application needs.
Typography stays consistent with Lyrik's established DU NORD family while the supporting accent marks add strategic emphasis without overwhelming the primary message. The system scales from Instagram story frames to outdoor billboard signage while maintaining the same authentic energy.
Together, these elements create a cohesive brand that supports the weekly gathering without getting in its way. The design works because it understands its role: enhancing the experience rather than becoming the focus.
The Mark
The hiFiv wordmark performs the action it represents. The "F" and "i" become two figures connecting mid-high-five, so you can't read the name without seeing the gesture happen.
This solved a strategic challenge: creating a logo that works independently while fitting Lyrik's established brand world. By building the gesture into the letters, the wordmark becomes self-sufficient. The "@Lyrik" lockup feels natural rather than forced because the typography complements instead of competes.
For tight spaces and app icons, "The Signal" distills the gesture into a standalone hand mark. When designs need extra emphasis, "The Spark" provides strategic punctuation without creating visual chaos. Each element has a clear purpose: the wordmark leads, the brandmark steps in when space is limited, and the accent adds energy only when needed.
Color Palette
Working within Lyrik's established palette created an immediate constraint: how do you honor their brand while building something that feels distinctly different? The answer came from looking at what hiFiv actually represents - not polished nightlife but authentic vinyl culture.
We started pulling Lyrik's colors toward vintage record sleeve territory. Their bright yellow got dusty and worn-in. The bold orange shifted to something more burnt and earthy. Each color moved away from fresh-off-the-press energy toward something that felt like it had lived a little.
This wasn't just aesthetic preference - it was strategic positioning. The muted palette signals authenticity over manufactured excitement, which aligns perfectly with hiFiv's weekly ritual approach. People showing up for genuine musical discovery rather than whatever's trending.
The Spin
Logo and color palette solved the primary brand needs, but hiFiv required more flexibility across social posts, signage, and merchandise. The pattern system became the solution - circles referencing vinyl records paired with geometric cutouts inspired by 1970s album artwork.
The modular grid meant pieces could be rearranged, cropped, and scaled for different applications. Building from our established color palette allowed mood shifts while maintaining brand recognition. Need energy for Instagram? Use warmer tones. Want subtlety for print? The cooler palette works equally well.
The Full Experience
Testing the brand system across real applications revealed what worked and what needed refinement. The gradient treatment emerged naturally - pulling palette colors to suggest sunset without forcing it. This solved the digital challenge of communicating "golden hour energy" instantly while maintaining connection to the physical experience.
The DJ lineup posters created the biggest test: dense information without losing visual impact. The solution meant trusting typography hierarchy and letting brand elements provide structure rather than decoration. Each format could emphasize what mattered most - energy for social, clarity for schedules, pattern for merchandise.
The system worked best when it stopped trying so hard. Vinyl record sleeve formats felt authentic because they connected directly to hiFiv's culture. Large promotional materials succeeded by prioritizing legibility while keeping personality intact.
What emerged was flexibility without compromise - a brand that could grow with Boston's weekly ritual while staying true to the authentic energy that made people want to show up in the first place.
Photography by @flee_flickah