Recognition
Exhibitions
Nick Adam’s work, writing, and perspective have been featured in The Economist, Fast Company, Creative Review, Brand New, Creative Boom, The Daily Heller, WIRED, and others, with coverage spanning identity, public life, cultural institutions, and the role design can play in building participation, relevance, and value.
Nick Adam, Design Director Associate Partner, Span
Chicago, South Side, 47th Street
The Economist Examines Span’s Rebrand of Invasive Carp as Copi
by The Economist New York Editorial Team
The Economist examines Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Citing Nick Adam, the article details Span’s naming, packaging, website, and marketing strategy, designed to build mainstream demand for the fish and support efforts to protect Midwestern waterways and the Great Lakes.
“Span, a design studio, rebranded the fish from top to tail: it crafted the name, packaging, website and marketing strategy.”—The Economist
Read the Ecconomist’s Article
Newcity Design 50 Recognizes Span’s John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam
by Mary Wisniewski
Newcity Design’s 2026 Design 50 includes Span’s John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam, recognizing their influence on Chicago graphic design. The profile frames Span’s branding, exhibitions, websites, publications, and environmental graphics for Intuit Art Museum, Chicago Reader, First Lady cruises, and the Illinois Department of Human Rights as creative infrastructure.
Read the Design 50 Selection Article
Nick Adam on Design’s Role in Battling Hate
by Jaime Cabrera
On Confessions of a Creative Director, Span Associate Partner and Design Director Nick Adam connects his roots in Chicago’s punk, graffiti, and rave cultures to his civic design practice. Through Help Stop Hate and Slow & Low, he considers how identity, visibility, and belonging can be designed into public life.
Listen to Nick on the Confessions of a Creative Director Podcast
World Brand Design Society Features Span’s Identity for Slow & Low by World Brand Design Society Editorial Team
World Brand Design Society features Span’s 2025 identity for Slow & Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival at Navy Pier. Led by Nick Adam with the festival’s curators, the system uses softened blackletter, four hand-drawn roses, bilingual wayfinding, and large-scale graphics to honor Chicano lowrider culture and welcome 15,000 attendees.
“Slow & Low has always been about community and inclusivity, so it was important that we design with authors, not about them.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read the Word Brand Society Feature
Creative Review Features Span’s Nick Adam on Hospitality Branding Beyond Nostalgia
by Nick Adam
Creative Review turns to Span’s Nick Adam for a view on hospitality branding shaped by character, context, and emotional honesty. Through Span’s identities for Hot Chi and Pizzeria Bebu, Adam shows how food, service, architecture, and local culture can create restaurant brands built to grow without losing their character.
“The best hospitality brands aren’t retro. They’re intentional. They build trust because they feel made, not manufactured. Crafted, not generated.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Nick Adam’s Article
World Brand Design Society Features Span’s Rebrand of First Lady
by World Brand Design Society Editorial team
World Brand Design Society examines Span’s rebrand and website for First Lady, the 90-year-old Chicago cruise operator and official cruise line of the Chicago Architecture Center. Led by Nick Adam, Span simplified the name and carried a Chicago-rooted identity across the website, uniforms, fleet, and passenger experience, helping the company reclaim distinction in a crowded market.
“This was a moment to cut through a sea of sameness and help First Lady claim their rightful place—not just as the first, but as the one and only.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Article
Creative Review Publishes Span’s Nick Adam on Designing Against Hate
by Nick Adam
In Creative Review, Nick Adam writes that designers can counter hate through clear definitions, belonging, action, and public presence. Drawing on Span’s Help Stop Hate campaign for Illinois, he shows how branding across websites, radio, posters, and billboards can interrupt normalization, build trust, and guide people toward support.
“We should fight to earn trust by making anti-hate legible—not just visually and linguistically, but emotionally.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Designing Against Hate
Brand New Reviews Span’s New Identity for First Lady
by Kate Melvin
Brand New reviews Span’s rebrand and website for First Lady, operator of the Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise. The publication praises the Chicago-rooted wordmark and notes how the identity replaces a forgettable tourist image with a distinctive system that carries the company’s history into the present.
“The new wordmark is refined and confident, striking a nice balance between approachability and emotion.”—Kate Melvin, Brand New
Read Article
The Daily Heller Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Designing Help Stop Hate as Civic Infrastructure
by Steven Heller
Steven Heller interviews Span’s Nick Adam for PRINT’s The Daily Heller about Help Stop Hate, created with UIC’s Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design for the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Span renamed and redesigned the service across seven languages; reports rose 12,000% week over week after launch.
“This wasn’t just a rebrand; it was the design of civic infrastructure, built to deliver both practical support and a public statement that hate is wrong.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Article
Ad Age Names Span’s Help Stop Hate One of 10 Creative Campaigns to Know
by Ad Age Creativity Staff
Ad Age names Span’s Help Stop Hate among 10 creative campaigns to know, alongside work for Apple and Jordan Brand. Created for two Illinois civil-rights agencies, Span’s statewide identity and campaign designed identity and campaign launched in seven languages and drove a fivefold increase in hate reports during its first week.
Read Article
GDUSA Names Span’s Nick Adam, John Pobojewski, and Bud Rodecker Responsible Designers to Watch
by GDUSA Editorial Team
GDUSA recognizes Span leaders Nick Adam, John Pobojewski, and Bud Rodecker among its 2024 Responsible Designers to Watch. The profile highlights their socially conscious work for community organizations, cultural institutions, architectural practices, and government agencies, including collaborations with Cooper Hewitt, SOM, and Slow & Low.
“Our partners aren’t just business managers; they actively drive the creative process … and maintain direct client relationships while being hands-on designers.”—Nick Adam, John Pobojewski, and Bud Rodecker, Span
Read Article
Communication Arts Profiles Span’s Partner-Led, Multidisciplinary Practice
by Jude Stewart
Communication Arts profiles Span leaders Nick Adam, John Pobojewski, and Bud Rodecker, tracing the studio’s partner-led practice across brand identity, websites, exhibitions, publications, motion, and civic design. Jude Stewart shows how deep listening, historical research, and long-term client relationships produce flexible systems designed to grow with organizations.
“The vast majority of our clients are long term; we’ve become trusted collaborators with them.”—Bud Rodecker, founder and design director, Span
Read Article
Brand New Praises Span’s Identity and Environmental Graphics for Slow & Low
by Armin Vit | 4 November 2024
Brand New reviews Span’s 2024 identity and environmental graphics for Slow & Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival, created with curators Lauren M. Pacheco, Peter Kepha, and Edward “Magico” Calderon. Armin Vit praises the expressive typography and immersive Navy Pier installation for capturing lowrider culture while giving the 15,000-person festival a cohesive public presence.
“Overall, I think this is a fantastic identity that captures the energy of the event and becomes a great backdrop and complement to the cars and the attendees, celebrating the maximalism and abundance of self expression of Lowrider culture.”—Armin Vit, Brand New
Read Article
GDUSA Features Span’s Identity for South Side Sanctuary in Bronzeville
by GDUSA Editorial Staff
GDUSA features Span’s identity for South Side Sanctuary, a public park that transformed a vacant Bronzeville lot into an inclusive gathering place. Led by Nick Adam, the custom typography, adaptable signage, and neighborhood-rooted palette connect the park’s architecture to the movement of pedestrians, skaters, cyclists, and wheelchair users.
“The visual identity by Span reflects the form, expression, and movement in the park’s intentionally inclusive architecture and the diverse activities of its visitors.” —GDUSA Editorial Staff
Read Article
Creative Boom Profiles Span’s Community-Rooted Identity for South Side Sanctuary
by Abbey Bamford
Creative Boom follows Span’s identity for South Side Sanctuary, a Bronzeville park developed by The Nascent Group and Black Girls Shred. Led by Nick Adam, the year-long process supported community engagement and fundraising before construction, then translated the park’s architecture, neighborhood history, and relational color into a flexible public system.
“At Span, we didn’t brand a park; we reflected outwardly its identity.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Article
PRINT Profiles Span’s Type-Led Identity for South Side Sanctuary
by Kim Tidwell
PRINT profiles Span’s custom type-led identity for South Side Sanctuary, a new public park created from a vacant Bronzeville lot. Led by Nick Adam, custom letterforms draw from the site’s architecture, topography, and Apache Wakefield’s historic Bronzeville bench, giving the park a flexible civic identity across signage, print, digital, and fundraising.
“The typography and color system work together incredibly well across various contexts, from outdoor to print to digital to fundraising merch.”—Kim Tidwell, PRINT
Read Article
Newcity Design 50 Recognizes Span Among the Leaders Shaping Chicago Graphic Design
by Vasia Rigou
Newcity Design names Span’s John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam among the people shaping Chicago graphic design. The profile highlights Span’s typographic rigor, experimentation, and close collaboration with clients and community leaders across brand identity and website work for the Nature Museum, Intuit Art Museum, and Manual Cinema.
“As designers, we know that our work contributes to and reflects culture. But Span believes that we can also contribute our own voices to culture.”—John Pobojewski, Bud Rodecker, and Nick Adam, Span
Read Article
Creative Boom Profiles Span’s Prairie-Inspired Rebrand of Chicago’s Nature Museum
by Abbey Bamford
Creative Boom examines Span’s rebrand and website for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and Chicago Academy of Sciences. Led by Nick Adam, Span clarified the relationship between the public museum and 167-year-old scientific institution, then built an adaptable identity from Illinois prairie colors and Tonka and New Atten typefaces.
“This blend of old and new, historic and relevant, natural and digital perfectly encapsulated the essence of the Nature Museum.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Article
Brand New Reviews Span’s Rebrand and Website for Chicago’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
by Armin Vit
Brand New reviews Span’s rebrand and website for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, praising its clearer hierarchy, typographic craft, and vibrant visual connection to Illinois prairies. Led by Nick Adam, the identity elevates the more accessible “Nature Museum” name while preserving its relationship to the Chicago Academy of Sciences and serving audiences across education, conservation, and scientific research.
“Overall, a very flora-esque identity that unequivocally feels like nature … delivered with some nice typographic choices for a cultural institution look.”
—Armin Vit, Brand New
Read Article
Newcity Design Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Designing The Chicago Blend
by Vasia Rigou
Newcity Design interviews Span’s Nick Adam about The Chicago Blend, created with the Design Museum of Chicago and Metropolis Coffee Company. Adam explains how Span distilled Chicago design history into an original coffee package that supports free cultural programming and brings the city’s creative legacy into an everyday ritual.
“The result is a bag that stimulates the senses and ignites inspiration. In this sense, the bag is much like the product itself—a stimulant.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span.
DIELINE Features Span’s Packaging Design for The Chicago Blend
by Chloe Cordover
DIELINE features Span’s packaging design for The Chicago Blend, a coffee collaboration supporting the Design Museum of Chicago’s free public programming. Led by Nick Adam, the system layers elements inspired by the city grid, New Bauhaus, street lettering, and work by Susan Jackson Keig, György Kepes, and Tomoko Miho into a contemporary portrait of Chicago design.
“Span Studio’s packaging design for The Chicago Blend coffee is a captivating departure from conventional consumer packaged goods narratives.”—DIELINE
PRINT Profiles Span’s Book Design for Slow & Low
by Charlotte Beach
PRINT examines Span’s design of the Slow & Low art book, the first formal documentation of Chicago’s lowrider community. Led by Nick Adam and created closely with the festival’s curators, the 112-page book turns twelve years of photography into a cinematic archive through sequencing, typography, reflective materials, and tactile production.
“Span took on the design of Slow & Low with the imperative that every detail and aspect of the book must somehow reflect lowrider culture.”—Charlotte Beach, PRINT
Read Article
Crain’s Chicago Business Covers Span’s First Nature Museum Rebrand in 20 Years
by Corli Jay
Crain’s Chicago Business covers the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s first major rebrand in 20 years, led by Span. Created with museum leadership, the identity, website, and campaign draw from Illinois prairies and reposition the 167-year-old institution as a welcoming destination for all ages while reinforcing its conservation mission.
“So much of the brand, and what’s behind the design, is really opening up … to show that we are a place that’s welcoming of all people and all ages.”—Erin Amico, president and CEO, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Read Article
Creative Boom Profiles Span’s Book Design for Slow & Low
by Abbey Bamford
Creative Boom profiles Span’s design of the Slow & Low art book, a photographic archive of twelve years of Chicago lowrider culture. Led by Nick Adam with co-founders Lauren M. Pacheco and Peter Kepha, the book uses customized blackletter, cinematic sequencing, metallic ink, and tactile production to honor faith, family, friendship, and cultural memory.
“Design has the power to level playing fields, amplify voices, and create artifacts that become part of history.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Article
GDUSA Profiles Span’s Book Design for Slow & Low
by GDUSA Editorial Team
GDUSA profiles Span’s design and production of the Slow & Low art book, the first formal book documenting Chicago’s lowrider community. Led by Nick Adam, the 112-page photo essay uses custom lettering, filmic sequencing, hydraulic typography, spot gloss, and work by 14 community photographers to carry twelve years of culture into print.
“Every editorial design move Span made for Slow & Low is connected to Lowrider culture.”—GDUSA Editorial Staff
Read Article
Newcity Design Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Designing The Chicago Blend
by Vasia Rigou
Newcity Design interviews Span’s Nick Adam about The Chicago Blend, created with the Design Museum of Chicago and Metropolis Coffee Company. Adam explains how Span distilled Chicago design history into an original coffee package that supports free cultural programming and brings the city’s creative legacy into an everyday ritual.
“The result is a bag that stimulates the senses and ignites inspiration. In this sense, the bag is much like the product itself—a stimulant.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span.
DIELINE Features Span’s Packaging Design for The Chicago Blend
by Chloe Cordover
DIELINE features Span’s packaging design for The Chicago Blend, a coffee collaboration supporting the Design Museum of Chicago’s free public programming. Led by Nick Adam, the system layers elements inspired by the city grid, New Bauhaus, street lettering, and work by Susan Jackson Keig, György Kepes, and Tomoko Miho into a contemporary portrait of Chicago design.
“Span Studio’s packaging design for The Chicago Blend coffee is a captivating departure from conventional consumer packaged goods narratives.”—DIELINE
The Daily Heller Interviews Span’s Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker on Rebranding Nazareth University
by Steven Heller
PRINT’s Steven Heller interviews Span’s Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker about the studio’s immersive rebrand of Nazareth University. Span built a temporary studio on campus, working daily with students and leadership to reach consensus and deliver a 101-page identity toolkit in five days—a participatory process designed to earn community pride rather than resistance.
“Work like this is intentionally ‘with’ the client, stakeholders and community, as opposed to ‘for.’ Through this approach, everyone has a fingerprint in the work.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Article
Merriam-Webster Adds Copi, the Name Created by Span, to the Dictionary
published by Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster has added copi to its dictionary, defining the name developed by Span for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources through a naming process led by associate partner and design director Nick Adam. Derived from copious, the entry records its first known use in 2022, marking the name’s movement from brand strategy into public language.
Read Copi’s Entry in Merriam-Webster
WIRED Examines Span’s Systemic Rebrand of Invasive Carp as Copi
by Kate Knibbs
WIRED examines Span’s work for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources transforming invasive carp into Copi, from the new name and identity to the relationships needed to make the fish viable as food. Interviews with Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker show Span connecting chefs, fishers, processors, and distributors to build demand and support Great Lakes conservation.
“They also focused on building relationships with all the people and companies they’d need in order to get the fish served on a commercial scale.”—Kate Knibbs, WIRED
Read Article
Creative Boom Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Turning Invasive Carp into Copi
by Tom May
Creative Boom interviews Span’s Nick Adam about transforming invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Span expanded a logo brief into research, naming, identity, website, toolkit, and launch strategy; within two months, Copi reached eight states and exceeded its projected first-year numbers.
“The Copi project is a fantastic example of design innovation that is able to yield large-scale social impact.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Creative Review’s Interview
Communication Arts Profiles Span’s Naming, Identity, and Market-Building Strategy for Copi
by Nick Adam
Communication Arts profiles Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Nick Adam explains how naming, identity, packaging, website, and industry outreach built trust before launch, securing seven distributors and helping restaurants sell out after release.
“By renaming and designing a strategic, comprehensive identity system, our work helps change the public perception of the fish now formerly known as ‘Asian carp.”—Nick Adam, Associate Partner & Design Director, Span
Read Nick Adam’s Responses
Chicago Graphic Design Club Profiles Nick Adam
by Christian Solorzano
Chicago Graphic Design Club’s profiles Nick Adam through an extended Underscore interview on his upbringing, early influences and approach to design. The conversation traces two decades of work across Chicago and Adam’s belief in graphic design as a way to connecting people, culture and public life.
“In Chicago’s world of design, Nick Adam is a household name.”— Christian Solorzano, The Chicago Graphic Design Club
PRINT Interviews Span’s Nick Adam on Designing Copi
by Steven Heller
PRINT’s Steven Heller interviews Span’s Nick Adam about Copi, the new name and identity created to transform public perception of invasive carp. Nick Adam traces how Span reframed a logo brief into a systemic effort spanning research, naming, strategy, visual identity, industry adoption, and a public campaign.
“At Span we led the effort, created the new name, and designed a comprehensive visual identity system.”—Nick Adam, Associate Partner & Design Director, Span
Read Article
Creative Review Profiles Span’s Rebrand of Invasive Carp as Copi
by Emma Tucker
Creative Review profiles Span’s transformation of invasive Asian carp into Copi, a consumer brand created for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The new name, fish-shaped wordmark, concept packaging, website and “Eat well, do good” message recast an ecological threat as an appealing food choice.
“The heaviness of the logo aligns with the physical qualities of these fish that can weigh over 100 pounds, reach five feet in length, and each lay over a million eggs per year.”—Nick Adam, associate partner and design director, Span
Read Creative Review’s Profile
Brand New Notes Span’s New Name and Identity for Copi
by Armin Vit
Brand New features Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The concise name, fish-shaped wordmark, website, packaging, and campaign system turn a complex environmental threat into an approachable food brand designed to build consumer demand and help protect the Great Lakes.
Read Brand New’s Noted Article
AIGA Eye on Design Features Span’s Nkemdiche Among Six Award-Winning Book Covers
by Jarrett Fuller
AIGA Eye on Design profiles Nkemdiche among six winners from its 50 Books | 50 Covers competition. Working with author and Ọkpara House founder Obiora Nwazota and illustrator Lucie Van der Elst, Span’s Nick Adam and Bud Rodecker centered Igbo cultural accuracy, pairing Kigelia and Minerale typography with an illustration that makes Nkemdiche’s magnificent beard the focus.
Read AIGA’s Eye on Design Article
Design Week Examines Span’s Transformation of Invasive Carp into Copi
by Abbey Bamford
Design Week examines Span’s transformation of invasive carp into Copi for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Led by Nick Adam, Span expanded a logo brief into naming, research, identity, website, packaging, voice, and an open-source toolkit designed to build demand across distributors, markets, and restaurants.
“We had to convince the client that what was needed was not a logo but a name, and then an entire story to help people understand why they should eat this fish.”—Nick Adam, design principal and project leader, Span
Read Design Week’s Article
Nick Adam is a Chicago-based designer and Associate Partner at Span, creating identity systems that shape public life, influence culture, and build lasting value for ambitious organizations.
Nick Adam, Chicago Design Director, © 2025
Chicago, South Side, 47th Street
I
Enjoy the Day