In the age of conglomeration, a decade of continuous operations is a serious accomplishment for any business. To make it a century takes something else entirely.
At O’Connell & Goldberg, we’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most exciting and influential brands across America. Though only a few of those have been around for a hundred years or more.
Franke Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana: A Coal Fired Classic
Founded in 1925 in New Haven, Connecticut, by its namesake, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana is one of two O&G clients turning 100 this year. Known for its coal-fired thin crust and signature white clam pizza, Frank Pepe’s remains a benchmark in American pizza culture.
What sets Frank Pepe’s apart is its unwavering dedication to consistency. Still family owned and operated, the brand takes great care to ensure that every pie, in every location, tastes just like the original. While this might lead to a longer line and an extended build-time for new locations, the family knows that its consistency is what makes them stand out.
In an industry where rapid expansion is the norm, Pepe’s has built a legacy by staying true to its roots. The brand has earned its fierce loyal following and a reputation as one of the best pizzerias in the country, one coal-fired oven at a time.
Miami’s Freedom Tower: A Century at the Center
O&G’s other centennial client is also one of our newest. The Freedom Tower in Miami, originally completed in 1925, is a historic icon rooted in the history of our South Florida community.
The tower was o riginally home to The Miami News, an evening newspaper that shuttered in 1988. The tower has had many lives and served many purposes in its 100 years. During the Cold War, it became a symbol of American hope when it was used as a processing center for Cuban refugees fleeing the Castro regime. Over time, it came to symbolize freedom and the American Dream for a rapidly growing city and immigrant community. Because of its symbolic importance for countless immigrant families, the Freedom Tower has often been called the Statue of Liberty of the South.
Today, the Freedom Tower is a protected historic site taking on new life as an artistic hub in a city that is always reinventing itself. Under the ownership of Miami Dade College since 2005, the iconic tower is being repurposed to house museum exhibits, historical artifacts, and facilities for the college’s arts disciplines. After much construction, renovation, and reimagination, the tower is set to reopen to the public later this year.
While the tower continues to reinvent itself, it has been a consistent symbol of freedom in South Florida; freedom of the press, freedom of movement, and now freedom of the arts. Its preservation and rebirth is the collective work of dozens of advocates and stewards who recognize that some symbols are too important to lose.
Lessons in Brand Longevity
A century after their founding, Frank Pepe’s and the Freedom Tower are both still rooted in their original purpose and identity. Both have resisted dilution in favor of continuity. Both have adapted to the times while remaining recognizable. Most importantly, they’ve earned trust from their communities through quality, fidelity, and unwavering purpose.
In an age when even the most established brands are chopped up and sold for parts, longevity is only possible if a brand stands for something greater than itself. The centennial anniversaries of Pepe’s and the Freedom Tower offer a powerful reminder. A legacy is something you earn through consistent good work (and the help of the right public relations team).