When Dia Café launched the Stay Strong campaign, it wasn’t just a marketing gimmick. It was a message — for our community, our culture, and anyone across the globe quietly carrying the weight of the world while still showing up strong every day. We see you.

We needed more than a good designer to drive that message home. We needed an artist who could translate resilience into a visual language so to speak. That’s where Jackson Alves came in to save the dia.

The Brazilian-born lettering artist has built a global reputation for crafting expressive letterforms rooted in intention and authenticity. So when we asked him to collaborate on the Stay Strong campaign artwork, his response was pure — and entirely on brand.

“When I read the words Stay Strong, I didn’t think about boldness or power,” Jackson told us. “I thought about endurance. Patience. The kind of strength that doesn’t always make noise — but never disappears.”

Designing with Depth

The brief was deceptively simple: Create a visual mark that captures the quiet, unshakable strength of our community — and give it heart. But for Jackson, simplicity always comes layered.

“I start every project by asking myself, ‘What’s the real story here?’” he said. “Is it about typography? Yes. But it’s also about what people feel when they see it.”

In this case, Jackson began by sketching fluid, hand-drawn letterforms that felt grounded but not rigid. He balanced shape and flow — not too sharp, not too soft. “It needed rhythm,” he said. “A visual cadence that felt steady and strong, not loud or aggressive.”

The final result was a dynamic lettering piece that echoed strength through balance — a steady line weight, smooth curvature, and subtle flourishes that gave it life without overwhelming the message.

“I wanted it to feel like a quiet fist,” Jackson explained. “Not yelling — just there. Present. Unshakable.”

The Process Behind the Message

Jackson is no stranger to intense creative work, but even he admits that this campaign hit differently.

“Most of my projects are for brands. This one was for people,” he said. “There’s something really powerful about creating something that’s meant to help someone feel seen.”

The process took a few weeks, moving from rough pencil sketches to refined ink compositions and finally digital vectorization. But Jackson never rushed it.

He made time for the “space between the work” — those quiet moments with coffee, sketchbook, and no deadlines. “I need coffee to start the day, of course,” he laughed. “But more than that, I need time. You can’t rush good ideas.”

That idea — of slowing down to do something meaningful — is embedded into the Stay Strong visual. It’s not overly ornate. It’s not overproduced. It’s intentional and organic.

A Collaboration Fueled by Trust

At Dia, we’re proud to say this campaign wasn’t over-art directed. We trusted Jackson. And the respect was mutual.

“Working with Dia was a dream,” Jackson said. “You didn’t micromanage. You gave me space to create. You just asked for honesty and soul — and that’s what I gave.”

That creative trust made all the difference. Jackson’s final piece felt like something pulled from within — not from a design software playbook. At the end of the day, it was just human.

And the feedback was exactly what we hoped for. The artwork resonated with our team, our community, and most importantly, everybody.

“People messaged me saying the artwork felt personal,” Jackson shared. “That it reminded them to keep going. That’s the best kind of feedback.”

The Meaning Behind Stay Strong

The Stay Strong campaign was never just a label, a post, or a slogan. It was about honoring the strength people show every day — especially the kind that goes unseen.

Latino communities, creatives, immigrants, and hustlers of every kind know what it means to push through without applause. To hold it down, hold it together, and hold up those around them. That’s the spirit Jackson captured.

“This message — it’s not loud. It’s loyal,” he said. “It’s for the people who wake up every day and just keep going.”

That’s why the lettering wasn’t overly stylized. It wasn’t about the flair — it was about the feeling. And it hit hard.

Seizing the Moment

Jackson’s journey with Dia Café has now come full circle — from the Mucho Macho design in 2022 to Phoenix in 2025, where we filmed with him, shared stories, and brewed up more than just content.

As we wrapped our shoot, Jackson looked around at the studio, the cameras, the cafecito — and smiled.

“This isn’t just about letters on a bag,” he said. “This is about culture, community, and giving voice to people through design. I’m proud to be a part of it.”

We’re proud too.

The Stay Strong campaign is a daily reminder. A quiet rally cry. A visual hug. And thanks to Jackson Alves, it’s also a piece of art that speaks louder than words.