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Rebrand Roundup: From the Tate Modern to STÓR

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Peter Saville/Morph – Tate Modern

*British graphic design legend Peter Saville is the mastermind behind the new graphic identity for the Tate Modern art gallery; a colourful model of the complex itself that includes the new Herzog & de Meuron extension. Saville worked with long-time collaborator Paul Hetherington and animation, graphic and product-design studio Morph to create the animated visual, which depicts the former power plant and its adjacent spaces as translucent volumes, with each section or department given its own hue. The Tate Modern's iconic chimney is displayed in blue, the underground Tanks space is coloured red and the public areas on the top floor are highlighted in turquoise. An orange-yellow tone is used to depict both the main exhibition space and the new twisting brick extension, which is set to open on 17 June 2016. The graphic is being used on publicity material ahead of the event, and has also been turned into souvenirs sold in the museum's shop. Saville and his team decided to animate the visual so it rotates on a white background, allowing the different elements of the complex to be seen more clearly. Part of the intention is to help visitors understand the gallery's layout, which has grown and changed numerous times since it opened in 2000.

Swiss architecture studio Herzog & de Meuron initially renovated the main building, which was formerly the Bankside Power Station. The firm's extension, which sits at the southwest corner of the building, was originally granted planning permission in 2007 but revised two years later. Named the Switch House, it comprises an angular brick tower built around part of a former electrical substation on the site. Herzog & de Meuron also returned in 2012 to uncover three underground concrete tanks, creating more spaces for art and performance. Saville's graphic presents all of these spaces and their relationships between one another. The designer rose to fame while creating artwork for Factory Records in Manchester during the 1970s. His most iconic work is perhaps the cover artwork for Joy Division's seminal debut album, Unknown Pleasures, which was based around the radio pulses of a dying star.

 

Osborne Ross/Studio Dempsey – Royal Mail

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Royal Mail has released two batches of exciting new stamp designs for the summer geared towards two very different markets. The first is a new animal stamp series to appeal to children, which breaks away from the usual prescriptive rectangular format. The Animail series has been designed by consultancy Osborne Ross, and is made up of six animal stamps, including a woodpecker, snake, chimpanzee, bat, orangutan and koala bear. The aim was to create a colourful and characterful set of stamps which use a range of shapes and colours, but still have a consistent style. The hands and feet of the adhesive animals are foldable, meaning they can bend over the edge of the envelope, giving the impression that the animal is holding on to the edge on the stamp. The stamps abandon the regular rectangle stamp shape, but still had to adhere to certain technical requirements in their design, such as the ability to be read by Royal Mail’s sorting machines. The stamps are primarily aimed at children, and are available to buy today from Royal Mail’s website or in-store at Post Offices across the UK.

We were asked to design stamps that were fun, attractive to children and unlike anything that had been done before” Andrew Ross, Co-founder at Osborne Ross*

The second batch of new stamps, meanwhile, have been released to celebrate progressive rock legends Pink Floyd’s legacy as one of Britain’s most prolific bands. The series is made up of six stamps and a miniature sheet containing four rectangular designs, and aims to commemorate the band’s iconic album cover art, and their penchant for startling visual design work. Royal Mail’s latest collection is inspired by Mike Dempsey’s 2010 collection of stamps based around classic British album sleeves, and includes the artwork of Pink Floyd albums such as The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and their latest, final album, The Endless River. The Studio Dempsey collection also includes a miniature sheet of four rectangular stamps, which illustrate the theatrical quality of the group’s live performances.The stamps feature photographic images of the band, and represent different creative periods throughout their live performance history. The Pink Floyd Live set includes images from London’s UFO Club in 1966, The Dark Side tour in 1973, projected animations from The Wall Tour in 1981, and the band performing in 1994. The stamps are available to pre-order today from Royal Mail’s website, and can be bought in Post Offices from July 7.

 

Socio Design – STÓR

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The Socio Design consultancy has created the branding for a new subscription menswear brand focused on environmental friendliness. STÓR, which means “A store of treasure” in Gaelic, is an Irish brand which aims to combine a luxury fashion feel with recyclable and sustainable products. It sells men’s basic clothing, such as underwear, socks and t-shirts. Socio Design worked with an existing logotype to create the branding and packaging for STÓR, which aims to lend from the company’s ethos of eco-awareness. Clothes are made from natural materials such as organic cotton and bamboo. The packaging is also made from unbleached recycled cardboard boxes, which the consultancy sourced directly from the US. The logo, meanwhile is a hand-drawn serif based on Garamond, with the surrounding text in a simple, sans-serif. It uses a grid system, splitting up a rectangle in multiple smaller modular rectangles to signify this manufacturing feel, and includes a lot of white space to indicate simplicity.

We wanted to produce something that was simple and stripped back, and which was also a nod to manufacturing labelling” Nic Carter, Senior Designer at Socio Design

Socio Design has also used a palette of three pastel colours to refer to different subscription levels, with pink being the staple, yellow the essential and mint green the complete subscription. Other generic labels are included in dark grey and white. The consultancy also created a suite of icons to indicate different natural attributes of the clothing, such as organic cotton indicated by a cotton plant, and bamboo indicated by a bamboo cane symbol. Socio Design created the branding, packaging, labelling, wraps and belly bands for STÓR,. The project took six months to complete.

 

Cheetham Bell – Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre

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Cheetham Bell has unveiled a new branding for the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, marking the venue’s 40th anniversary. The launch coincides with the theatre’s Autumn/Winter programme of productions, and aims to celebrate the Royal Exchange as an iconic institution. The new logo includes three concentric circles with a red colour palette, and a bold, white typeface, which was inspired by the theatre’s interior round space and the energy of Manchester’s industrial heritage.

There was a desire to create a consistent visual language across the theatre’s communications as they felt it had become fragmented over the years” Cheetham Bell Head of Design, Tony Perry

The logo has been designed by the J. Walter Thompson-owned agency to work flexibly in a number of ways, both positionally and in terms of colour use, with a visual identity that uses a bold, colourful photographic style married to simple typography. This identity is also present across the theatre’s other visual communications, including their new brochure, which features a corresponding, circular image of actress Maxine Peake. The new season photography was produced in collaboration with Manchester photographer Jonathan Oakes. The Royal Exchange Theatre’s Autumn/Winter season debuts this September, and the branding is displayed throughout their product, print and online applications.

 

Touch of Mojo – LoSalt

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The LoSalt low sodium salt alternative has overhauled its traditional packaging and branding to reinvigorate their established brand as an everyday salt alternative for consumers focused on healthy eating. Touch Of Mojo has led the redesign, which aims to transform the product’s medicinal feel by using fresh and friendly colours and typography. A light blue colour palette has been introduced to replace the original packaging which was distinguished by a strict red, white and blue colour scheme. The redesign has also abandoned upper case typography in favour of a softer, sans serif logo, and incorporated bold illustrations of fresh fruit, fish and vegetables.

The idea is for consumers to associate LoSalt with making healthier lifestyle choices and preparing fresh food” Touch Of Mojo’s CEO Ray Armes

LoSalt remains the best-selling reduced salt alternative in the UK, and the redesign intends to shift their brand identity as a viable rival to others in the salt category. The design aims to correlate looking good with feeling good, and includes recipe suggestions to inspire consumers. By using a friendlier colour scheme the consultancy has given LoSalt a similar look and feel to other competitors like rock and sea salt, while also emphasising its associations with family business and a healthy lifestyle. The rebrand is currently being rolled out in supermarkets across the UK.

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