UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS HELSINKI, VISUAL IDENTITY
Title | UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS HELSINKI, VISUAL IDENTITY |
Brand | UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS HELSINKI |
Product/Service | BRANDING |
Category |
A09. 360 BRAND & IDENTITY EXPERIENCE |
Entrant Company
|
BOND CREATIVE AGENCY Helsinki, FINLAND
|
Advertising Agency
|
BOND CREATIVE AGENCY Helsinki, FINLAND
|
Credits
Jesper Bange |
Bond |
Creative Director |
James Zambra |
Bond |
Graphic Designer |
Toni Hurme |
Bond |
Graphic Designer |
Arttu Salovaara |
Bond |
Strategic Manager |
Mirva Kaitila |
Bond |
Producer |
Mikko Ryhänen |
|
Photographer |
Veikko Kähkönen |
|
Photographer |
Paavo Lehtonen |
|
Photographer |
Arsi Ikäheimonen |
|
Photographer |
Antti Hietaniemi |
|
Animation |
Rachele Rangoni |
|
Animation |
Mira Ohlsson |
|
Copywriter |
Laura Manninen |
University Of The Arts Helsinki |
Head Of Communications |
Paula Tuovinen |
University Of The Arts Helsinki |
Vice Rector |
Elisa Ylinen |
Sibelius Academy |
Head Of Communications |
Tuomas Auvinen |
Sibelius Academy |
Dean |
Kirsi Korhonen |
Academy Of Fine Arts |
Head Of Communications |
Markus Konttinen |
Academy Of Fine Arts |
Dean |
Brief Explanation
To create a brand architecture and a unified identity that binds the three academy brands and the university brand together, while at the same time leaving enough room for the academies and their organizations to build their own profiles. Creating an identity that works across the different arts and avoids the typical clichés was another key challenge.
The Brief
To create a unique brand for the new University of the Arts Helsinki. At the beginning of 2013 three of Finland’s most prestigious art academies, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Sibelius Academy and the Theatre Academy, merged into one university called The University of the Arts Helsinki. The new university now consists of the three academies that have equal roles and cultural weight. In the merger the three existing academy brand names were kept. The client wanted the University to be portrayed as “Finland’s most interesting university”.
How the final design was conceived
The identity strategy was to create a distinctive set of logotypes based on a common design language, and to introduce an anchor symbol that acts as a point of connection between the university mother brand and the three academy brands.
The identity doesn't play it safe. The deconstructed logotypes distinguish the university from business and science universities. The simple and bold 'X' has plenty of meanings, just like art does. The symbol can be seen,for example,as a starting point, a destination, a meeting place, a location, a signature, an unknown force, a warning, an irritant, a question and a solution.
Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market
The identity is distinctive and portrays the University as “Finland’s most interesting university” which was the original brief. The goal was to not leave viewers cold and the fact is that the identity has caused a lot of reaction and debate, both positive and negative. The great thing is that everybody has an opinion about it.