BRAND CHALLENGES:
• Reassert a position of pre-eminence
• Strengthen cross-marketing relationship with a sister museum
• Establish a clear relationship with a high-profile subsidiary
• Reassert a position of pre-eminence
• Strengthen cross-marketing relationship with a sister museum
• Establish a clear relationship with a high-profile subsidiary
BRAND ELEMENTS:
Brand Strategy and Personality, Core Identity and Logo, Visual System, Guidelines, Launch Communications
Brand Strategy and Personality, Core Identity and Logo, Visual System, Guidelines, Launch Communications
The Smithsonian American Art Museum is well known and respected in art circles, but was looking strengthen their emotional connections with audiences and revitalize their brand. The solution was found in positioning the museum as the champion of American art and artists. By doing so, the museum could shine a light not only on its superb collections but also on the unrivaled resources it put at the service of educators, academics and artists themselves.
A bold new identity that substituted the museum’s acronym, “SAAM,” for its unwieldy full name gave its visual expression vastly more stopping power. The museum's focus on connecting Art and Artists is also reflected in the interconnected letterforms of the logo. The Angle of the "A" in SAAM provided a consistent design element which became the basis for secondary graphics–called the "Dynamic Pattern." This graphic also represents the shafts of light that stream through the courtyard connected to the museum, a vital community gathering spot that is a highlight of the museum. The color palette is bright and illuminated, a reflection of many of the key signature art pieces in the collection.
