Design Noise has created a new visual identity for Theatre Royal Brighton, a dance troupe that is nearly 218 years old and whose home theater has just undergone an extensive renovation.
Design inspiration was drawn from historic playbills in the dance company’s archives, in particular from the woodblock type used in the 1920s. The designers used a similar face but added “cuts” that mimic the misalignment that would be introduced by stage curtains. The cuts bring the wordmark alive, creating anticipation in the mind of the viewer.
The National Ballet of Canada has a new rebrand, created by Bruce Mau Design, which is nicknamed The Storyteller. The goal of the new system is to help people who might previously never considered attending the ballet to understand that it is all about stories that are relevant to their own lives.
The oddly stacked and spaced wordmark seems to move even when it is static, but it also provokes thought and leaves space for those stories. In addition, it serves as an introductory phrase that can be used in marketing: for instance, “The National Ballet of Canada asks what would you do for love?” or “The National Ballet of Canada invites you to experience ballet in a new light.”