Logo and Branding: Melbourne Theatre Company

Design agency Interbrand have recently updated their visual identity work created for the Melbourne Theatre Company in time for its 2013 season.

Based on the ‘matrix of intersecting, wireframe boxes’ that surround the theatre’s architectural structure, the original identity drew on the ‘heritage of theatre, while alluding to the contemporary nature of the performances’ with a proprietary typeface that mixes slim and broad humanist characters, sharp junctions, terminals that look like stencil cuts, simple geometry, dual lines and a fluorescent tube finish. This has now been expanded on under the theme of ‘new light’ with a neat direction that allows the typography to play an integral role in illuminating theatrical scenes through photography executed across the collaterals. The result is a clear juxtaposition of light and shade, delivering a strong sense of space and dramatic performance.

“August was a glowing month for The Melbourne Theatre Company as it launched its refreshed brand identity as well as a new season of productions for 2013. Interbrand Melbourne was delighted to take the lead on this project and add another outstanding case study to Interbrand’s arts branding portfolio in Australia.”

“The Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) is one of the major performing arts companies in Australia and widely regarded as the premier theatre destination in Victoria. Over the years, the MTC has acquired a large and loyal base of patrons who have become regarded as an inner family within the company, as well as a core customer group.”

“With new creative direction at the helm – former Melbourne Festival head Brett Sheehy is the MTC’s new Artistic Director and CEO – and with great potential identified for new visitors beyond the loyal subscribers group, the brief for our strategists and designers was to evolve the brand. To be more inclusive, to be more expressive, and to be more challenging. Furthermore, it was identified that there was potential for the MTC to be more credited for the work it does outside of theatre productions, including education and outreach programs and providing support for other local theatre companies. “

“‘MTC Shines’ was the idea at the heart of our creative brief and the distillation of our strategic thinking for the brand. It represents the MTC as a beacon of light that shines most brightly in its theatre productions, but also that shines on actors, other theatre companies, theatre patrons and Melbourne in general.”

“Creatively, this led to an identity system based a revised MTC logo that is always glowing brightly and having an effect on anyone or anything in its vicinity.”

“The identity comprises of a spectrum of colours that represent the creative dynamism of the MTC and are expressed through the logo’s glow, a bespoke typeface ‘MTC Neon’, and an image-making style that represents the new creative direction of the company.”

- Taken from Interbrand’s blog Standapart

Visit the BP&O Logo Gallery for a glossary of all the identities reviewed on BP&O.

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