Abbey Theatre Rebrand

It’s not everyday you get asked to help rejuvenate a national institution, but we’ve been working behind the scenes with the Abbey Theatre to do just that. However rather than delivering a big brand reveal, we have used a process of collaborative evolution.

The Abbey Theatre is a really unique organisation. Established before we had an independent state, it’s been telling the stories of the nation 120 years, and so much more. Research and strategy work by wove highlighted an organisation of diversity, depth and vibrancy, that was struggling to communicate this vitality and valued place in the nation. The challenge was to develop a brand that would hold a place as an institution of weight at the heart of Irish life, while also being able to connect with very modern issues, and deliver a dynamic, digital age experience across a wide range of touch points. From selling a show and providing an electric experience, to also being a serious, vital cultural institution on a National and International stage.

A rethink of production images facilitated a move away from the logistically difficult big image per show approach, and enabled the Abbey to work directly with local illustrators, makers and photographers.

We produced an impactful toolkit facilitating a shift from a reductive approach of only communicating through show images, to a much expanded approach - showing all sides of the organisation, communicating a spectrum of emotions and experiences, connecting with a much wider set of audiences on a range of relevant aspects.

We worked with illustrator Steve Doogan to bring the heritage logo into the modern world and we produced a dynamic brand palette based on the Celtic calendar. Having selected a typeface that nods to the theatre’s right heritage and created a series of robust templates to give the Abbey a vibrant new voice.

We continue to work closely with the Abbey Theatre, and use our strategy to guide as we create new assets and develop the visual language of the brand over time. This allows us to help the Abbey Theatre deliver a safe space for dangerous thinking, filled with electric moments, befitting the National Theatre of Ireland.