We combine research and strategy with thoughtful design to create, communicate and build brands and identities that transform businesses and deliver measurable value.

Dublin Mountains Partnership identity

16 July 2008

"Create a unifying brand mark that will be acceptable to five separate organisations and also eventually serve to promote the Dublin Mountains to residents and tourists." That was the challenge set out for us by the newly-established Dublin Mountains Partnership.

The Dublin Mountains Partnership is a management group for the mountains, comprising Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, South Dublin County Council, Coillte, the National Parks & Wildlife Service and the Dublin Mountains Initiative. Its remit covers development of trails for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, as well as improved signage and maps and promotional material. Usage of the brand identity is shared by the five stakeholders.

Our visual solution includes a novel monogram symbol derived from the initials DMP in a form suggestive of an owl or a rams head. We advised that a strong graphic symbol would be a beneficial asset to this brand. We designed this symbol so that it may be reproduced in methods that are in harmony with its natural surroundings: routed out of wood, for example.

The brand mark will initially be seen on signage at the main access points overseen by the Dublin Mountains Partnership. The new brand identity will visually unify the various locations and services. This brand identity gives the Dublin Mountains Partnership a strong basis on which to establish a brand for the Dublin Mountains over the coming years. We will be working with them to define the usage parameters for the brand mark, to develop the supporting corporate identity system and to specify all of the principal applications of that corporate identity system.

European Design Annual features the Smyths brand mark

14 July 2008

The BFK-designed Smyths brand mark has been chosen for publication in the European Logo Design Annual (EULDA) 2007. The EULDA is the high-profile graphic design award scheme that rewards the best logos and trademarks designed in Europe each year. The winners are selected by an international three-tier jury consisting of 10 top design professionals, 10 marketing managers from major international clients and 10 members of the public.
We are delighted that one of our brand marks has been chosen for this prestigious design publication.

Nine to Hawaii Five-O!

04 July 2008

As the summer finally hits the city, we've been getting in the mood by devising the identity and promotional campaign for Dublin's first Urban Beach. For the month of July, the Dublin Docklands Development Authority have transformed George's Dock, in the midst of the bustling IFSC in Docklands, into a tropical oasis with beach cabins, lounge chairs, beach umbrellas and daily activities for Dubliners of all ages.

We were commissioned to design the Urban Beach identity and to help the DDDA to promote the event. Our solution uses bright, vibrant colours and Hawaii-themed icons to evoke the feeling of being in a tropical paradise. We developed a quirky advertising campaign to promote and position the Urban Beach concept. Our contribution included writing and directing a radio advert. Our advertising concepts are being used in a comprehensive media campaign which includes press advertising, outdoor posters, banners, branded vehicles and radio advertising.

The event is receiving widespread media coverage and, come rain or shine, the Urban Beach is bound to be a fun experience for all ages!

  

We are here 3.0

21 June 2008

We Are Here 3.0 is the third year of an annual cultural festival that explores contemporary urban experience through technology and live performance, probing the lives of citizens online and offline in the real world. We were tasked with creating a suite of integrated marketing collateral (brochure, posters and press advertising) to promote this unique experience city-wide on behalf of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and the Project Arts Centre. We built on our design work for last year's event. We added bold striking patterns in a rainbow of colours across all of the marketing material to convey the diversity of the festival experience and to appeal to a wider audience. With an array of unusual performances planned, such as Lola Arias/Compania Postnuclear from Argentina and Rabih Mroué from Lebanon, We Are Here 3.0 promises to be an interesting one!

Molecular Medicine Ireland identity

19 June 2008

Molecular Medicine Ireland (MMI) is a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in fostering and promoting medical research with the objective of achieving better quality outcomes for patients.

In a move to reinforce its status as a facilitator of cross-institutional collaboration and a creator of a national centre of excellence in molecular medicine research and education, the organisation recently changed its name from Dublin Molecular Medicine Centre to Molecular Medicine Ireland. MMI now coordinates research in association with five leading Irish universities: NUI Galway, RCSI, TCD, UCC and UCD Dublin.

BFK created the brand identity for MMI. This includes a new brand mark and a visual identity toolkit for application to communications and other materials. The brand mark is based on the MMI acronym but in a manner that also suggests abstracted DNA strands in an innovative and contemporary manner. The colour scheme communicates professionalism and status, attributes appropriate to MMI's standing within the medical research community.

In addition to creating the brand identity, our project included designing a range of stationery, communications materials, PowerPoint templates, signage and conference backdrops.