Sherlock Holmes Composite Photo

The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes

Creating a unique identity for one of the most imagined and re-imagined brands in history.

Background

In collaboration with the Conan Doyle Estate, Exhibits Development Group, Geoffrey M. Curley & Associates, OMSI and The Museum of London, OVO developed a complete visual identity system and branding for The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes Exhibition Logo

Challenge

The essential question was: how do you create a unique identity for one of the most imagined and re-imagined brands in history, doing so while representing its diverse historical, literary, and cultural expressions?

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Sherlock Holmes Website
Sherlock Holmes Website Times
Exhibition Website Home Page Exhibition Website Home Page

Solution

Our recommendations were informed by the work of many: historians, literary critics, illustrators and museum curators. The process was highly collaborative. Through each iteration, the vision for the exhibition experience was manifest more deeply in the trademark, graphic style, and promotional communications—including the fully-responsive exhibition website that OVO designed and developed. The identity succeeds in feeling both current and historical. It cultivates a deep level of interest without being fussy. But perhaps most importantly, it gets out of the way of the exhibition’s primary asset: The name “Sherlock Holmes”.

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