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.
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?
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”.