Edinburgh International Festival
By 2007, in its 60th year, Edinburgh – the world’s first international festival – now shared the world stage with cities as widespread as Manchester and Melbourne, and its home ground with a confusing plethora of other arts events – including jazz, film, book, art and the Fringe. The question for the new director, his energetic team and the city council seemed inevitable: ‘was Edinburgh’s crown slipping?’
Invited to create a new brand that would help EIF hold and strengthen its position, our research uncovered three challenging paradoxes: it’s the city’s original festival, but it’s overshadowed by the Fringe; it has an elite, worldwide reputation, but its identity is confused; it has a young and vibrant team, but a stuffy old image.
We began by helping EIF articulate its ambition: to be recognised by its peers and public as the international festival; international in what it does (drawing on every culture as a source and inspiration) and how it does it (recognising its audiences and team as global citizens).
This ambition will be achieved by crafting a festival which takes its audiences on an intense journey celebrating creativity. The idea that lies at the heart of the brand is ‘transforming people + place’: by saturating the city with its vibrant personality, EIF transforms Edinburgh and creates a cultural environment in which people can be transformed.
Launched in January 2009 with a distinctive new identity and comprehensive guidelines, the new brand is set to re-define EIF’s position at the heart of the Edinburgh Festival
Design by: Hat Trick Design