In the August edition of Creative Review we were one of three designers asked for our creative response to Johnnson Banks new corporate identity for the Science Museum in London. Also in the same issue a few pages down in the Hi-Res section of the magazine is our new Show-off, Andrew Zuckerman, showing an image from his fantastic new project over at the Show-off Gallery entitled ‘Birds’.

For those who can’t get their hands on a copy of this months issue of Creative Review, here is our response to the Science Museum’s new identity in full and few lovely images:

The new Science Museum identity is already doing its job. It’s raising awareness, engaging people and encouraging debate – everything the Science Museum and a good brand identity should do. We all know an identity scheme is more than just a logo; it’s about the visual language, the tone of voice, how it behaves and the overall detailing. The logo should be the key that opens the door, communicating the nature, qualities and values of the business it has been designed to symbolize. In some cases this may not be necessary but when it happens a signature is born which is instantly recognisable.

Here, the logo has massive presence; it’s open to personal interpretation and, because of that, it reflects the ‘joy of discovery’ people experience upon visiting the Science Museum. For some, the amalgamation of the letter ‘i’ and ‘E’ looks forced and sits uncomfortably with the other characters. Yet you could argue that it provides a focal point, a playful visual device that transforms the signature into a visually recognisable interactive shape.

The intention from the outset seems have been to use the logo on as large a scale as possible, so the museum can reinforce who they are and what they do. In the future, you can imagine the logo becoming less of a hero, while the strong graphic language and fantastic imagery – courtesy of photographers such as Lee Funnell and John Ross – takes centre stage, as the identity evolves. Science is about making discoveries, and for me, this identity captures that sense of endeavour and exploration. And with that in mind, I’m off down to the Science Museum with my two sons.