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The new St Paul's Cathedral logo
St Paul's Cathedral branded stationery
St Paul's Cathedral branded visitor's leaflet and annual report
St Paul's rebranded website

The task...

St Paul’s is one of Britain’s iconic landmarks. Whisper its name and you can see the magnificent dome and begin to marvel at its creation. Surely a new brand identity to take it forward deserved a quality of thought that did justice to its past and future?

Lost in inconsistency, its identity needed new discipline and direction, and a look that reflected the Cathedral’s divinity and humanity. It had to have the blessing of the Dean and Chapter, the College of Minor Canons, the Registrar and various heads of department. So we began to talk to the people who knew it best.

The way forward...

In the face of history, the term ‘brand identity’ seems trite. But, as with every marketing task, this was ultimately about people. Each St Paul’s stakeholder held passionate views and strong ideas of how a new identity should look.

Their existing identity had grown organically. There were inconsistencies in logo elements and typefaces. A visual audit showed more than 67 brand variations. Because of this, different looks appealed to different people.

In this holy setting, some common ground was needed. So we spoke at length with people from every department. Some wanted the dome prominent. Some wanted red. Others went for ultra-modern, while more than a few were tied to tradition. What eventually emerged was a willingness to embrace a classic/modern identity. So we started to think.

The new look should mirror the contemporary, forward thinking of St Paul’s, yet discreetly acknowledge a glorious past. Also, to ensure integrity and consistency, the new identity should not be ‘font based’.

The new brand design, loosely based on the previous La Giaconda font, was honed by one of the UK’s top typographic artists to make sure it worked well at all sizes, in all forms. Its forward-facing serifs look confidently to the future.

Evocative, clean and consistent, it’s a proud identity for people whose beliefs and passions run deep.

The outcome...

The people of St Paul’s are delighted. Everyone appreciates the thinking behind the look. All see the value in its integrity and consistency.

We have produced comprehensive brand guidelines, visitor information leaflets in 11 languages, marketing leaflets, and way-finding and environmental signage. We have looked at brand consistency online, as well as an Annual Report and anniversary logo.

St Paul’s continue to consult us over questions of marketing communication and external specialist projects. Our pleasure is to help bring a unique visual appeal to a place of such historical importance and depth of belief.