Just over a decade after establishing itself in Denver, the Clyfford Still Museum came to us looking for a brand refresh. The first 10 years in the city had been successful, but the museum’s team was now setting bigger, bolder goals for the institution. The primary objective? Attracting a wider range of audiences while showcasing a dedication to scholarship, innovation, and inclusiveness.
Clyfford Still was an enigmatic painter who helped pioneer Abstract Expressionism. He wanted his abstract works to be open to all interpretations and never expressed an exact ‘meaning’ behind his art; Still would often go so far as to not even title his paintings, so as to not influence a viewer’s perception. That made it hard for the museum to establish a distinct brand and even harder to create marketing materials and a website that paints a picture (get it?) of what a visitor could expect to experience.
To refresh the brand, we drew inspiration from two things: the first was Still’s works, borrowing colors from his paintings, while the second was the very unique architecture of the museum itself. The result is a striking and eye-catching look that uses color to delineate between the range of audiences the museum speaks to, as well as the diverse programming offered.
To match the exciting new look, the newly developed narrative identity leaned on welcoming, warm, and educational language geared toward making everyone feel like they belonged at this museum, whether they were long-time art lovers, local students, or tourists looking to fill an afternoon. The narrative work also focused heavily on helping visitors visualize what to expect from their experience, covering everything from who Clyfford Still was to the museum’s conservation efforts to how each work was open to interpretation.
The new brand is now live on the museum’s website and in their marketing materials! The museum staff is enamored with the work and is already putting it to use in their internal development of new materials as well. We also developed staff talking points that infused the new brand into visitor interactions. Check out the website (and plan your visit to one of Denver’s most unique museums) here.
