By the end of strategic planning, the Delaware Art Museum knew how they wanted to change in order to achieve their goals. To begin, we initiated a process of brand focusing, collaborating with the community inside and around the museum to clarify message, image and experience so it becomes perfect for the audience.
Working collaboratively using our AMIE process, (Audience, Message, Image, Experience) the project’s Working Group participated in interpreting the research, developing personas and messaging, and guiding the direction of the creative work.
Together, we narrowed the focus to create a distinctive position for the Museum:
Connecting Greater Wilmington’s roots to its creative future.
One thing that kept appearing in research was the feeling that museums can be old and stuffy. The engaged community of this museum saw it as vibrant and colorful. Across all groups, the community most wanted a museum that was dynamic. This concept led to a logo that uses the informal “DelArt” as a typographic icon. The arching shapes are used in multiple orientations to make up the letterforms, subtly reflecting the architecture of the museum and the idea of constant change. This choice represents the new positioning incorporating the past and the future. Eliminating the crossbar on the “A” was designed to signal openness and welcoming to all.
We initially considered red for DelArt because the color is symbolic in their core collection of Pre-Raphaelite art. After a review of other newly rebranded art museums, red logos were so prevailing that we chose the deep purple as a way to visually differentiate in advertising.
“Iris’s AMIE framework pushed us to prioritize what we need today while showing us how to evolve into what we want for the future. The process worked because it wasn’t delivered to us – we were an active part of defining our brand. Based on the enthusiastic response from our staff and community, we know we’ve built a great foundation for reaching our goals.”
– Molly Giordano, Interim Executive Director
After creating the message and visual image, we developed a new website to begin to shift how visitors, members and donors experience DelArt from the first interaction.
“The team at Iris Creative worked closely with us to create our vision. As a result, our new website looks fantastic and also functions beautifully. The team was friendly, easy to work with, and professional.”
— Cynthia Smith, Marketing and Public Relations Manager
The refocused brand is now being used to design vibrant, audience-centered experiences throughout programming and marketing.
