Mary Rose launches with new branding by StudioLR
Edinburgh-based StudioLR has worked with strategic consultancy The Cambridge Centre to create the branding for a new visitor attraction for the Mary Rose.
StudioLR worked with Scott Sherrard of The Cambridge Centre to define the brand and design the identity for the £35m project that will create an internationally renowned museum and permanent home in Portsmouth for the Mary Rose.
The branding will feature on marketing, promotional and merchandising material for the impressive new museum, which is expected to attract interest from across the world when it opens next year.
Lucy Richards, founder of StudioLR, said: “This has been a fascinating and challenging commission. The brand identity needs to bring the museum project and the story of this famous vessel to life – it will be seen by people across the world as the key image for the Mary Rose.
“One of our aims was to challenge preconceptions that this is just a historical ship – to broaden interest in the iconic story of the Mary Rose to include families and children. It is important to manage expectations about the ship, particularly to those people who think they will see a complete vessel at the visitor attraction.”
Scott Sherrard, chief executive of The Cambridge Centre added: “The story of the Mary Rose is a dynamic one and the new museum reflects that. It may start with a moment in time but it tells a never-ending story of continuing revelation.”
Mark Wheeler, design director of StudioLR, explains: “The brand identity was designed to be elegant yet hard working. It is a simple name-based marque that evokes the ship, its sinking, its resting place, its raising, ongoing restoration and it reveals the ship’s Tudor history. We’re delighted with the final marque and believe it communicates the dynamic and complex tale of the Mary Rose – it will spark interest in following its intriguing story when the museum opens in 2012.”
The Mary Rose – Henry VIII’s flagship vessel – was accidentally sunk during an engagement with the French fleet in the Solent in 1545. The wreck was found intact when it was raised in 1982 in front of a worldwide television audience of 60 million people.
Since the mid-1980s the remains of the hull – which have been undergoing conservation – have been on display at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. An extensive collection of the best of the well-preserved artefacts is on display at the nearby Mary Rose Museum. The hull of the Mary Rose is currently withdrawn from public view but the ship, together with a recreation of the vessel’s missing side, will be unveiled when the museum opens next year.