We were commissioned to create a brand for the exhibition that could be used across multiple platforms to promote the exhibition and then also a catalogue and information panels. The brand needed to be clear and simple so we selected a suitable sans serif type family with plenty of weights. However, we added character to the brand by creating an icon out of an iconic piece of Jewellery Quarter history, the Fly Press. Looking at the images produced for the project and through discussions with the team, the fly press seemed like a piece of machinery that would have been very familiar to all who worked in the quarter, and has endured until the modern period.

After completing the brand, we designed flyers, invitations, press adverts and posters before moving onto the largest piece of the project which was the catalogue. The exhibition was divided into sections based around the work of each photographer, so we reflected this in the structure of the catalogue. Additionally, because one of the sets of images was historical, shot in the 1960s, we created a central section of the catalogue on a different paper stock to reinforce this distinction. 

We chose a large, B4 format for the catalogue, which is really nice and gives the feel of a newspaper to hold but with top quality paper stock. The benefit of the larger sheet size is plenty of space for the images plus information that needed to be included. For the cover we went with a full bleed image, but set centrally over the whole exterior cover, embossed with a book cloth texture. This is just a nice, playful way to present the work and engage the recipient. It also gives a really big B3 print once it’s folded out. The fly press was gold foiled onto the cover, which was a fitting application given the nature of the machine.

Information panels were also created for the entrance to the exhibition and for each piece of work.