RNCM - Branding & Print

The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, is one of the UK's most prestigious music schools, working with some of the best young musicians from around the world. Working with their awesome marketing team, Nonconform and I were commissioned to rebrand the school at one of the most important times of their recent history. Not only was there a new brand to deliver, but also directional signage plus the huge task of bringing to life an outward facing exterior wall of the school's new building which faces directly onto Oxford Road, one of the city's busiest streets. The branding consisted of a brand new set of core values, a new logo, and a full suite of marketing materials throughout the internal and external communications, plus a new website. I became the project leader for a complete directional signage system plus the design and implementation of the new design that ran almost 100 meters along the new buildings outward facing window. The glass became a hypothetical 'window' into the school as life size photography juxtaposed with colourful, enlarged micro photography of ink in water, acted as a visual to what may be heard inside the building.

Brochure cover featuring photography of the brand new building extension with branded walls, glass and lighting

Inside cover of prospectus featuring CD insert and new branding applied to the new building

Prospectus inside spread

Prospectus inside spreads and set of prospectus covers

The first prospectus cover we designed prior to implementing the new brand - strong, real and inspirational photography led the design

Strong 'real' photography always featured alongside the new brand

The annual report reflected the designs that were applied to the outside of the building

The branding included a website refresh, posters, flyers and listing magazines

'Feel Music' event listing

Prospectus cover 2009/10

To brand the new building, we commissioned photography of real students playing their instruments and visualised the sounds that the instrument would make to be viewed from outside of the building through soundproof glass. The result was a striking, colourful set of portraits that allowed the viewer to connect to the sounds through the visuals

Ink in water and ink splashes and bubbles created the 'visual sounds'

The notion of life, energy, colour and movement featured heavily in our design

Logo designed for the local Outreach programme

Handdrawn postcards advertising the Outreach programme aimed at local youngsters

↑Back to Top