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2007
EMMA Award “Excellence in Non-Profit Marketing ” American Marketing
Association In 2005, Shenandoah Shakespeare underwent a transformation to become the American Shakespeare Center. According to their corporate mission, the American Shakespeare Center believes that the study, performance, and enjoyment of Shakespeare’s plays are of vital interest to the life of the nation. Shenandoah Shakespeare intends for the American Shakespeare Center to be a top Shakespeare destination for theatre lovers. It became the responsibility of Gotham Graphix to develop a new corporate identity for the American Shakespeare Center, beginning with a new logo. A free form drawing of a close-up view of Shakespeare’s eyes became the basis of the logo. Upon first glance, this drawing almost looks like an abstract shape, but then suddenly resolves itself into eyes. Holding the eyes is a rectangle color-coded for the different corporate entities: yellow for the over brand and the Blackfriars Playhouse sub brand, purple for the Education Center sub brand, and red for the Touring Troupe sub brand. For the 2007/2008 Season Booklet, Gotham Graphix designed a graphic look based on the overall title “Believe Your Ears.” The 2007/2008 print advertising theme is “Discover Theatre where the audience matters.” A diverse media plan was developed and executed including print advertising (both newspaper and magazine), seasonal rack brochures and booklets, playhouse programs, direct mail postcards, posters, and various materials for the Development Department and the Education Center. Additionally, Gotham Graphix collaborated with Category 4 Design for the design and implementation of the American Shakespeare Center web site. The Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, Virginia, owned and operated by American Shakespeare Center, is the world’s only re-creation of the first indoor theatre in the English speaking world. Built in 1596, three years before the more famous outdoor Globe, the Blackfriars became London’s finest and most desirable theatre. The most daunting challenge in building the new Blackfriars was the lack of tangible evidence of what it actually looked like. Extensive historical research and architectural detective work was undertaken to arrive at the design solution. The result is a structure that mixes the best of contemporary architecture, structural design, and construction with a breathtaking performance space that is as close to the stage upon which Shakespeare and his acting troupe actually walked as is humanly possible to create. It is a time machine and a classroom and a research facility. |
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