HEMISPHERE

Hemisphere is a local company based in the heart of the Northen Quarter, Manchester. With only 11 people in the team, they are a well established firm with over 22 years experience within Design and Marketing Consultancy, their experience has created = Strategic Brand Creation.

Hemispheres Creative Director- Grant, Marketing Director- Sue and Senior Designer- Fay came in to give us a talk about their recent work on the Metrolink, and to launch an illustration brief.
They briefed us on several projects they have worked on, e.g. IN Salford, Bolton and most importantly the work they have done with Manchester Trams.

As Manchester is investing a lot of money into the tram system they wanted it to look up to date, Hemisphere were chosen to re brand the Metrolink, and to change peoples perception on the transport system in and out of Manchester.

The brief was quite a difficult task but Hemisphere approached it thoroughly, their new approach was quite graphic and futuristic, taking the form of the colours yellow and metallic silver/bronze. Their approach was:

problem --> research problem/analyse it --> test visual identity against it.

For the re branding they didn't just re design the visuals, they re designed the typography, sign age system and personality. They wanted to make it more recognisable, bespoke and fitting within the city. The branding took three forms:

1)Pattern
2)Type
3)Speed diamond

At each time, two of the forms are used on each design so that it is not overbearing but easily recognisable all around the Greater Manchester area.


I really like the new designs and have seen them out and about in Manchester, so it was very exciting to know it had been done by a local agency. The talk for me was very engaging and it allowed us to hear about corporate guidelines etc, and how an agency worked on it.

Other projects:


Re branding GMEX = "Manchester Central"
The three colour branding is taken from the EU traffic signal for City centres, and as the GMEX complex is at the heart of Manchester is is a good representation.



Re Branding Bolton = The colours are created by a DNA based on colours of what Bolton meant to the people who lived there.