National Portrait Gallery

Brand and Identity Development

The brief
Following a series of acclaimed exhibitions and a growing and more diverse number of visitors, the National Portrait Gallery decided to update its image. Rufus Leonard’s brief was to refresh the Gallery’s brand to reflect its wider appeal and to bring it in line with the reality of its current offer – embracing contemporary as well as historical figures.

Our approach
In order to shape the new brand strategy, Rufus Leonard looked at the brand from every angle, working closely with Gallery trustees, internal and external stakeholders. Our research highlighted a central unifying positioning for the Gallery – ‘portrait of a nation’ – as well as four central themes. These were: History - the collections’ historical significance; Art - the craft of portraiture; Biography - the biographical narratives told by the portraits; and Fame - the changing concepts of fame over time. These themes developed into the framework for communicating the new identity.

The value
The Gallery has integrated its new brand message and identity into all main communications. The refreshed National Portrait Gallery now reflects the breadth and depth of its offer from oil paintings of the Tudors and Stuarts, to Sam Taylor-Wood’s video portrait of a sleeping David Beckham. It has won over the traditional member audience by staying true to the institution’s original goals, whilst broadening its appeal to younger urban audiences and minority groups. It has also differentiated itself successfully from other galleries and attractions in London by focusing on its unique position as the ‘nation’s self-portrait’.