House
of Jazz
Branding
movement
authentic
improvisation
Mandate
To rebrand a company's visual identity in order to stay current yet true to its values.
The idea was to come up with a cohesive branding design for an existing company that could use the reconstruction. The current identity does not reflect the ambiance of the venue and is poorly executed. A cleaner and more contemporary design is needed. I was given the House of Jazz, a Montreal landmark of entertainment, cuisine, and history. Built by French Montrealer Georges Durst, House of Jazz has been a home to Canada’s finest Jazz musicians since 1981.
Process
The freedom of improv.
It was important to develop a cleaner design while hanging onto the initial ideas and bringing it together in a simple way. This meant that a strategic use of color and shape was required. Black and white are used as a base with a small pop of red. Tints of blue with grayscale images represent the classic jazz genre. Jazz has a starting point that builds into the freedom of improvisation. The shapes use a common theme of movement because jazz is forever shifting and is full of life and soul. It is characterized by swing and blues notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation.
Solution
The final approach uses slang and famous quotes from big time jazz musicians to create a nostalgic feeling. The blue tinted grayscale jazz images of famous artists enforce that idea. However, the design stays chic and simple with the simple shapes. The brand identity language overall keeps to the basic principles while showing the improvisation in a modern way.
“You blows
who you is”
