A modern love story

On the 400th anniversary of his death, Shakespeare Lives shares the playwright's legacy and his British roots with the rest of the world.

London-based branding agency MultiAdaptor has created the brand for a campaign that communicates how Shakespeare’s stories are just as relevant today as they were when he first told them.

The brand persona that MultiAdaptor created is bold, vibrant and emotional. It takes an extremely well-known and well-trodden subject matter and adds a fresh take and a modern twist. The electric, bright colour palette gives the new identity a festival-like feel. It's attractive and relevant to today's youth. 

Shakespeare Lives, which is run by the British Council and Number 10 Downing Street’s GREAT Britain campaign team, is a year-long, international programme of events and activities to celebrate Shakespeare’s life and work. The campaign aims to reach over 500m people worldwide, and, as such, has the potential to be a significant moment for the UK’s global profile.

The new brand toolkit includes a variation of the British Council brand font, with a simple graphic treatment. It is reminiscent of the historical print process of hot metal typesetting that typified the posters and programmes of Shakespearean times. The branding combines modern elements with allusions to Shakespearean times in order to communicate contemporary relevance, engage new audiences and to encourage existing appreciators to revisit Shakespeare’s iconic cultural influence.