About the Organization
The Association for Public Art (aPA) was established in 1872 and is the nation’s first private, nonprofit civic organization dedicated to creating a “museum without walls” by integrating public art and urban design.
aPA carries out its multiple objectives to commission, preserve, interpret, and promote public art in Philadelphia through exemplary and innovative programs and advocacy efforts. By engaging diverse segments of the community, the aPA seeks to respond to the conditions of our time, creating a legacy and maintaining a heritage for future generations while promoting Philadelphia as a premier city for public art.
Our Approach
Creative Repute was commissioned to design a new, distinctive brochure for aPA to be distributed at various events. The design goal for the brochure was to incorporate their revamped branding, previously created by Creative Repute.
In a deliberate departure from conventional designs, we opted for a square brochure instead of the standard rectangle. This choice aimed to give the new brochure a sense of uniqueness in a space where most organizational materials can get lost due to a similar appearance. We wanted to do something to allow the brochure to stand out without coming off too gimmicky. The intention was to create a visually distinct and eye-catching piece, while maintaining a sense of professionalism.
To ensure versatility and flow, each page of the brochure was designed to be able to stand on its own, while also fitting seamlessly with every other page. Even if the brochure were folded in an unexpected way, it shouldn’t appear out of order or as if something were “off”.
Another objective was to introduce the full color palette created in the new branding. Previous designs used a predominantly white scheme with a single accent color. We wanted to showcase a more playful aesthetic into the design. The overarching aim was to keep the feeling of sophistication and recognize the history of the institution, while infusing the brochure with a touch of creative flair.
The new branding’s color scheme was used throughout every aspect of the brochure’s design. We wanted to create a more vibrant and engaging visual experience for the audience. By incorporating the full spectrum of colors, the brochure not only embraced the new branding but also served as a representation of the aPA’s evolving identity and the variety of artists represented through aPA’s commissioned art.
A major design strategy used to reinforce the new branding was the mirroring of the shape and style of the updated logo throughout the brochure. The logo itself, designed as a 3D shape, aimed to evoke the building blocks of sculpture and the varied ways in which the environment can influence one’s perspective of art. This shape was dispersed throughout the brochure, creating a visual thread, aiming to seamlessly connect every page to the core identity encapsulated in the logo.
The text in the brochure tells the story of aPA, from the past to the present. We highlighted key messages to emphasize the importance of aPA’s work and focus the reader’s eye while viewing text-heavy pages. The use of QR codes were key to connecting the audience’’s experience with the brochure to the rest of the content and information aPA has to offer on their website. The QR codes also added another visual element when combined with the 3D block, saving space on the brochure and time for the reader by not needing to search for aPA’s website.
In the end, this brochure is just another way to showcase aPA’s commitment to innovation, creativity and the preservation of public art. With the infusion of vibrant colors and strategic use of the logo’s visual elements, the brochure is a dynamic and visually compelling representation of aPA.
This project also exhibits Creative Repute’s ability to translate a client’s vision into a tangible, impactful design that shares the necessary information and the essence of the client it represents.
It was great to work with aPA again and continue to assist in the execution of their branding goals.
