Setting the Stage | RSC x Skew
TL:DR The Royal Shakespeare Company and Brandgenuity partnered with Skew to create a contemporary brand guide, transforming the RSC's rich heritage into unique and ownable assets, ultimately enhancing their global reach and commercial success.
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Services Provided:
Market research
Trend Report
Style Guide
Packaging
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Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears
When the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) embarked on its first venture into brand licensing, Skew was selected to define a show-stopping core proposition that would set them up for success on the world's stage. We know our way around a heritage brand and couldn’t wait to bring strategic insights, expert market knowledge and modern creative flair to one of Britain's most loved theatre companies. Our mission was clear; take the rich history of the RSC and translate that into a contemporary brand guide that would unlock commercial conversations and engage fans across the globe.
O brave new world
RSC instantly conjures images of famous plays, scenes, and characters. Its home in Stratford-upon-Avon is hallowed ground, with more than 1 million visitors a year attesting to its allure. They possess an abundance of potential resources to utilise however it was Skew’s task to convert RSC’s iconic intangible essence into unique and ownable assets. With the availability of Shakespeare’s works and Elizabethan patterns in the public domain we had to enable them to stand out in a crowded landscape.
In fair Stratford-Upon-Avon, where we lay our scene
Our designers immersed themselves in the archives of the iconic theatre company during an onsite tour filled with beautiful costumes, textiles, and playbills. They also watched rehearsals and explored the historic buildings creating a rich tapestry of inspirations. This in-depth research, combined with refined customer profiles and market analysis, was used to devise a distinctive strategy unique to the RSC, with Shakespearean storytelling at its core.
This above all: to thine own self be true
During the design stage, we worked closely with the RSC to develop different creative pathways that spoke to key audiences, upheld the organisation's values and embodied the essence of the brand. Out of this emerged two key directions that became the foundation of their licensing programme. The classic pathway was inspired by the costume archive, this route focuses on Elizabethan jacquards and details, whilst weaving in well known Shakespearean icons and themes to add an element of storytelling. The more contemporary route builds upon the words of Shakespeare himself, his plays, writing, quotes, characters, and posters. Using type and layering to tell a story, dictate tone, show poetry and reflect the rich collage of words, plays, themes and characters.
We developed typography, colour palettes and a brand bible formula as a toolkit for retailers and manufacturers. Each formula defined the core theme, outlined key design elements and provided a colour palette that could be used to easily create consistent, impactful artwork. To compliment the core collections, we provided a versatile packaging architecture that took inspiration from the costume labels we discovered in the archive. Seamlessly weaving in storytelling elements from Shakespeare’s plays with RSC’s wider mission and practical product information.This was all presented in a ‘look-book’ style sales deck, accompanied by product application examples beautifully illustrating how commercial partners could engage with the RCS’s licensing programme.
And with that, the stage was set
The brand guide we created has unlocked commercial conversations, laid a strong foundation for the RSC's licensing program, and extended their reach beyond physical locations to engage a worldwide fanbase. Teri Niadna, Managing Director at Brandgenuity, who worked with Skew on the RSC project said;
‘The goal was to pinpoint conventions that licensees could immediately envision on products, and then build upon for future collections. Skew brilliantly realised that goal through mood exploration, pattern and icon creation, thematic graphics and packaging architecture.’""
Encore?
If you would like to see more of our work with heritage brands check out these case studies:
The British Museum: From ancient artefacts to modern-day treasures.
National Trust: For everyone, forever.
If you’re ready to take your brand to the world stage, you’re in the right place. At Skew, we specialise in transforming rich histories into contemporary successes, just as we did with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Our strategic insights, market knowledge, and creative flair can unlock new commercial opportunities for your brand. Contact us today to discover how we can help you translate your unique heritage into captivating products that delight audiences worldwide.
