With 125 years of heritage, the Horniman Museum and Gardens has become an icon of London, enticing visitors with its vast collection of taxidermied animals and anthropological artefacts. To revitalise its classical image, the museum has unveiled a playful new campaign that sheds its traditional aesthetic to reveal a distinctly human soul beneath.
In line with the best adverts, The Horniman Museum’s new campaign isn’t about being loud or audacious, but rather reintroducing itself with a refreshed lens. With vibrant colours, dynamic motion design and a new custom typeface, the campaign shines in its whimsical appeal.
Made in collaboration with creative agency Anatomy, the ‘It’s in our Nature’ campaign centres around the intersection between humans and nature. Co-created with local communities, the new advert bursts with life, bringing newfound relevance to the heritage museum and repositioning it as a place for London’s diverse communities. “At the heart of it is a simple belief: that people are not separate from nature but part of it,” the press release claims.
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The star of the show is the campaign’s bespoke typeface inspired by forms, patterns and objects found throughout the Horniman’s galleries and gardens. Connecting visitors with the nature and culture within the museum, this naturally imperfect design is continued throughout graphic patterns across the campaign and brought to life with dynamic motion design.
This flexible system is supported by photography featuring real visitors to hone in on the community spirit of the campaign, while a playful colour palette adds a level of curiosity and excitement. The result is a vibrant campaign that feels alive – a living, breathing invitation to explore.
“We’re becoming increasingly disconnected from the things that make us human: nature, community and shared experience,” explains Dan Templeton-King, client director at Anatomy. “The places that will matter most in the future are those that help rebuild those connections. The Horniman does exactly that, helping people explore their relationship with the natural world and their place within it.”
“As London’s only museum where global cultures and the natural world can be enjoyed side-by-side, we required a brand campaign that would capture more than just what we care for, but what visitors feel and experience together – excitement, curiosity, contemplation and connection. Anatomy has developed a vibrant, visitor-focused and flexible campaign that we are delighted to launch during our 125th anniversary year,” adds Annie Duffield, director of audiences and income at Horniman.
For more branding inspiration, check out the Quang San Art Museum rebrand or take a look at the Museum of Narrative’s playful spiral logo.
