Toonspeak
Toonspeak is a youth-led theatre company based in Glasgow offering an accessible and high-quality programme of theatrical arts. Deeply embedded in Scotland’s creative community, the organisation works to fight elitism in the arts, and provides pathways for growth which support young people into employment and further education.
SCOPE
Branding, website, e-commerce, fundraising
SCOPE
Branding, website, e-commerce, fundraising
The organisation’s branding and style had been in place for some decades and was not fit for the digital era. Staff responsible for the generation of branded assets such as social media posts and promotional material for courses and production had a very limited colour palette to work from, and there was no system in place for sub-brands.
With continued growth – and collaborations with the likes of the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – the organisation recognised a need to evolve its brand identity. They sought to position themselves as a “professional theatre company” first and a “youth charity” second, reflecting the high calibre of their work and the impact they have within Scotland’s arts scene.
“Branding presents a unique challenge, particularly for organisations with a well-established identity and reputation. The goal is to honour past successes while boldly shaping a vision for the future — and Toonspeak offered the perfect opportunity to do just that. The new typeface is imaginative, vibrant, and versatile, blending playful creativity with an Art Deco influence and a subtle homage to the Glasgow style.”
- James Anderson, Creative Director & Deputy CEO of TMD
The custom typeface we created as the base of Toonspeak’s new identity draws inspiration from the Art Deco movement. This period is known for its democratising impact on the arts, reflecting Toonspeak's mission to break down barriers.
The typeface also incorporates dots and letter linkages that are reminiscent of the Glasgow Style made famous by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, proudly emphasising the charity’s origins.
AZURE
BLUE
#019DFF
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C69.02 M31.11 Y0 K0
PALE
TURQUOISE
#00ECD1
R0 G236 B209
C58.17 M0 Y31.08 K0
NEON
PINK
#FF019D
R255 G1 B157
C0 M94.51 Y0 K0
VIBRANT
GREEN
#18D800
R24 G216 B1
C70.05 M0 Y100 K0
BLACK
#000000
R0 G0 B0
C7 M0 Y08 K100
BLAZE
ORANGE
#FF6301
R255 G99 B1
C0 M75.49 Y100 K0
VIVID
YELLOW
#FFE201
R255 G226 B1
C1.88 M6.24 Y99.21 K0
ELECTRIC
VIOLET
#C000D8
R192 G0 B216
C43.24 M86.49 Y0 K0
CADMIUM
RED
#EC001B
R236 G0 B27
C0.75 M100 Y100 K0.09
BLAZE ORANGE
#FF6301
R255 G99 B1
C0 M75.49 Y100 K0
ELECTRIC VIOLET
#C000D8
R192 G0 B216
C43.24 M86.49 Y0 K0
VIVID YELLOW
#FFE201
R255 G226 B1
C1.88 M6.24 Y99.21 K0
VIBRANT GREEN
#18D800
R24 G216 B1
C70.05 M0 Y100 K0
CADMIUM RED
#EC001B
R236 G0 B27
C0.75 M100 Y100 K0.09
PALE TURQUOISE
#00ECD1
R0 G236 B209
C58.17 M0 Y31.08 K0
NEON PINK
#FF019D
R255 G1 B157
C0 M94.51 Y0 K0
AZURE BLUE
#019DFF
R1 G157 B255
C69.02 M31.11 Y0 K0
BLACK
#000000
R0 G0 B0
C7 M0 Y08 K100
“Throughout 2023 and 2024, Toonspeak has been going through a period of change as we acknowledge a new, post-pandemic era and work to develop a strategy that meets the needs of our young people, allowing them to form an integral part of our journey. The start of this new era highlighted the need for a well-overdue rebrand and website, which represent the young people and communities that we work with.
The team at The Marketing Department have been brilliant to work with- taking time to appreciate our needs and requirements, including the input of our staff and young people where possible - often with (very!) short time frames to do it in. The outcome of our work with TMD has been a modern, vibrant, and dynamic rebrand and website, both of which are representative of the creative, youth-led organisation that we are. A bonus is that the team are highly skilled at what they do, and all-round lovely people too!”
- Lisa Givens, Chief Executive, Toonspeak
