After a first edition in 1995, Luxembourg became capital of culture for a second time in 2007. In the ninetees, the main object of the operation was to create public awareness in order to push cultural infrastructures in Luxembourg.
The challenge of 2007 was more complex because the concept included the neighbouring regions of Luxembourg, Lorraine in France, Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland in Germany, Wallonie in Belgium, representing the Greater Region with 11,3 million citizens. The political, social and cultural issues intended to dynamise the Greater Region, promote cultural exchange and networking and create interactivity between 4 countries with different historical backgrounds, mentalities and economics.
At the very beginning, the board of 2007 organized an international competition in order to give a visual identity to the huge project. 184 propositions were submitted and the jury choose Bizart’s design. We came up with a blue deer, a symbol which became almost a legend.
We never imagined that all this could happen, that the 2007 corporate identity could have such an impact. The first official presentation to the press was just hilarious....a big silence went through the ‘rotondes’... The whole local press was scandalised and the audience just felt ridiculous to be identified by an primitive animal. And then...after a few month, people discovered the humour and the fun of the logo, shame turned into pride... the blue deer which allowed 1000 and 1 interpretations became one of the strongest brands Luxembourg had ever seen.
During the creation process, we tried to represent the impressive woods and large landscapes of the Greater Region, the nature which doesn’t change from one country to the other. Of course there was this ironic touch in our graphical approach. Luxembourg is not London, Paris or New York. The blue deer represents in a very humble way the energy and the ambition of Luxembourg and the Greater Region to develop cultural life without ignoring the past of the ‘terroir’.
After having realised the corporate guidelines for 2007, Bizart was in charge to develop the entire communication strategy together with Agenda from Paris and Projekt 2508 from Bonn. Our corporate guidelines have been used by hundreds of graphists, advertising agencies, graphic designers, medias etc. and guaranteed the homogenisation of the brand in time and space.