The brand platform positions the institute as ‘The Vital Science at Work’.
A scientific and education centre of excellence, the Australian Institute of Botanical Science (the Institute) has launched a new identity created by brand and design agency Hulsbosch.
From leading scientists to curious young students, the new name and visual identity will engage a wide-ranging audience as the Institute starts an inspiring new chapter from its future base within the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, south of Sydney.
The Institute’s world-class Mount Annan precinct will be a dynamic hub of research and innovation that is synonymous with botanical science work.
A new $40 million fully-integrated complex will incorporate the National Herbarium of NSW, the award-winning Australian Plantbank and scientific research spaces.
The Institute’s remit will extend to the Plant Clinic at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney (RBGS) and various other scientific initiatives throughout the Gardens’ network.
The brand platform developed by Hulsbosch builds on earlier work for RBGS to raise awareness of plant conservation as ‘The Vital Science’, positioning the Institute as ‘The Vital Science at Work’ which reflects their visionary global leadership in the botanic sciences.
“The work that the Institute does is vital to the health of our ecosystems, and we’re proud to be able to partner with The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust to develop a globally strong and relevant new brand for the Institute which conveys the importance of their work to find solutions to the planet’s most serious challenges," Hulsbosch head of account management Carolyn Pitt says.
"We created a brand story with ‘The Vital Science’ campaign which expanded perceptions of the Gardens and have gone on to reveal a modern, bold identity for another of their important assets. The Institute owns a distinct icon that clearly represents their critical plant science research and innovation.”
The distinctive new logo design uses a two-tone leaf symbol based on the Wollemi Pine. An ancient species, it is known to be one of the world’s oldest and rarest tree species belonging to a 200-million-year-old plant family and is a focus of extensive Institute research.
Creatively, the ‘frame’ device builds on ‘The Vital Science’ campaign look and feel, while a more optimistic tone in colour and language speaks to the future-focused lens of the Institute’s work. Hero imagery features striking, artistic cut-out images of plants and related science.
The identity rollout will include on-site activations, outdoor advertising, digital assets and print executions, with near term usage in hoarding while the new world-class precinct is in development at Mount Annan.
“The purpose-built Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan facility will significantly contribute to Western Sydney’s emergence as an important scientific hub, and position NSW as a premier international botanic research facility," Botanic Gardens and Centennial Parklands (BGCP) executive director Denise Ora says.
"Our state-of-the-art mega-herbarium will conserve and preserve our nationally and internationally significant collection that dates back to specimens collected on Captain Cook’s Australian voyage. These plants are critical to helping support the challenges facing our quality life and related issues of changes in climate.
"For two years, we have partnered with Hulsbosch to develop an integrated branding platform that can support all our scientific and educational institutions and activities. Like-minded from the start, their enthusiasm and creative expertise made our branding journey not only possible, but enjoyable.”
The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust is responsible for the management and stewardship of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, the Domain, the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah.
