In Summer 2021, a herd of 50 fibreglass cows roamed the streets of Cambridge, each one individually designed by an artist. We were excited to be part of this community event: naming it Cows about Cambridge and ensuring the cows were Red Polls in honour of our beloved Lammas Land friends.
We wanted the brand to capture the democratic principles at the heart of the project: telling the story of Cambridge and its people in a new way that was larger than simply the University itself. Our brand identity is accessible, friendly and playful: inviting both the young and young at heart to enjoy. It was important that the brand had a hand-made feel - a brand for the people by the people, and a testament to the local craft scene that we adore.
The visual iconography holds a mirror up to the richness of Cambridge in a way that allows the community to feel ownership of it. The illustrations and colour system are laced with multiple meanings, from the illustrated replicas of Cambridge houses throughout time, to the colour system that embraces Buff Brick-the rich sandy brown of the ‘Cambridge Buff’ brick made from Gault clay. Every aspect of the brand is designed to be accessible, feel crafted and signal to our gloriously diverse Cambridge community that this is a project for them.
