There is no paved way to design a brand for a central bank.
An effective balance between very technical and sensitive information, staff-led outputs, and general communications is hard to achieve and based on delicate dynamics.
The new visual identity for the Bank of England focuses on reaching a wider public with an accessible, relevant, simple, and distinctive approach.
The new logo reflects the Bank's mission to be straightforward, plain and humble. All the embellishments have been removed, and it has been designed using a dyslexia-friendly bespoke font.
Britannia is the female personification of the British Isles. She has been the Bank symbol since 1694. We wanted the new Britannia to reflect the Bank current mission and values.
Chris Mitchell at Epic Icons, who designed the logo in 2005, has redesigned Britannia to be more welcoming, inclusive (Union Jack), and friendly. The ostentatious pile of coins has also been removed. Also because the Bank doesn't issue coins.
It's estimated up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.
So we have designed a new typeface that is easier to read.
Monotype redesigned Gilroy following on guidance by the British Dyslexia Association.
Monotype redesigned Gilroy following on guidance by the British Dyslexia Association.
The colours are inspired by the Bank of England banknotes, the gold bars, and the Threednedle street building. But, most importantly, they are accessibile on both technical outputs (charts, diagrams, publications), and materials for the general public.
The premium Bank photography is based on our banknotes. We have worked with Lee Funnell whose mantra is to make the ubiquitous interesting and the ordinary beautiful.
The design team has collaborated hand-in-hand with data scientist, publications' authors, and economists from the Bank to ensure a manageable, efficient, and effective design system.
Our solid design system guarantees consistency and a high standard of accessibility across all kind of outputs, whether it is designed by staff or professional designers.
The Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) has been consulted to ensure our outputs followed the most recent findings on accessibility.
The new Bank website scored an astounding 90% accessibility score.
“The Bank of England has been around for hundreds of years. But we have just embraced the digital technology of the 21st century.
This new era has brought many benefits. One is that it brings us closer to the public we serve. We know this means we better explain what we do and why.
How we communicate is part of how we carry out our mission. We intend to keep trying to make our communications more inclusive and accessible for everyone.”
Andrew Bailey - Governor of the Bank of England
