ALTO

Melbourne Innovation Districts Brand

Collaboration for innovation

Melbourne Innovation Districts (MID) is a hallmark partnership between RMIT University, the University of Melbourne and City of Melbourne, with the aim to drive urban innovation through combined talents and resources, and continue to position the city as one of the world’s best.

We collaborated with the three partners to bring the idea to life.

Clients
City of Melbourne
RMIT University
University of Melbourne
Sector
Government
Services
Visual identity design
Key campaign messaging
Key marketing collateral
Co-branded logos - MID, City of Melbourne, RMIT University and the University of Melbourne

Innovation knows no boundaries MID is a place where anything is possible for anyone

The situation

A moment of opportunity

Created in the midst of crucial transitions to the urban economic and social structure of Melbourne, MID seizes the moment of opportunity to reimagine and redefine the city’s north – an area that is experiencing major short-term disruption and rapid long-term change, for the better.

A bold vision

With the focus on creating an urban innovation district in the City of Melbourne, between two of Australia’s foremost education institutes, University of Melbourne and RMIT University, MID will enable access to world-class research, market, cultural and educational facilities, providing a place to imagine, prototype and test better futures for Melbourne and the world.

Our task

An inspiring brand narrative

The uncomplicated acronym – ‘MID’ – is a reference to inclusiveness: a geographically central mid-point connected to innovation and innovators Melbourne-wide. We used this as a starting point for developing a narrative that speaks to the coming together of community and ideas in a city that never ceases to inspire. 

An invigorating visual identity

A spark of inspiration is sometimes all it takes to ignite a life-changing idea or creation – we built the MID brandmark on this notion. Embedded within the spark is a node • and connector — that then forms the foundations of the rest of the visual identity. 

The visual identity is further strengthened by a vibrant colour palette that distinguishes itself from the three partners and establishes MID as a point of difference.

A grid of pages from the MID brand guidelines
A backlit poster on bus stop advertising promoting the Melbourne Innovation Districts with the headline "Travel at the speed of innovation".
Perspective view of an MID social post on an iPhone screen, with the tagline "Connect with like-minded individuals".
Perspective view of an MID social post on an iPhone screen, with the tagline "Where ideas come together".
A person walks in front of construction hoarding with MID graphics and the tagline "Open to ideas, closed for construction".
MID-branded digital screens in a university campus setting
A group of people seated at a table having a discussion with MID pull up banners in the background.
4 people seated on chairs at a seminar with MID pull up banners in the background.
MID website home page screen in the foreground, and lower screen in the background.

MID Community Launch

A panoramic view of a launch event space crowded with attendees.
A co-branded media wall with the headline "Innovation Knows no Boundaries" and the logos of the MID, the City of Melbourne, RMIT University and the University of Melbourne
An area map and statistics relating to the Melbourne Innovation Districts
Person holding a couple of bright orange postcards with an illustrated map on them.

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