A Brand for the Cultural City of Hanover: Feel the Energy!

The branding agency EIGA developed the brand and campaign for the cultural city of Hanover. This project was implemented through a participatory process in collaboration with the city’s cultural players. Over a series of structured workshops, a brand committee brought together various perspectives on Hanover’s cultural offerings and the goals of the “cultural city” into a unified narrative and brand concept: Feel the Energy!

This process included representatives from theatres, museums, the independent arts scene, and institutions such as the IHK Hannover, the Department of Education and Culture, Messe Hannover, the catering industry, and the city administration.

Close proximity despite true greatness – Feel the Energy

At the heart of the design system lies the POW symbol. This symbol embodies the energy generated by the cultural community and conveys the brand’s core idea: “Geballte Nähe, trotz wahrer Größe.” which translates “close proximity despite true greatness”.

The POW symbol can detach itself from the wordmark and visual identity to serve as a frame or stage for showcasing Hanover’s diverse cultural offerings. As a striking object in the urban landscape, it attracts attention while acting as a pop-up stage for artists to perform.

The flexible logo principle attracts a lot of attention but remains in the background when culture takes center stage. A key strength of the project lies in its participatory process, as the POW symbol was co-developed with the city’s cultural players. It memorably embodies the vibrant cultural community and its collective energy.