Giving a familiar cinema identity a stronger supporting cast
Client
Parkway Cinemas
Country
United Kingdom
Disciplines
Brand Identity
Digital Design
Environmental Design
Sector
Entertainment
Film Industry
Founded in 1983, Parkway Cinemas is an independently owned and family-run cinema group built around the belief that watching a film should be a shared and memorable experience. Alongside the latest releases, its venues present independent and world cinema, live theatre, comedy, opera, ballet and special event screenings, combining modern exhibition technology with the warmth and personality of a local cinema.
The brief
Parkway Cinemas asked BakerWilcox to evolve its established visual identity and create a more distinctive typographic treatment around the existing ‘P’ symbol. Rather than reinventing a familiar brand, the brief focused on strengthening its presentation and developing a flexible creative system that could be applied consistently across every part of the cinema experience. The new identity needed to work far beyond the logo itself, bringing greater character and cohesion to customer-facing touchpoints including signage, screen messaging, packaging, uniforms and venue interiors.
The execution
We refined the existing ‘P’ mark while retaining the film-reel motif that had become central to Parkway’s identity. The principal change came through the typography, where a more considered and characterful treatment gave the logo greater presence and helped establish a clearer visual relationship between the symbol and the Parkway name.
From this foundation, we developed a broad and adaptable brand system designed to live throughout the cinema environment. The identity was applied across popcorn boxes, drinks cups, uniforms, carpets, signage and in-screen messaging, turning functional items into recognisable parts of the Parkway experience.
Particular attention was given to how the brand could behave at different scales and in different materials. Bold graphic crops, repeated patterns and flexible arrangements of the core mark allowed it to move naturally from large environmental applications to smaller items held in the hand.
The result was a coherent and highly visible rollout that strengthened the established identity without losing its familiarity. By extending the brand into the details surrounding every visit, Parkway could create a more distinctive experience from the moment customers arrived to the moment the lights went down.
Newly designed Parkway patterns were applied to foyer carpets and walls
