John Morgan Studio wins Slovenian tourism brief

John Morgan Studio has been picked to create the identity for the Ljubljana Tourist Board.

The consultancy won the visual design contract to promote the Slovenian capital after an international tender process and creative pitch, involving six groups.

The brief was to create a brand with which the city’s residents and tourism providers would identify. JMS’s winning logo was chosen largely for its simplicity and range of application possibilities, according to the tourist board.

Another factor was JMS’s decision to portray the ‘strešica’ symbols in the letters š and ž as a positive aspect of the local character, rather than an obstacle for linguistically challenged foreigners.

John Morgan, founder of London-based JMS, says the firm will be developing the whole brand story, including press advertisements, signs, and all printed matter applications.

‘It is interesting that the tourist board has gone to design studios rather than a larger, more corporate consultancy,’ he says. ‘It’s great for us and is a bit of a departure – we normally do smaller-scale cultural work such as exhibitions.’

JMS is now working with font designer Henrik Kubel to design a bespoke typeface for Ljubljana.

The new brand will go live in January 2008, to tie in with the beginning of Slovenia’s EU presidency.