Kajaani City Theatre
Kajaani City Theatre is the national theatre of Kainuu and a cultural institution with a long history of producing diverse theatre experiences in Kainuu and around Finland. The theatre’s regional theatre activities cover the area of 39 municipalities, and the repertoire includes a wide range of productions from children’s and youth theatre to comedies and dramas.
Renewed visual identity for Kajaani City Theatre
Höyry had the honour of designing a completely new visual identity for the Kajaani City Theatre that supports its role as a producer of arts and cultural experiences in the region. The redesign work started with intensive brainstorming sessions, where we jointly defined the goals and guidelines for the new look. The aim was to create a visual identity that respects the traditions of the theatre, but adds a fresh and contemporary twist.
The Kainuu City Theatre was given a versatile look that works flexibly in different contexts: the theatre’s repertoire ranges from colourful comedies to deep dramas, and the visual look had to live up to all these contexts. The coherent approach is reflected in everything from online publications to event posters and printed programme leaflets, ensuring that the theatre’s look is recognisable across all channels.
Combining classic and fresh
The colour palette is built around deep blues for contrast and dignity, and bright accent colours such as yellow and crushed red, which communicate the energy and dynamism of modern theatre. The typography combines the classic and the modern: a striking headline font adds personality, while a clear folio text font ensures readability. In terms of imagery, we focused on authenticity: photographs of the stage, actors and sets that convey the atmosphere of the theatre as vividly as possible. The end result was a visual package and official guidelines that allow Kajaani City Theatre to use its image consistently in both digital and print applications.
The team
Sami Halonen
Sami has worked in sales, marketing, and project management since 1997. In 2011, he started as a project manager at an advertising agency, and over the years his role has covered everything from lead generation to preparing proposals and planning content. At Höyry, Sami is also responsible for the company’s administration.
Kalle Tapio
Creative director or creative generalist. As an entrepreneur, my role is to lead the creative process and ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget. Sometimes I’m the one digging, sometimes I’m leaning on the shovel explaining exactly where to dig. I started my career as a graphic designer in 2004, and my path toward becoming an entrepreneur at Höyry began in 2013. Brand design, digital marketing, and developing customer-oriented web services have always been particularly close to my heart.
Jaakko Ylikulju
Jaakko is an experienced design professional with a solid understanding of code as well. Since entering the field in 2011, he has designed and delivered comprehensive web solutions, logos, and visual identities. One of Jaakko’s greatest strengths is his ability to distill a client’s core message into a concise and visually striking form.
