In December 2019, the State Library Victoria, Australia’s oldest and busiest public library re-opened its doors to unveil 13 incredible new spaces as part of the Vision 2020 project.

Vision 2020 was an ambitious $88.1 million redevelopment that increased the Library’s public space by 40 percent and seating by 70 percent. The grand opening ushered in an exciting new chapter for State Library Victoria as an ever-evolving, dynamic community hub—a library for the future.

Liquorice was engaged to develop an above-the-line launch campaign that raised awareness of the new spaces among existing and new audiences and re-positioned State Library Victoria as the beating heart of Melbourne’s cultural landscape.

Traditionally, the Library had been perceived as a formal institution primarily used for reading, research and other academic purposes. The challenge was to change this perception and attract a new wave of library users with spaces for children, start-ups and small business, and more.

The completion of the Vision 2020 re-development provided the perfect opportunity to remind the public that State Library Victoria always was, and always will be 'the people’s university'. There are no barriers to access, no exams to pass in order to qualify, no prescriptive pace of learning; it provides access to an ‘emporium of learning’ and all the public needs to bring is its curiosity.

Just add curiosity

The campaign tagline 'Just Add Curiosity' was developed by State Library Victoria as an invitation to the public to begin a journey of their own choosing through the myriad of spaces, resources and possibilities that the Library offers. The word ‘curious’ conjured up visions of peering into the unknown, inspiring us to develop a wordmark with an oversized O that acts as a window into the new spaces. Horizontal and vertical variations of the lockup provided greater flexibility across digital and print applications, while a refined black and white colour palette positioned the Library as a sophisticated cultural institution.

A two-phase outdoor campaign was designed to coincide with the grand re-opening: phase one offered a sneak peek of the new spaces, while phase two revealed them in all their grandeur. Large scale drop-down banners (designed by the Library’s in-house team) also adorned the facade of the Library itself, making for a bold entrance to the historic building.

To round out the campaign, we also rolled out a suite of digital advertisements. The sleek lockup animation and bold black and white colour palette ensured the ads would cut through the noise and leave a lasting impression.

We’ve been so proud to watch this campaign roll out across the city and online, and to see what a positive reception it has garnered in the media. If you haven’t visited the Library in a while, now is the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with this cultural touchstone.