The Jerusalem Season of Culture (JSOC) by Open

CLIENT

An annual summer showcase of the city’s contemporary cultural treasures. It was established as a joint effort of the Schusterman Foundation, the Jerusalem Municipality, and other institutes who shared a vision to position Jerusalem as a Culture Capital and increase its significance to residents by drawing Israeli and foreign visitors and exposing its immense culture and arts creation. 

BRIEF

Change perceptions towards Jerusalem, and restore its relevance—both locally and globally. Shift general public opinions linking Jerusalem to conflict (either political or religious) to a new perception of creativity and culture —expressing diversity, authenticity, vitality, and excellence. Additionally, since the season functions as a platform encompassing many events, we needed to establish an “umbrella brand” to unify all activities while still allowing for flexibility.

APPROACH

When creativity meets Jerusalem’s spirit, expect to discover great new things: this unique combination, reflecting our unique nature, served as our brand essence, “Creative Spirit.” The chosen creative solution, “Remix,” expresses the way our season emerges from the rich complexity and diversity of Jerusalem, drawing upon cultural content and events and editing and reorganizing them into a new and distinct season. To express this, we took cameras and photographed anything that inspired us in Jerusalem. Then, we reassembled all the materials, creating colorful collages that express the season’s pulse and spirit and allow the flexibility required for the changing content of the season. 

JSOC seeks to cultivate Jerusalem as an international hub of arts and culture and partners with Jerusalem’s leading creative forces to showcase the city’s contemporary cultural treasures. Despite the complex perception of Jerusalem, Open successfully turned us into a distinct and reputable brand, which positioned us as an important entity in the city. By converting sights of the city into a work of art, the design not only provided us with countless possibilities, but also allowed us and our audience to view the city in a different view, as a creative act, matching our vision and exceeding our expectations. — Naomi Bloch Fortis, CEO of Jerusalem Season of Culture

Judge’s Comment
This is an unusually innovative and effective street campaign. What excited me about it was how the city of Jerusalem became part of the medium. Street campaigns are traditionally extensions of an overall media plan that tends to be print- or web-based and then is modified, usually in the form of lightpole banners or bus shelter posters, to exist outside. Here, the outdoor campaign changes block by block utilizing construction barricades and fences and every other possible surface existing on the street. All streets have different components. While I am not a fan of the typography in the campaign, the visual imagery is stunning, appropriate, and surprising. — PAULA SCHER / This was Scher’s Judge’s Pick