After three years behind hoardings, the iconic KOKO club on Camden High Street reopens following a £70-million restoration, complete with a 360-degree stage. Working with Olly Bengough, the venue’s owner and the visionary behind the spectacular rebirth of KOKO, DixonBaxi developed a new strategy and timeless brand. One that functions as a stage for the world’s biggest musical acts whilst continually celebrating the importance of emerging artists.

Inspired by symbols of radical change, we used the K and the O – based on a version by Richard Turley – from the venue’s name to craft a poignantly simple mark. The logo embodies KOKO’s relentless dedication to live music and their transformation of the live experience. A beacon for music fanatics everywhere, it’s a mark that embodies the unbridled passion, camaraderie, and excitement of fleeting live moments while standing for the legacy of one of London’s few independent cultural venues.

At the heart of the system is the concept ‘Countdown to Live’; the idea of bottling the anticipation, energy, experience and thrill unique to live events, and KOKO’s ability to beam those qualities across the globe through streamed performances, podcasts, back-stage moments and more. The logo signature in motion brings a sense of anticipation to everything it precedes.

DixonBaxi and KOKO set out to create a democratised music platform – a space where new artists are discovered, the biggest names are accessible and unparalleled industry knowledge underpins it all. It’s a new way to experience live KOKO events from anywhere in the world, which is why preserving the feeling of live concerts was an integral part of the project; every element of the brand is designed to feel live.

The new typeface, Wallop, is a clean sans serif chosen to cut through the noise. It’s pared back and minimal with an iconic nature that transcends genre, feeling confident and timeless.

The vibrant red that crowns the new colour palette is synonymous with live, from the ubiquitous red light that signals ‘live recording’ on cameras everywhere, and deeply intertwined with the rich history of the venue. It’s a colour that embodies KOKO’s unique brand of live events, closely mirroring the venue’s notorious red interior.