On a small Danish island in the Baltic Sea lies Bornholm where you can find Hammershus, the largest castle ruin in Northern Europe. The castle ruin is visited by 500.000 guests every year making it the largest turist attraction on Bornholm and one of the most visited attractions in Denmark.
I started working here as a part time consultant in the beginning of 2019. I took part in establishing the brand “Brohuset ved Hammershus” as the name for the adjacent visitor centers shop and café. I was the one who were responsible for the brand execution and development of unique souvenirs the following two years.
The challenge
As we took over the place we decided that in order to stay competitive and true to the architecture, we had to do things different than other attractions on the island. Hammershus holds a special place in the heart of the locals, which also meant that there were many ideas, thoughts and opinions about what the place should be and especially what it should not be.
The solution
The amount of suppliers who make souvenirs are limited and so is their selection of products. We also quickly realised that all souvenir shops on Bornholm had the same selection on their shelves, so we knew that we had to produce our own products as a stable and garnish it with quality products from local artisans and producers of local products.
I was responsible for designing and producing traditional souvenirs such as tote bags, t-shirts and post cards for sale in the shop. These decisions were rewarded in an independent satisfaction survey where we scored 4,4 in satisfaction with the service, selection and layout of the shop on a scale from 1 -5.
We also had to incorporate the brand into a building with an already strict architecture. The logo was inspired by “Blommetårnet” which is the preserved structure from the former castle. Also, we decided not use any color but black and white to blend in with the concrete and oak surfaces.