Bringing Black Dog Noir into the Light.

DESIGN & CREATIVE DIRECTION

The creative direction drew directly from film noir, using high contrast, shadow, tension and bold typography to give the production a cinematic edge. Early mood board work explored monochrome photography, mist, textured black backgrounds, noir poster language and alternative Saul Bass-inspired graphic treatments.

The final route used a strong red, black and white palette, combining the silhouette of the dog with the physicality of the dancer. This gave the campaign an image that was both unsettling and elegant: clearly ballet, but not traditional ballet. That distinction mattered. The work needed to respect the artistic seriousness of the production while giving new audiences an immediate reason to look again.

TARGET AUDIENCES

We identified two distinct audiences.
The first was the existing ballet and arts audience: people already familiar with Ballet d’Jèrri, Jersey Opera House and contemporary performance. For them, the campaign needed to communicate artistic credibility, including the involvement of Jeroen Verbruggen and the double bill with Marco Goecke’s Whiteout.

The second audience was completely new to ballet. For them, the entry point was not technique, repertoire or tradition. It was story, atmosphere, Jersey folklore and accessibility. The “Pay What You Can” model, including limited tickets from £5, became an important part of the message because it removed a perceived barrier and made the invitation feel open rather than exclusive.

ROLL OUT

The campaign was designed to work consistently across Facebook and Instagram advertising, posters and the printed programme. The artwork was adapted into multiple formats, including square social assets, vertical story formats, landscape digital advertising and poster layouts. This meant the campaign could retain its impact whether viewed quickly on a phone, seen in a public space or held in hand at the performance.

The programme extended the visual world of the campaign into the audience experience, using the same graphic language, sponsor recognition and production information. It also positioned Black Dog Noir alongside Whiteout, giving the evening a coherent identity rather than treating the two works as separate communications.

CLIENT PERSPECTIVE

“Working with The Idea Works helped us give Black Dog Noir a visual identity that felt true to the work before audiences had even entered the theatre. They understood that this production needed to speak to our existing supporters, but also to people who may never have considered coming to a ballet before. The campaign captured the mystery, danger and beauty of the piece, while keeping the message clear and accessible.”
Carolyn Rose Ramsay, Artistic Director, Ballet d’Jèrri

THE RESULT

The result was a distinctive, flexible campaign that gave Black Dog Noir a confident public presence across digital, print and performance materials. It translated a new contemporary ballet into a clear audience proposition: a Jersey legend, reimagined through world-class choreography, with tickets accessible to a broad public.

The campaign gave Ballet d’Jèrri a strong visual platform for promotion, helped frame the production for both loyal supporters and first-time audiences, and reinforced the company’s wider role: creating ambitious work that belongs to Jersey while meeting an international standard.