Tate is a family of four art galleries in the UK known for increasing public access to modern and contemporary art collections. It was originally a single gallery called the Tate Gallery, but has expanded to include Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool, and Tate St Ives. In 2000, Tate developed a new unified brand to represent its expanded scope and forward-thinking approach. Since opening Tate Modern in 2000, Tate's annual visitor numbers have grown from 4 million to over 7 million through initiatives that make art experiences more accessible and social. Tate continues to innovate through programs linking art and music, events, and accessibility across its four sites.

1. SUPERBRANDS 2009/10
superbrands.uk.com TATE
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At one time simply known as the Tate Gallery,
expansion has seen the brand evolve with
a family of four galleries now united under
the Tate umbrella: Tate Britain, Tate Modern,
Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives.
The new Tate brand was developed in
partnership with Wolff Olins for the launch
of Tate Modern and Tate Britain in 2000.
The brief was to create a distinctive,
worldwide brand that broadened the appeal
of Tate’s four gallery sites and conveyed its Achievements
Tate’s impressive pedigree dates back to the 19th century, but in recent years it has built an forward-thinking approach to experiencing Since opening the new Tate Modern gallery
art. It needed to unify the collection through in 2000, visitor figures to the four Tate galleries
unparalleled reputation for increasing public access to national collections of both home-grown the notion of ‘one Tate but many Tates’. have risen from four million to 7.7 million.
The galleries were joined together under A key factor in achieving this significant
and international modern, contemporary art. This ambitious and trailblazing agenda has been the single powerful idea of ‘look again, increase has been the brand’s emphasis on
achieved through challenging traditional ideas of gallery-goers and embracing innovation across think again’, offering both an invitation and differentiation. Tate was the first major gallery
a challenge. This is epitomised by an ever- in the UK to establish a distinct brand appeal
its four sites: Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. changing, four-faceted logotype. In a design through a pioneering approach to art that
that mirrors Tate’s approach, a simply written focuses on increased accessibility. It continues
‘TATE’ is modelled to provide a range of logos to lead the field internationally in regard to arts
that reflect the fluidity and dynamic nature communication, through the democratisation
of the brand. of gallery-going (without dumbing down) and
a shift of focus from ‘the collection’
But Tate’s product offering to ‘the experience’, putting people exclusive track about it. Over a period of
is not limited to its four before art. four months, each track was available
galleries; one of its many through headphones placed beside the
brand extensions is its Recent Developments artwork that inspired it – the gallery was
subsidiary, Tate Catering, that In a recent example of brand the only place in the world where each track
places an importance on food innovation, Tate Modern asked could be heard. Promotion took a range of
not only tasting good but also the public to respond to the forms such as via music channels, flyers
being impeccably sourced futuristic elements of its Turbine outside gigs, blogs, Xfm radio, band fansites
and honestly priced. The Tate Hall exhibition, ‘The Unilever and legal flyposting – all designed to appeal
Modern restaurant benefits from Series: Dominique Gonzalez- to a new, younger audience.
impressive views across London Foerster TH. 2058,’ by writing
and a wine list chosen by their own 1,500-word science Tate Tracks culminated in the autumn of
sommelier Hamish Anderson. fiction story inspired by the 2008 with a competition in conjunction with
installation. The Sci-Fi Short MySpace that encouraged members of the
In addition, Tate Entertaining runs Story Competition was public to write their own tracks inspired by
indoor and outdoor events that judged by a panel comprising Tate artworks. The winning track was played
reinforce the brand mantra: open, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, the exhibition’s in the gallery.
Market inviting, challenging and fresh. The curator, actor Christopher Eccleston (of Doctor
Tate defines itself through a commitment to Long Weekend, for example, is a four-day Who fame) and celebrated science fiction Brand Values
making art more accessible, moving away music and art extravaganza that takes place writer, Jeff Noon. Blurb, an online self- Tate’s brand values are imbued throughout
from the view of galleries as ‘elitist’ – a legacy over the last May bank holiday weekend each publishing platform, produced a book of the the organisation and include elements outside
from the past. Opening up the market in this year. Featuring musicians, performers and six winning stories while an audio version was the presentation of art. The way Tate speaks
way is key to the brand’s ethos of making young people’s activities, it attracts around voiced by Christopher Eccleston. In addition, in any form of communication reflects the spirit
visiting galleries and exhibitions a more social, 100,000 visitors regularly. a recording of Jeff Noon reading his essay of the brand: inviting – it makes you curious
people-focused experience. from the exhibition catalogue was posted and interested; intelligent but not academic – it
on the Tate website. doesn’t underestimate your intelligence, but it’s
Tate works hard to ensure it appeals to never obscure; challenging but not intimidating
and attracts new audiences. It has been Promotion – it makes you think; and fresh – it has a
particularly successful at making gallery Tate runs a number of campaigns throughout contemporary point of view.
attendance attractive to young audiences the year, some linked to its programme of
and family visitors, with London’s Tate events and exhibitions and some to the tate.org.uk
Modern boasting one of the youngest global permanent collection. Core promotional
visitor profiles. Around 35 per cent of Tate activity centres on high profile press
Britain’s visitors in 2008 came from overseas campaigns, underground advertising and Things you didn’t know
Tate Liverpool, Britain and St Ives images: © Matt Stuart
but its four galleries remain popular with innovative strategies. about Tate
indigenous audiences.
Tate started working with advertising agency
1897 1917 1932 1988 1993 2000 Fallon in 2004 and has since developed a Tate Britain was built in the 1890s
number of groundbreaking and award-winning on part of the site of the old
The National Gallery The Tate Gallery is given The Gallery is On 24th May, Tate St Ives opens. Within Tate Modern is created campaigns. Targeting younger Londoners who Millbank Penitentiary, a vast 19th
of British Art opens responsibility for the officially renamed Tate Liverpool is its first six months the in a former London
rarely visit galleries, Tate and Fallon developed century prison.
All other images: © Tate
at Millbank, London – national collection of ‘Tate Gallery’. opened by HRH ‘Tate of the West’, as power station and
Tate Tracks, ‘an experiment between art and
commonly referred to international modern art The Prince of Wales. it was dubbed by the the gallery at Millbank
music’. Tate invited high-profile bands such Tate has a collection that currently
as the Tate Gallery in and for British art dating press, received 120,000 relaunches as
as The Chemical Brothers, Klaxons, Union of consists of some 67,000 works of art
honour of its founder, back to about 1500. visitors, almost twice the Tate Britain.
Sir Henry Tate. expected number.
Knives and The Long Blondes to choose a by more than 3,000 artists.
piece of artwork from the gallery and pen an