New Banchory identity revealed

A new visual identity and brand for Banchory was revealed last week in a ceremony in the centre of the town.

A logo, typeface and strap line were launched during the event at Scott Skinner Square.

DUFI-Art, an artist duo based in the Highlands, have been commissioned by Aberdeenshire Council to work on the rebranding project.

Fin Macrae and Alister MacInnes were at the event to introduce the messages behind the new identity and to introduce the six murals that coincide with the launch.

The brand itself was revealed by Provost for Aberdeenshire Jill Webster, who is also a councillor for the Banchory and Mid-Deeside region, with entertainment provided by a local fiddler trio headed by Paul Anderson.

Alister MacInnes of DUFI-Art explains the concept behind the new logo.

Provost Webster said: “We want our town centres in Aberdeenshire to thrive, and whilst Banchory is already a great place to be we hope that this project will enliven it even more.”

The new identity focuses heavily on Ternan, a famous character in Banchory’s history. A sixth-century Pict, Ternan founded a college on the River Dee which eventually became what is now Banchory.

The contemporary logo “reflects the core values that Ternan represented”, including emphasis on learning, culture and diversity.

The new logo for Banchory, featuring Ternan, a key figure in the town’s history.

Aberdeenshire Council’s Lizzy Shepherd was part of the team promoting the new look for the town to residents at the launch event.

She said: “The brand is part of a bigger project which was to bring more people into Banchory to rejuvenate the town centre.

“We commissioned two artists to come into the town, and they did a lot of public engagement to try and find out what people in the town wanted, what would make the town centre come alive for them.”



The branding includes the Ternan logo, which brings together references to the natural beauty of Deeside, the ideas of learning and diversity, and Banchory’s agricultural roots.

It also features the tagline “The Place to Be”, which was selected from a shortlist of community suggestions. “[They] demonstrated a strong sense of rootedness,” DUFI-Art say in their release leaflet. “It became obvious that this sense of place should be integral to the final branding.”

The unique typeface used in the logo, Banchory Raleway, was designed exclusively for the town. It will be available free of charge and aimed at local businesses and residents.

“The brand will be most effective,” the duo say, “when the people of Banchory take it as their own.”