EXHIBITIONISM

If ever there was a band that knew the power of branding it was, and is, The Rolling Stones. The lips and tongue logo is as memorable and ubiquitous as the brand image of any mass-market product.

Over the years, they’ve commissioned artists with the power to create lasting images, such as Andy Warhol, to strengthen their appeal. Even Mick Jagger’s physical and vocal posturing are instantly recognisable. So, to celebrate not just the music but also the style and the image of the Rolling Stones, the Saatchi gallery is hosting a show called Exhibitionism until September 2016.

Like much in rock, the idea for such a show came from Bowie, whose spectacular V&A exhibition in 2013 created a new medium: the rock’n’roll exhibition. The Rolling Stones show is curated over nine themed gallery spaces, featuring around 500 items including original stage costumes, rare instruments and lyric books, backstage and touring paraphernalia, album art, photography, stage designs, personal diaries, and never before released audio and behind-the-scenes footage. There’s a whole room devoted to the development of the lips and tongue logo, with an enormous sculptural mock-up throbbing with projected colours and textures. And there’s a wealth of other visual creativity from designers and photographers they’ve worked with. Exhibitionism features original works on display from the aforementioned Warhol and Richard Hamilton to David Bailey and Gered Mankowitz, whose sharp photography was key in establishing the band’s image in the early 60s.

Like a marketing agency, the Stones celebrate not just creativity but measurable success; the exhibition features maps of the world that light up to indicate numbers of units sold year by year, countries visited and attendance at concerts in the millions. It’s a lesson in how to establish, and maintain, a powerful image at the forefront of popular culture – and not fade away.

Creating memorable experiences for our clients’ customers is what we aspire to, and what we achieve. To find out more, contact brett.sammels@lawcreative.co.uk.