Isle of Open Minds

Isle of Man Digital becomes the ‘Isle of Open Minds’ in new brand campaign by Lantern, showcasing the island as a centre of digital innovation.

Digital Isle of Man has cemented itself as a hotspot for the technology sector with its new campaign, designed by branding agency Lantern.

The refresh for the brand, which will be rolled out across the Isle of Man, UK and key jurisdictions globally, demonstrates the Isle of Man as the perfect place for the technology sector to flourish in, a destination that is filled with – and welcomes – “open minds”.

Lantern’s work for Digital Isle of Man, the government agency responsible for establishing the IOM as a centre of international excellence in the digital economy, invites digital innovators to “build the metaverse in the biosphere”. The campaign highlights the unique ecosystem on the island – it is a designated UNESCO biosphere – and the potential for a good work-life balance, with its collaborative, close-knit community and, crucially, access to appropriate and proportionate regulation that embraces positive innovation.

“Digital Isle of Man needed us to bring the lifestyle and landscape of the island to life with this campaign, alongside the support available that is already creating a flourishing digital economy,” explains Ryan Tym, director of Lantern.

“Everything – from the imagery used to the phrase ‘Isle of Open Minds’ – reflects that sense of being part of a network and community, rather than feeling isolated, as some might imagine an island would feel. The campaign takes a witty and playful approach, reflecting life on the island.”

This attitude shines through in the campaign headlines, proclaiming the Isle of Man as the “Home to myths, fairies and one day, unicorns” and a place of “Open Minds. Open Space. Open Source.” These are paired with photography that showcases the natural environment, business enterprise and the lifestyle on offer: “AM: NFT. PM: SUP”.

The appreciation of the technology sector is emphasised through the unique typeface designed by Lantern, which has previously created brand strategies for the European Travel Commission and Visit Estonia, in which every character of the alphabet has been created to reflect technology or collaboration. For example, the “O” is seen as a power button and an “I” made up of three dots that look like a loading icon. It’s a digitised twist on Visit Isle of Man’s typeface, which reflects the history and mythology of the island through runes.

The campaign colours – neon blue and bright orange – are bold and vibrant, also inspired by the technology sector. Originally, the work was a one-off campaign, but the new brand has become the visual style for Digital Isle of Man as a whole.

“Lantern really understood how to uncover and bring to the fore all the unique qualities of the Isle of Man,” says Cheryl Gleeson, Head of Marketing at Digital Isle of Man.

“The design and tone of voice capture the personality of the island and the whole campaign perfectly encapsulates why the Digital Isle of Man is a great place for digital pioneers: the people who would love to work on the Internet of Things in the morning and get on their paddleboards in the evening.”