Turning Points: Brand consultancy Wiedemann Lampe

We founded Wiedemann Lampe with a vision to push the boundaries of branding and design, and over the past 18 years, we’ve evolved into a 20-strong London consultancy specialising in the cultural sector. Looking back, key moments and bold decisions have shaped our journey, each building upon the last.

While working at Lewis Moberly, we pursued our passion for the intersection of digital and branding. Our big break came when London’s Cuckoo Club approached us to create a website that stood out. We built an immersive Flash experience, and soon, other clubs started calling. Realising the potential, we launched A+B Studio in 2007, armed with just a phone number and a determination to make it work.

As our reputation grew, so did our ambitions. Our work had always been about pushing creative boundaries, and we soon found ourselves looking beyond club culture to larger, more impactful projects.

One of the most unexpected turning points came in 2008 when Benji ran into Tim Molloy, the Science Museum’s creative director, at a London bus stop. That conversation led to a major exhibition design commission. By 2010, we were designing Antenna, a permanent exhibition, and in 2011, we secured the first pan-Arab pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale. These projects cemented our place in the cultural sector and made us realise we needed a clearer vision for the future.

Despite being incredibly busy, we realised our earnings didn’t reflect our workload. With the guidance of business mentor Nick Bourne, we refined our strategy, repositioned ourselves as a brand consultancy, and doubled our fees. This meant intentionally letting go of smaller projects to focus on large-scale cultural work—an intimidating but transformative shift.

This newfound clarity allowed us to aim higher, leading us to one of our most ambitious projects to date.

A casual conversation in Abu Dhabi led to one of our most significant projects: branding Louvre Abu Dhabi. In 2019, we took on a challenge that spanned brand strategy, visual identity, visitor experience, and internal processes. It reshaped how we work, forced us to rethink our approach, and allowed us to master our craft on a massive scale.

Looking back, every step—every project, every risk—has been a building block to where we are today. From starting with club websites to working with some of the world's most renowned cultural institutions, our journey has been one of evolution, learning, and ambition. And we’re just getting started.

Read more about our evolution here.