Making culture an essential
The rise in VAT on cultural products and experiences was making culture less accessible and putting additional pressure on the cultural sector.
The Gipuzkoa Provincial Council launched the Culture Essential Pass, offering discounts to help mitigate the impact of the tax increase and encourage people to consume more culture.
The challenge was to create a campaign that could promote the passes while highlighting the importance of culture, using an informative but attention-grabbing idea that put relevant artists and creators at the centre.
El Kolmado — where culture becomes an everyday essential
We created El Kolmado, a fictional grocery store where cultural references were treated like everyday essentials.
Together with Estudios Durero, we created more than 150 bespoke packaging designs, transforming everyday products into pieces inspired by literature, music and the arts.
A familiar world turned into an unexpected way of talking about culture.
01 — THE IDEA
Cultura de primera necesidad / Premia biziko kultura
02 — THE EXPERIENCE
A store made of stories
El Kolmado was conceived as more than a temporary store—it became the physical expression of the campaign. Designed as a cultural meeting point, the space combined retail, storytelling and live experiences, creating an environment where visitors could discover books, music and performances in an unexpected setting.
Throughout the campaign, El Kolmado hosted a programme of talks, live performances and special events featuring artists and public figures such as La Oreja de Van Gogh and Julia Otero, reinforcing its role as a place where culture could be experienced, shared and celebrated.
03 — ART DIRECTION
Turning cultural references into everyday essentials
The creative work & art direction started by documenting more than 100 cultural references — books, CDs and other works — and translating them into the language of everyday grocery products.
Each reference became a fictional product, with its own packaging, labels, ingredients and instructions, transforming cultural content into familiar products such as rice, milk or detergent.
Together with Estudios Durero, we developed more than 150 bespoke packaging designs, creating a coherent visual world where every product told a different cultural story.
The system was then extended into posters to promote the campaign and illustrated postcards, designed to be shared and distributed through the travelling El Kolmado.
One idea, over 150 products, and a whole visual language built around culture.
4 — TRAVELLING KOLMADO
Bringing culture across Gipuzkoa
The idea extended beyond the original space through a mobile version of El Kolmado, travelling across Gipuzkoa and bringing the campaign directly to different communities.
The travelling store recreated the visual language and product experience of the original Kolmado, while also acting as a platform to communicate the campaign and its programme of cultural activities. Postcards featuring the bespoke packaging illustrations were created to be shared with friends and distributed during the tour, helping the campaign travel beyond the store itself.
Taking culture on the road — and turning every stop into an invitation to discover it.
AWARD WINNER IDEA
EFI / GOLD
CDEC / GRAPHIC / SILVER
CDEC / IDEAS / SILVER
ADC*E ANUARY / ARTS & CRAFTS