Science Museum of Virginia Selects Joe Smith as Partner to Lead Brand Evolution

Brand consultancy’s “hometown” passion and research-driven storytelling set it apart

Following a highly competitive search, the Science Museum of Virginia has selected brand consultancy Joe Smith, a division of Padilla, as its brand partner. The agency will work closely with the Science Museum to build an evolved brand strategy that honors the organization’s legacy and propels it into the future.

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The Science Museum of Virginia.

“The Science Museum is the marketing agency for science, and our brand is paramount to how we interact with the community,” said Rich Conti, chief wonder officer at the Science Museum. “The Joe Smith team understands that brand is rooted in storytelling. We’re excited to work with the team to evolve our brand to propel us forward as we tell the important story of the impact science has on our lives.”

The Science Museum’s 50^th anniversary, which is coming up in 2027, offers an opportunity to not just reflect on the past, but to reimagine how science can spark curiosity, engage communities and foster discovery across Virginia and beyond.

“Our team is beyond enthusiastic about the opportunity to usher the Science Museum of Virginia’s iconic brand into the next era of growth,” said Lauren Tannenbaum, senior vice president and group lead of Joe Smith. “We’ll draw on experience working with science and technology companies as well as nonprofits and consumer brands to help the Science Museum tell its story in a way that attracts new visitors and builds deeper relationships with existing ones.”

With an approach firmly grounded in research, Joe Smith will create a refreshed brand strategy and visual identity for the Science Museum that will elevate how it communicates its purpose and build momentum as it plans for the next era of community impact.

“This work will have ripple effects that outlive any logo or tagline and help more people see themselves in the story of science,” said Matt Kucharski, president of Padilla. “Our firm and the Joe Smith team have deep community connections in Virginia and a track record of award-winning brand work that will help guide the Science Museum forward and raise its profile at a regional and national level.”

About Joe Smith

Joe Smith is a strategic brand consultancy that blends creativity, insight and rigor to help organizations forge artful and enduring brands. We partner with clients on the full spectrum of brand work, from strategy and messaging to naming, visual identity and experience design. At the core of our approach is Artful Problem Solving – a brand-focused, people-first way to change your business for the better. Joe Smith sits inside the public relations and communications powerhouse agency Padilla, and the broader AVENIR GLOBAL network. Learn more at joesmithco.com.

About the Science Museum of Virginia

From virtual presentations featuring STEM experts to fun videos on social media to in-person experiential exhibits, the Science Museum of Virginia looks for every opportunity to inspire all Virginians to enrich their lives through science. Helping curious minds discover the connections between — and their connection to — science, technology, engineering and math guides Science Museum staff in all they do. Learn more at smv.org.

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“Our team is beyond enthusiastic about the opportunity to usher the Science Museum of Virginia’s iconic brand into the next era of growth,” said Lauren Tannenbaum, senior vice president and group lead of Joe Smith.