GLAAD

Rebranded by Lippincott

The client news release tells the story well (for PR speak):

"NEW YORK, April 15, 2010--The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has unveiled its new logo, designed by global design and brand strategy consultancy Lippincott. The energetic visual identity will feature prominently across GLAAD's programs and events as the organization commemorates its 25th anniversary year.

"The refreshed look and feel is part of an initiative to build awareness of GLAAD’s work to amplify the voice of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. The official launch of the new identity coincides with the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies in Los Angeles on April 17 and San Francisco on June 5. The logo was first unveiled at the New York ceremony on March 13.

"The new GLAAD identity is simple and clear; it plays off a recognized symbol for communication to represent the organization’s programmatic work to empower LGBT people and allies to share their stories, hold the media accountable for the words and images they present, and help grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. Four separate color versions of the logo are in use, in vibrant orange, green, blue, and purple. This flexibility showcases GLAAD’s range of work, from the GLAAD Media Awards to programmatic resources for media to report on LGBT issues.

"The colors express the diversity, energy and passion within GLAAD and the shape of the mark suggests movement, growth and momentum–all key ingredients in GLAAD’s work to build support for full equality through the media. Created pro-bono by Lippincott, the design has already generated accolades; it won second place in the non-commerce logo category in the Identity: Best of the Best 2010 global design competition.

“Words and images matter,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. “Our new brand identity represents GLAAD's advocacy work to grow acceptance and understanding of our community through today's ever-changing media landscape."

The back story: Lippincott was introduced to GLAAD by Bain & Company, whose strategic review identified the need to increase awareness and understanding of the GLAAD mission. The existing mark, thought to symbolize "entities coming together" (not my choice of words) was poorly understood and uncomfortably biomorphic, memorable perhaps but otherwise not clearly a branding asset.

Lippincott explored a range of communication symbology, like screens and talk bubbles, before settling on the simple iconography of sound amplification.

The idea of rainbow colors was added, not literally as an illustration, but as a palette of logo color options (with no planned content coding, at least as yet). Thus we have another variation on Dynamic Branding (see Identity Forum on Dynamic Branding, When is it a good idea?) -- form consistent, color fluid.

Lippincott also proposed the GLAAD tagline "Words and images matter." That is a thought we can all support.

Credits:
CEO: GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios
Design: Lippincott -- Sarah Bellamy, strategy; Jenifer Lehker, design

Comment:
The new symbol, taken with the letterforms, makes another universal symbolic allusion, to a trumpet; brilliantly appropriate. I love that, and also the happy aacronym.

replacing...

The logo inspiration - icons of amplification:

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