When designing a new logo, the aim is usually to create an identity that's unique to the brand and that can't be imitated. Nobody told that to Elon Musk when he rebranded Twitter using a generic unicode character, and now The Green Party of Canada appears to have taken off-the-shelf branding even further.
Yes, the party's new logo is an emoji, and a very simple one. But while it may break some logo design rules, there's a strong argument in favour of using such a simple, available and easily reproducible brand identity.
(Image credit: Green Party of Canada)
The Green Party of Canada has unveiled its rebrand just weeks before a possible snap federal election. It says it sees the new logo's resemblance to an emoji as a strength rather than a weakness. And it has a point.
Elon Musk has taken to tweeting about X using the unicode character, thereby embedding branding in even the simplest of text messages. Similarly, for a political party, a brand asset that everybody already has on their devices could become a powerful tool for grassroots members.
"The great thing about this logo is that it is easily reproducible… It is also an emoji, quite frankly," Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault said at a news conference. "We want this logo to be representative. But also, we want people to feel some ownership towards it. And there's no better way for that to happen than making it easy for people to reproduce."
Green Party of Canada Unveils First Rebrand in over 25 Years - YouTube
When it comes to political branding, concerns about the potential misuse of the identity aren't necessarily as paramount as they are with commercial brands. Or at least, there are more important objectives: symbolism, fostering a sense of belonging, ease of recognition, and ease of repetition to build momentum. A simple emoji provides an easy way for people to express and share their support for the party in a digital era in which social media posts and text messages have largely replaced traditional canvassing.
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The Green Party has already incorporated its new logo into a series of brand icons(Image credit: Green Party of Canada)
The apparently simple green dot logo is also very versatile. It can be easily adapted to pretty much any application the Green Party could need, from its web page favicon to social media avatars and merchandise.
Despite the simplicity, the design holds a lot of symbolism that's relevant to the party's policies: it represents the shape of the planet but also the concept of a circular economy. The party has already found ways to incorporate it into a series of brand icons that represent some of its priorities, from climate action to affordable housing (see above). It seems this is one case where going simple to the verge of generic actually perfectly the spot.
Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
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