We've seen some great design work for human rights campaigns from London's Templo before, and its latest project is another strong example. It's designed a logo and website for Free Syria’s Disappeared, a coalition that's working to free detainees and disappeared people in Syria.
The identity is bilingual but takes a Syria-first approach through a beautiful use of Arabic letterforms in an animated logo that blurs the boundary between typography and illustration (see our pick of the best new logos for more inspiration).
Templo's logo design for the campaign turns the Arabic characters for the word ‘Syria’ into a dove, the classic symbol of freedom. One character gives the impression of the bird's beak, while others form the wings and tail feathers. Templo initially crafted the design by hand before digitalising it.
Templo says it sought a symbol and identity that would work across a wide range of audiences since the campaign aims to reach Syrians, including survivors of detention and their families, as well as international agencies and policymakers.
On the website, the logo is complemented by sans serif typeface that offers more structure. Meanwhile, a strong red was chosen as the main colour since it has a strong presence in Syrian culture but also avoids political references. This is used in combination with black and contrasting borders the respect the line in the logo.
Templo was brought in by the Center for Justice & Accountability, which is the body that gathered the group of charities and activists that make up the Free Syria’s Disappeared coalition. The agency says it was asked for a Syrian-led visual identity, so it took input from the various groups involved in the coalition by holding workshops and meetings. It also drew from the members of its own team who have Syrian heritage: founder and managing director Anoushka Rodda and designer Soumi Issa, who both have family from Aleppo.
For more logo design inspiration, see our piece on subtle logos changes that made a big difference.
