In the early morning of June 28, 1969, The Stonewall uprising began when the New York City Police raided the Greenwich Village gay club called the Stonewall Inn. The raid led to six days of protests and violent interactions with law enforcement, marking the beginning of the gay rights liberation movement not only in New York City but globally as well.
The Stonewall Organization, a group fighting for freedom and equality for the LGBTQ+ community, recently worked with agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) to create a brand identity, apparel, and social media content reflecting the diversity of the movement; all while representing the modern and unapologetic pride of this new era of activism.
Taking inspiration from the vertical orientation of the Stonewall Inn's logo, the brand mark is also upright in nature. The bold colors and expressive photography help bring the new branding system to life in an inspiring and encapsulating way. And the typeface, Stonewall Voice, tied everything together and was created with influence from protest iconography. They designed the typeface in collaboration with the UK-based design studio F37 Foundry, and it comes in two weights, the aptly named Stonewall Loud and Stonewall Proud.
"We imagine a world where all LGBTQ+ people of all identities experience not only equal opportunities but equitable outcomes. Where our governments, communities, faith institutions, and families don't merely allow us to exist, but actively shield us from harm and help us thrive," said Nancy Kelley, CEO of Stonewall, about the project.
JKR has created a branding identity that's not only inclusive, diverse, and approachable but one that has character, emotion, and a playful side. Activism shouldn't be intimidating; it should be bold, confident, and self-assured. And Stonewall is proving just that.
