The Meteor Is Advancing Gender And Racial Equity Through An Inspirational And Aspirational Branding

A brand whose purpose is to use art, culture, journalism, and creativity to promote equality needs a branding system that can match solid and bold goals.

Emily Oberman and The Pentagram team have done just that in the branding and visual identity for The Meteor, a group of journalists, artists, and activists committed to tackling gender and racial equity.

Oberman and Pentagram worked hand in hand with the leadership group at The Meteor to develop a flexible identity that could expand as the brand does. The typography, including typeface Druk, William Text, and Platform, seen throughout the system mimics the strong lettering often found on protest signs with subtle, engaging twists, including the "O" that forms a perfect circle.

The branding system also brings inspiration from protest through black and white photography that helps link to the legacy of activism while battling the urgency of current events and moments.

There was a conscious effort to leave the color pink out of the branding system to avoid feminist cliches and redundancies. The team has used a bright and contemporary color palette that consists of purple, orange, yellow, and black. They chose the purple and yellow shades as a link to the women's suffrage movement, yet, when combined with the orange and black, are thoughtfully understated in their deeper meaning.

This branding system is simple enough to grow alongside the platform yet enjoyable enough never to become stale. The design team has done a fantastic job of bringing new life and meaning to injustices that are, unfortunately, extremely widespread.