This article was published on January 12, 2012

This might be the first multi-sensory brand in history


This might be the first multi-sensory brand in history

Tátil, a Brazil-based design agency, has created a miraculous, multi-sensory logo for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. The logo, which was designed in full 3D, offers a whole new level of accessibility, as it can be interpreted by absolutely anyone, regardless of a disability.

While it may not be practical for every brand to implement a 3D version of their logo, this step speaks volumes to the way brand identity can be lost among the blind. After seeing this, I can’t find a reason why major brands wouldn’t be very interested in the idea of illuminating themselves to members of the population that cannot perceive their visual identity, especially now with this precedence in place.

From Design Boom:

[This] logo references the traditional olympic brand, yet speaks to a more accessible or approachable shape. The team devised an off-balance human heart formed from an infinity sign. The Rio 2016 Paralympic symbol is accessible to all individuals, as the shape of the logo is one which IPC and Tátil believe honors the multi-sensory necessity of a world consisted of capable people with varied refinements in sense.

The entire creation process required a massive amount of work, including the hours of footage each team member watched from previous paralympic events during the early phases of design. I can only imagine how much time was spent on conceptual drawings and prototypes to produce the final design we see today.

The video below reveals the creative agency’s thoughts and inspiration for the design. The results are so strikingly simple that it’s hard to believe a balance has been struck between a sculpture and a logo mark.

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Does this brand represent the future of design? Certainly the first computers weren’t as accessible as they are today, so why can’t brands grow and develop themselves in a similar way? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

➤ The logo for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games: Design processmain site and design materials.

Check out our full Design and Dev channel for more inspiration.

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