22 April 2021 – The refreshed design includes a revitalised logo, colour palette, typeface, photography, and icon style, and will eventually cover every visual item – from stationery to social media. “EMBO’s visual image carries an essential message about the distinctive identity of the organization and its communities,” explains Tilmann Kiessling, EMBO Head of Communications. “Most scientists enjoy good design and some are even passionate about it. EMBO has a strong brand. It was our goal to build on that and evolve the EMBO visual identity in line with the organization’s values.”
The cornerstone of the new design system is an updated logo, hued with a warm yellow, which gives a nod to the previous theme of the logo while also conveying an overarching representation of EMBO and the life sciences. “We hope people feel that the design update is modern, balanced, while staying true to who we are,” says Pauline Marchetti, the EMBO graphic designer, who led the redesign. “We see the colour yellow as courageous, reliable, and intellectual – these are all great descriptions for EMBO, and the limited colour palette combined with geometric shapes and patterns reflects the sophistication of the EMBO communities,” she adds.
EMBO will change its typeface to the font Noto, which offers both good readability and versatility across printed publications and digital platforms. “We will use more real-life photos of our communities, and we will also be making use of scientific images submitted by our community members as backgrounds, textures, and for other visual elements. We are literally embedding their work into our visual presence, improving the design,” says Marchetti.
The last major design update came in the 1990s, and the team hopes that the new design will have similar longevity and ensure brand consistency across multiple platforms. “The previous design system was developed when communications were dominated by print,” adds Kiessling. “Our new visual image will better cater for how people use digital media. Users of the new webpage can expect content to be aesthetic, appealing, and reader friendly – it’s an engaging design that reflects the spirit of the organization.”
