POPOLA’s identity for Croatian Rainbow Families blends traditional elements and a queer spirit

Rainbow Families, also known as Dugine Obitelji in Croatian, is an organisation based in Zagreb, Croatia, that brings together LGBTQIA+ couples and individuals who are interested in family planning. Founded in 2011, Rainbow Families started as a support group led by Iskra Pejic and Matea Popov. Today, it is at the forefront in the fight against discrimination, and is a champion for the rights of LGBTQIA+ parents and families alongside the wider community. 

Over the years, the organisation has grown and evolved, and soon, it required an identity that reflects its mission and values. This was developed by Zagreb-based branding and design agency POPOLA, who took on the task of creating a simplified and updated visual identity that would be appropriate for both physical and digital spaces. Delivering on the promise, they crafted a unique fresh look that is both inclusive and rooted in the community that it serves. Simultaneously, it succeeds in standing out from other LGBTQIA+ organisations, thanks to a tweaked rainbow colour palette that feels familiar, yet bright and contemporary.

One of the key design elements in the identity is the versatile logo, which features a rainbow that takes on the shape of a letter. In the Croatian version, the rainbow becomes ‘D,’ representing Dugine Obitelji. For the English version, the rainbow is transformed into a ‘C.’ “We only used lowercase in the logotype primarily because the previous logo also had the name written out in lowercase,” Creative Director Luka Pervan notes. “Another reason was that the symbol is an uppercase ‘D,’ so having the name start with a sentence case ‘D’ would be visually redundant.”

Throughout the rest of the visual language, POPOLA combines the vibrant spirit of the community with elements of Croatian and Balkan culture. For example, they explored Croatian symbols, such as a traditional ornament called ‘pleter’ (interlace), which appears in one of the brand’s posters. “When it came to the production of materials,” Pervan adds, “one of the executions of the logo was made in needlepoint, a form of embroidery that can be found throughout the Balkan region. Every grandma's house in the Balkans has one of those hanging somewhere on their wall.”

The leading typeface used in the visual language, Grenette Pro, pays homage to typography that was used in Croatian and Yugoslavian book and magazine publishing in the 1970s and 1980s. Grenette Pro, a “soft, rounded serif,” as Art Director Sandra Mrkšić explains, is used for headlines and copy, with its eye-catching qualities adding personality and visual interest to layouts. Meanwhile, Sharp Grotesk is used exclusively in the logo – providing a subtle and toned-down aesthetic, while echoing Grenette’s curves – which allows the symbol (‘D’ or’ C’) to take centre stage.

POPOLA

Dugine Obitelji