Johnson Banks gives Mlinda flexible identity system

Johnson Banks has created the brand for French environmental foundation Mlinda, which is looking to change the way society produces and consumes.

The essence of the organisation’s mission is to change consumption by transforming the way individuals behave and ‘rethinking production’ by bringing about systemic change in companies and institutions.

Mlinda branding by Johnson Banks

An identity system has been created around the idea of reduction. The Mlinda wordmark can be read as a symbol for reduction as each letter appears to be increasingly simplified when read from left to right.

This approach has been applied to language across the branding with negative words indicating a graduated reduction and positive words indicating a graduated increase.

Mlinda branding by Johnson Banks

A toolkit of words has been developed to this end and guidelines are being created so that the organisation can continue with the theme.

Mlinda branding by Johnson Banks

An accompanying image bank divisible by the same positive and negative themes can be matched up with the words, and there is also a set of pictograms. 

You can see many more examples on the organisation’s website, also designed by Johnson Banks.

Mlinda is currently working on rural electrification and transport projects in India and a new project in Paris to create an ethical investment portfolio.

Mlinda branding by Johnson Banks

It is also looking to give away second-hand books approved by the team to friends and opinion formers, as a knowledge-sharing exercise – Johnson Banks has created belly-band wraps for these books.

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  • Matt - November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Really nice – using the logo as ‘a symbol for reduction’ – which makes sense on its own.

    But within the structure would be placed ‘in the negative pile’ when it clearly is a ‘positive’ and needs to be promoted.

    Bit confusing and probably would of been better if it was a unique standalone marque.

  • T P James November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Exciting and elegant typography.

  • anthony hannaford November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    mmm…makes me think I’ve got dodgy mincers or had one too many…

  • C G November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Think you’re right Matt.

    Bit of an oversight to create a master logo to then group it as having (or being) a negative treatment.

    Would like to see how all of this would work small across print/online too.

  • Kelly Clarkson November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    The fine lines are a disaster to print at smaller sizes and online use is a catastrophe.

    Plus. This is such an ‘designers’ clever-clever solution, yet it’s utterly abstract and will be entirely lost on a mainstream audience.

    It does very little to help a great cause engage with a wider audience.

    A disservice.

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