Arcigay Milano, historically known as CIG, is the leading LGBTQIA+ association in the metropolitan city of Milan and the province of Monza Brianza. It has been active since the mid-1980s and now has more than 400 volunteers, constantly committed to the affirmation of individual freedoms and to guaranteeing universal civil rights.
The new visual identity project we worked on in 2021 for Arcigay involved the development of a new logo, a website and all aspects of communication – from printed materials to social networks. In 2020, we also worked with Arcigay on developing the rebrand of Pronto.
This new design system is inspired by the first rainbow flag design, the 8-color one created by Gilbert Baker. It pays tribute to the spirit of the time when the movement first started to appear on streets all over the world, aiming to bring the disruptive spirit of those days into the present and the future of the association.
The new logo design is derived from the original CIG logo, reinterpreting it with more contemporary and simple marks. The two letters at either end of the acronym become forms that protect and embrace the one in the center, that is the person who finds a safe place in the association.
The new website provides simple and direct access to the many activities and services promoted by CIG Arcigay. It also constitutes a new space in which to tell the story of the association and all the people who have worked in it and been part of its success.
In the different corporate identity materials developed so far, the stripes and the eight colors of Baker’s flag alternate. The original sequence is unchanged but the bands are expanded and compact, generating a visual language which is lively and explosive –
just like the community and the streets of pride all over the world. Without compromising the accessibility and the nature of the association, it aspires to become a point of reference for all.
