Realizing the lack of a comprehensive and good-quality online destination aimed at the French-speaking Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, four seasoned journalists have teamed up to create Yagg — the French LGBT new media.
How can a brand be flirtatiously friendly while demonstrating an impartial respectability?
Yagg is a news and social networking website — targeted to launch in 2009 — with the aim to be the premiere online resource for the French-speaking LGBT community. The website will be a source for local and world news, special reports and live coverage of important events. It will also offer a social networking platform for individuals, businesses, organizations and charities to come together and make their voices known.
Initially, Yagg will focus primarily on France, however their hopes are to expand their reach to people living in Belgium, Switzerland, Québec, Africa and beyond.
Yagg hired AREA 17 to create the brand and visual identity. They wanted us to think big, to create a bold new media lifestyle brand that can exist beyond a website. It was important to create a graphic system that was able to work effectively cross-media including web, print, broadcast and even fashion.
The primary challenge was to develop a brand that carefully blended the frivolity of a social network with the sobriety of a trusted news source. How can a brand be flirtatiously friendly while demonstrating an impartial respectability?
In approaching the brand positioning, we wanted to embrace this duality; creating a story that is bold and understated; classic and modern; friendly and respectable; inviting and exclusive.
To achieve this graphically, we used very basic shapes — a line and a circle — repeating to create the logo. Our goal was to develop an editorial feel through a simple sans-serif typeface that has both gravity and lightness. Serious yet with a friendly smirk.
By using an initial-cap, we were able to play down the obviousness of the word “gay” (don’t say you didn’t notice). We threw in a period for emphasis — a symbol that is ever so conclusive yet can be used as a lighthearted avatar (think sing-along bouncing dot).
We also had the excellent opportunity to consult on their website strategy and architecture, currently in development. In the meantime, if you are looking for a Yagg-friendly place, join them today on Facebook or Twitter.