Can you rebrand a republic?

XXIII Portuguese Government Visual Identity System, Studio Eduardo Aires, 2023

Over the past weekend, I attended a lecture by designer Eduardo Aires. The conference evolved around typography and Aires discussed a recent rebranding done by his studio for of the Republic of Portugal.

The Government's visual identity was changed by António Costa's Executive in the first half of 2023. The objective, as explained in the brand manual, was to adapt the image to the digital environment, in which much of the communication takes place. The lecture provided a detailed description of the strategic and aesthetic choices made, keeping a clear focus on aligning with the spirit of the current era, emphasizing readability, legibility, and suitability for digital platforms.

XXIII Portuguese Government Visual Identity System, Studio Eduardo Aires, 2023

One of the significant elements featured in the new branding is a costume-made typeface, made in collaboration with Dino dos Santos (which attended the lecture as well). The design of the typeface for the Government of the Portuguese Republic involved a careful balance between tradition and contemporaneity, legibility and visual distinction. The resulting font, with its wide range of glyphs and attention to linguistic detail, is capable of representing the image of the Portuguese Republic in different contexts and in over 250 languages, offering a consistent and distinctive tool for Portugal’s communication in the world.

I felt that, although the outcome might be perceived as somewhat simplistic, the process was profound and thorough, with an emphasis on forward movement and modernization, both spiritual and practical. I found a great amount of grace in the way the complexed flag was abstracted in an elegant and playful manner, and I was pleased to discover that the Portuguese Republic had initiated and collaborated on such an endeavor.

As the lecture was over I was keen to know where, and as I ran I quick google search I was surprised to discover that the fresh new branding that just presented has already been shelved, after being at the center of a widely discussed public debate. Apparently the logo had reverted to the old former version. This not only reintroduced the detailed flag, but also added a three-dimensional depth that made the logo unit even more complex than the flag itself.

2023 / 2024

And here we have a worthy subject for discussion – isn't it fascinating how "good" is a subjective state of mind? How many process aimed to make a significant progress moves in a circular way (back and forth) and not necessarily "up" or "forward"? I never imagined that anyone might oppose a progress, especially such an aesthetically reasoned one. I had to dig a bit deeper.

The 24th government came into power on April 2, 2024. An article published on April 4, 2024, describes the following:

Official Government website restores previous logo

The logo change took place immediately after the inauguration of the Prime Minister and the new Government. It was a commitment that the Prime Minister made before the campaign. "Enough of plastic politics", said Luís Montenegro at the time.

Apparently, Luís Montenegro, as leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), was highly critical of this new logo prior to being elected. His main criticism was that the logo did not adequately reflect Portugal's history and tradition, particularly regarding the coat of arms and other national symbols. He argued that the government was trying to "rebrand" the nation in a way that downplayed important elements of Portugal's heritage and identity.

Some specific points raised by Montenegro and his party included:

1. "Aesthetic and historical dissonance": He believed that the new logo, by simplifying and altering traditional elements, created a disconnection from Portugal's established symbols and values.
2. Absence of key symbols: He pointed out that the official coat of arms (the "five shields" of Portugal) was reworked and was no longer displayed in a form that closely adhered to its historical design, which was an important national symbol.
3. Political motives: Montenegro and others in his party suspected that the new logo was part of an effort by the Socialist government to create a more "modern" image of the Republic, potentially for political reasons rather than for the sake of national unity and tradition.

While the former government, led by António Costa and the Socialist Party, defended the design as a step toward modernization, this issue became part of a broader political debate about the balance between tradition and modernization in national symbols. Montenegro and the PSD viewed the government's push for the new logo as an example of left-wing political maneuvering, while the government argued that the new design was not about undermining tradition, but rather about making Portugal's identity more approachable and relevant in the modern era.

An article published on April 3, 2024, describes the following:

"The new logo of the Portuguese Republic, launched last year, has been shelved by Luís Montenegro. The decision has been praised by brand and communication experts."

I'll finish with a mesmerizing quote by Carlos Coelho, an outspoken critic of the rebranding (retrieved from the article mentioned above):

“Going back is always better than continuing down the wrong path"

Is it, though?