Logo for the Holy Year

Case Study

Logo

Branding

On June 28, 2022, the presentation of the new Logo for the Holy Year of Jubilee 2025 took place in Vatican City, Rome.

A global competition, in which 294 projects from 48 different countries participated, was attended by distinguished individuals from the Catholic community and the specialized press.

The first Christian Jubilee in history, a traditional religious celebration of the Catholic Church, took place in 1300. This rich tradition has been celebrated every 25 years since 1450, a testament to the enduring faith of the Catholic community.

Copa Design - an American design agency with Brazilian roots - accepted the challenge to participate in the contest and voluntarily create the “Pilgrims of Hope” Logo. This motto will be addressed during the Catholic Jubilee year, under the supervision of Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.

The project was under the care of our Creative Director, Leonardo H. Bandeira, who carried out all stages of building the brand with competence, versatility, and enthusiasm.

Since the first brainstorming meetings began in February 2022, our entire Creative Team agreed that the “SEA SHELL” would be the main symbol of our proposal. This decision was influenced by the liturgical and metaphorical importance of the sea shell, which symbolizes pilgrimage and spiritual journey for pilgrims from all over the world.

The Creative Process, in which Leo was intimately immersed, indicated that we were on the right path. The Symbols fit together, creating a fluid Brand containing 12 intrinsic characters, each representing a significant aspect of the Catholic Jubilee, that relate harmoniously without graphic interference or visual conflicts.

12 symbols in 1

Something unlikely even for the most talented Designers in the Brand market.

Despite not being approved by the Judging Committee, which is composed of Iconographers, Graphic Designers, Specialists in Art and Brands, Architects, and some Priests, our proposal was recognized for its quality.It was one of the three finalists presented to Pope Francis on June 11, 2022, in a closed meeting, after three months of dedicated work.

We say this because we received an email on June 2, 2022, informing us that the Judging Committee had yet to make a final decision on the logo choice.Please note that the contest sends emails only for the selected projects.

However, this project has been a unique learning opportunity for us. It has allowed us to delve into a world where religion and the mystical coexist alongside the history of Western culture. This has given us a deeper understanding of the relationship driven by the faith of Catholics in their Christian purpose, which we can now apply to future projects, enriching our work with new insights and inspiration.

As Leo always says, “Taste is personal and style defines design, so consistency and authenticity are essential to staying true to your art.”

This principle has not only guided our work on this project but will continue to be a cornerstone of our design philosophy, ensuring that our work is always consistent and impactful.

The winning proposal adheres to the traditional graphic style of Catholicism, and our recommendation included some innovative visual elements.