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The Decree Chronicles
Work delivered: Editorial brand identity
Editorial Team: Mihai Matei, Diana Oncioiu, Vlad Stoicescu, Diana Meseșan, Octavian Coman, Valentin Santarosa, Andreea Tătaru, Alexandru Mihai
![](https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5efcb945bfd86688adab6b6e/64342b063c7714ef381ebcec_main%20logo%20ENG.png)
This was not going to be a quiet logo. An editorial project documenting a decades-long human tragedy needed a logo to assert its relevance. It had to be simple, frontal and bold.
![](https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5efcb945bfd86688adab6b6e/643033a4e738f921f18be33f_main%20logo%20black.png)
![](https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5efcb945bfd86688adab6b6e/64303398bcac40743167b9a8_main%20logo%20alb.png)
Early ideas
My first attempts were, in retrospect, predictable: “hey let’s use Ceausescu’s face.” This approach provided considerable visual impact, but there was a problem: that all-too-familiar mug hijacked the message.
Using famous references in a logo is sometimes practical. However, in this case the dictator's notoriety was parasitic, it grabbed too much attention. This project was not about him.
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A better concept was needed, one that could provide its own meaning. After several attempts, one idea stood out: the female symbol, locked behind vertical prison bars. A tribute to the victims of the totalitarian regime's persecutions. A clear, simple symbol.
![](https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5efcb945bfd86688adab6b6e/64342506c32cd2e8e076dbfe_JD%20-%20idea%20copy.jpg)
This approach immediately resonated with the editorial team, so I started to develop the idea into a logo, trying various graphic executions, colors and typefaces.
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The final logo (shown above) was quickly delivered, and the project was launched.
Check out The Decree Chronicles website, available in English and Romanian.
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