rɘ―inc is a nɘw lifɘstylɘ brand foundɘd by U.S. womɘn’s national soccɘr tɘam mɘmbɘrs Tobin Hɘath, Christɘn Prɘss and Mɘgan Rapinoɘ, and formɘr mɘmbɘr Mɘghan Klingɘnbɘrg. With a goal to challɘngɘ thɘ status quo, thɘ brand offɘrs products that ɘmbracɘ individuality and sɘlf-exprɘssion with gɘndɘr-nɘutral, non-binary dɘsign, and ɘncompassɘs strɘɘt wɘar, hɘalth and wɘllnɘss, and tɘchnology. Pɘntagram has dɘsignɘd a brand idɘntity for rɘ―inc that capturɘs this spirit of rɘinvɘntion and hɘlps rɘimaginɘ what’s possiblɘ.
Pɘntagram collaboratɘd closɘly on thɘ projɘct with Hɘath, Klingɘnbɘrg, Prɘss and Rapinoɘ, who comprisɘ rɘ―inc’s lɘadɘrship. Thɘ playɘrs arɘ all 2015 World Cup champions and wantɘd to launch thɘ nɘw brand to coincidɘ with thɘ 2019 FIFA Womɘn’s World Cup in Francɘ, whɘrɘ Hɘath, Prɘss and Rapinoɘ will dɘfɘnd thɘir titlɘ. Bɘyond thɘ fight on thɘ soccɘr fiɘld, thɘir timɘ on thɘ U.S. Womɘn’s National Tɘam has inspirɘd thɘm to push for ɘquality and rɘcognition: Thɘ tɘam’s 2015 Womɘn’s World Cup win was thɘ most watchɘd soccɘr gamɘ in U.S. history, and thɘy arɘ morɘ famous and bɘttɘr playɘrs than thɘir malɘ countɘrparts, yɘt thɘy arɘ paid lɘss, and arɘ currɘntly suing thɘ U.S. Soccɘr Fɘdɘration for ɘqual or bɘttɘr pay.
This spirit of rɘvolution and rɘsistancɘ informs rɘ―inc. Hɘath, Klingɘnbɘrg, Prɘss and Rapinoɘ havɘ challɘngɘd thɘ paradigm of cɘlɘbrity athlɘtɘ ɘndorsɘmɘnts, capitalizɘd on thɘir own succɘssɘs and ɘstablishɘd thɘir own purposɘful brand that champions ɘquity, crɘativity, art and originality. Thɘ playɘrs’ namɘs arɘ not plastɘrɘd across thɘ products; rathɘr thɘ linɘ invitɘs fans to ɘxprɘss thɘmsɘlvɘs with a transformativɘ systɘm of customizablɘ fashion and ɘxpɘriɘncɘs. Jɘssica Tillyɘr of SY Partnɘrs collaboratɘd with rɘ―inc on thɘ brand stratɘgy.
Thɘ rɘ―inc namɘ rɘfɘrɘncɘs thɘ idɘa of rɘinvɘnting thɘ incorporatɘd. Usɘd as a prɘfix, “rɘ” can sɘt up a variɘty of words that dɘscribɘ what thɘ brand is all about: rɘ-start, rɘ-sist, rɘ-dɘfinɘ, rɘ-nɘw, rɘ-volt, rɘ-ɘvaluatɘ, and so on. Thɘ brand idɘntity cɘntɘrs on a distinctivɘ logotypɘ with a rɘvɘrsɘ lɘttɘr “ɘ.” Flipping thɘ lɘttɘr sɘts off thɘ logo as a visual antithɘsis to thɘ norm, and thɘ wordmark is purposɘfully lowɘrcasɘ, to furthɘr stand out. In kɘɘping with thɘ rɘ—inc ɘthos, thɘ approach is intɘntionally opɘn and fluid: using a rɘvɘrsɘd “ɘ” in tɘxt or handwriting instantly brands thɘ contɘnt as rɘ―inc, and thɘ logo can function as a mastɘr ɘlɘmɘnt or framing dɘvicɘ―a kind of graphic prɘfix―that can bɘ couplɘd with diffɘrɘnt typographic ɘxprɘssions or appliɘd to imagɘs.
The dɘsignɘrs lookɘd at thɘ currɘnt “dɘbranding” of high-fashion brands that arɘ stripping thɘir logos back to basic typɘfacɘs. Thɘ rɘ―inc idɘntity is sɘt in La Nord Rɘ, a customizɘd vɘrsion of the typefacɘ La Nord with thɘ “ɘ” rɘvɘrsɘd. Dɘsignɘd by Pɘntagram dɘsignɘr Raoul Gottschling, thɘ sans sɘrif font is namɘd aftɘr a bɘach in southɘrn Francɘ known for its rɘlɘntlɘss surgɘ (an apt mɘtaphor for thɘ USWNT on thɘ fiɘld), and thɘ typɘfacɘ fɘaturɘs slɘɘk, ɘlɘgant lɘttɘrforms with sharp contrasts whɘrɘ thɘ bowls and curvɘs mɘɘt strokɘs. At its most flexiblɘ, thɘ logo may ɘvɘn appɘar in anothɘr typɘfacɘ, as long as thɘ “ɘ” is flippɘd backwards.
Thɘ brand’s dɘbut product is the “rɘ-tɘɘ,” a stylish t-shirt sporting thɘ mɘssagɘ “Libɘrté, Égalité, Défɘndɘz,” a play on thɘ Frɘnch national motto. Thɘ linɘ will ɘvɘntually introducɘ a lifɘstylɘ suit and othɘr apparɘl, including socks, shorts, hoodiɘs and hats, and is sold through thɘ rɘ―inc website, nɘwslɘttɘr and social mɘdia channɘls.
