Extinction Rebellion
Climate protesters gathered around a boat at Oxford Circus during a coordinated protest by the Extinction Rebellion group in April.
Extinction Rebellion (abbreviated as XR) is a socio-political movement with the stated aim of using civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to compel government action on climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse. Extinction Rebellion was established in the United Kingdom in May 2018 with about one hundred academics signing a call to action in support. — Wikipedia
The movement uses a circled hourglass, known as the extinction symbol, to serve as a warning that time is rapidly running out for many species. From rebellion.earth:
The Extinction Symbol was designed in 2011 by street artist ESP, who loans XR usage on the same basis: www.extinctionsymbol.info.
Since its launch, XR has quickly gained national and international following, taking it to the streets in mass demonstrations, demanding immediate action from their national parliaments and governments.
For their branding, the organization uses a custom, rounded version of Futura Condensed named Fucxed. Initially used in lowercase for the XR logo, a caps-only version is used across the globe on banners, websites and social media. In comparison to other recent peoples movements such as the (anti-)Brexit protests, or the Women’s Marches, there is a remarkably uniform and consistent branding in the messages from Extinction Rebellion in outlets from social media to worldwide demonstrations.
Website header.
Header for an article on Medium.
Announcement for a demonstration in Hong Kong on Oct 5, 2019: “ 地球上的生命正步向被徹底摧毀的命途之上. 為物種抗爭! 為未來反抗! / Life on Earth is being annihilated. Rebel For Life!” Slogan and logo use a yet unidentified typeface.
In June 2019, XR published an activist handbook with Penguin Books: “This is a book of truth and action. It has facts to arm you, stories to empower you, pages to fill in and pages to rip out, alongside instructions on how to rebel – from organising a roadblock to facing arrest.” Note the clever use of the (suggestedly extinct) publisher’s logo penguin as a cover illustration.
Pop-up demonstration in Australia.
Protesters in Hong Kong.
September 2019. A show-goer walks past Extinction Rebellion protesters as they demonstrate against London Fashion Week.
Members of Extinction Rebellion demonstrate at the La Rural exhibition centre in Buenos Aires.
“Climate Change = Mass Murder” – protesters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Website. Crimson Text is used for body copy.
