context

From the acclaimed director Kevin Macdonald (known for "The Last King of Scotland"), "The Press Gang" is a logline proposal for a thriller wherein a reporter unravels the British tabloid phone hacking scandal that dominated Britain in the 90s and early 2000s.

I was approached by journalist Carole Cadwalladr (of The Guardian) to conceptualize and design a visual identity for this exciting proposal.

below is the design process.

chosen visual identity

I wanted this visual identity to acknowledge its journalistic ties. using a robust header typeface and classic serif copy to reminiscent of a tabloid aesthetic. The illustrations not only infuse playfulness into the identity but also resonate with its investigative essence, incorporating a saturated red hue as an homage to renowned tabloid brands like The Sun and The Mirror.

alternate visual identity

This second identity presented a quieter option compared to the first, allowing the report to adopt a more editorial aesthetic. Green was chosen to symbolise not only the wealth of the celebrity victims but also the deception of the tabloids.

The use of ellipses signifies the prolonged continuation of the trials that ensued after the phone hacking scandal, as well as the process of connecting the dots in its investigation.