Kazan Special Olympics identity
The history of the Special Olympics goes back to 1968 when the first games were held in Chicago. The goal of the movement is to use sports to help people with intellectual disabilities become full members of society, create a truly inclusive world and give them equal opportunities to showcase their skills and talents.
In 2022 the Special Olympics Winter Games will take place in Kazan. We designed a joyful and friendly identity for the event inspired by the national symbols of Tatarstan.
The logo
The logo is based on three motifs: Zilant, a Tatar mythological creature and a symbol of Kazan; a stylized tulip—one of the symbols of Tatatrstan; and the image of the vast Volga River on whose banks Kazan stands.
Unusual in its color and shape, Zilant symbolizes the inclusive nature of the games and the strong and fearless spirit of athletes. It appears to be embracing the logo, demonstrating care, hospitality and the friendly atmosphere of the competitions. The pattern of Zilant’s scales is based on the outline of the tulip, allowing the logo to harmoniously combine symbols of both the city and the republic.
The mascot
The mascot of the Special Olympics does not look like a menacing mythological monster: thanks to its bright and juicy color it adds character, cuteness and variety to media. Zilant communicates with spectators in a friendly and relaxed way: its “direct speech” is actively used in display typesetting to emphasize important messages.
A line pattern was created based on Zilant’s distinct body coloring. This allows the mascot to always be present, even when it is not shown literally.
Competition design
To make it easier for guests to find their way around, we came up with a beautiful and convenient wayfinding concept.
Cute three-dimensional characters represent sports and support the friendly atmosphere of the event. Information pictograms are similar to the sports icons in style but are rendered in two-dimensional graphics, allowing to visually separate layers of information.
The identity covers the entire competition area. Wayfinding, fences, flags—all of this together creates the atmosphere of a large sports festival.
Kazan has extensive experience in hosting international competitions and is ready to welcome guests in 2022.
