Social networks and the online world have opened up a universe of possibilities for communication, sharing, and access to fascinating new forms of content. It’s revolutionized our interactions and changed social norms. But it’s also become a domain for a new dimension of risk and vulnerability.
For decades, the Israel Internet Association non-profit has promoted the internet as a tool for research and cooperation, as well as registered “.il” domain names. But as digital social networks expanded into our private lives with the threat of cyber bullying, the association realized it needed to step up its game. The response needed to be a professional informational organization at the forefront of the digital world. The organization needed to highlight the line between proper and toxic behavior on social networks and provide tools to cope to all of Israel’s diverse demographic groups. The ambitious effort would also need an identity of its own.
After researching worldwide organizations working on the same issues, we helped crystallize a vision for “Netica,” an organization that lays out rules of the game for the world of social networks. The vision would be to ensure that the public has maximum freedom to discover, learn, and communicate while providing information that gives people the confidence to safely venture out into the digital frontier. Just as social networks have created a new version of human interactions, the brand essence of Netica is to give the public a “relationship update” — a new interpersonal code for interactions in the virtual world.
The Netica brand essence comes to life in its logo. The lowercase “t” and “i” are rendered as two separate individuals connected to one another, representing relationships we make on social networks. This paired figure becomes a central element in Netica’s visual language. By framing everyday photo images, it gives us a window onto our new connected reality and communicates Netica’s raison d’etre.