A new visual identity for Dýraverndarsamband Íslands
• Flexible logo system
• Full visual identity
• Brand style guide
• Social media templates
• Website revamp
Client:
Dýraverndarsamband Íslands has been protecting animals in Iceland since 1914. Despite their long legacy, they had never had a professionally designed identity.
My mission was to create a visual identity that:
• Tells them apart from other animal orgs in Iceland
• Reflects Iceland’s unique wildlife and landscape
• Feels minimal, versatile, and timeless
• Works across all platforms, from print to digital
Discovery session
Their old logo was drawn up by a former board member. While well-intentioned, it had become easily mistaken for logos used by other animal welfare orgs, as well as a political group with completely different views. We needed to ensure there was no confusion.
I started with a discovery session to discuss their goals, values, and audience. I looked into other animal and nature orgs in Iceland to understand how they present themselves visually and, more importantly, how we could make sure the client would be able to stand out.
The creative process
The Arctic fox quickly caught my attention, as it’s the only mammal native to Iceland and, surprisingly, not yet featured in any animal org logos.
I knew right away this would make a fantastic anchor of the new brand.
The logo mark
The final logo is a clean, mono-line outline of an Arctic fox, created entirely from circles. It’s simple, bold, and symbolic – exactly fitting the required style and vision behind the NGO.
Colors and typeface
I chose a marine blue, pulled from the Icelandic flag, and a volcanic orange, as a nod to Iceland’s energy and land. These colors break away from the expected greens and earth tones, helping the organization stand out while still feeling grounded in their Icelandic identity.
Paired with a minimalistic monoline typeface, the logo feels cohesive, confident, and calm.
The result
The new branding was officially unveiled at the 111th anniversary celebration in March 2025, during an event opened by the President of Iceland. Since then, the identity has been used across banners, reports, letters to ministers, and political reviews, steadily contributing to their credibility as a well-respected and longest-standing animal welfare organization.
Dýraverndarsamband Íslands now continues being a visible and widely recognized part of national conversations around animal rights in Iceland.
We highly recommend working with Stefán!
Linda Karen Gunnarsdóttir
Chairwoman, Dýraverndarsamband Íslands
It was absolutely fantastic to work with Stefán. His suggestions were very good and the design was high-quality. Stefán is a big animal welfare advocate and as a designer has placed great emphasis on projects that fight for a better future for nature, animals and people. The board of DÍS therefore felt that the collaboration was a perfect fit.
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