Treccani
When the future is loyal to history
The Treccani is the affectionate name given to Italian Encyclopaedia of Sciences, Literature and Arts. It is the most famous encyclopaedia in the Italian language, edited by the Istituto dell’Enciclopedia Italiana, and was founded in Rome on 18 February 1925 by Giovanni Treccani and Giovanni Gentile. Even today it pursues its mission as an indispensable filter and validation tool, the most elevated task of a publishing house, also representing a strategic priority for the culture of the third millennium.
For Italians, “Treccani says so” means there can be no doubt regarding a statement because it is “certified” by the most important cultural institution in the country. The Treccani name is thus recognized, loved, respected, remembered and so chosen. In short, it is a brand. And it requires actions that keep firmly in the present.
The new brand retains the meanings of its predecessor (also created by Inarea), keeping references to book, source and tree, but adopting a design that responds more effectively to the needs dictated by digital interface. In this sense, the logotype font also uses a sans serif in place of its forerunner.
The new brand identity is centred on a single brand that can represent very different areas (Treccani Reti, Treccani Scuola, Treccani Arte, Treccani Libri, Bottega Treccani, etc.) but which responds to an organizational function, far removed from the interest of the public, whose priority is instead to be part of the Treccani world, regardless of the choice of a particular product or service.
From the frame that encloses Italian culture to the window on the contemporary world and the future of knowledge.
The rebranding drew heavily on the history of the institute. All the volumes of the great works have frames – almost always in relief and in gold – on the cover and on the spine. This practically constant trait sparked an association of ideas, summarized in the concept “Treccani, the frame that encloses Italian culture.”
A format that would accommodate any message was therefore developed. Since it is no longer just books that convey content, the concept of the frame was also extended to that of a “window on the contemporary world and the future of knowledge” – the “new” Treccani in a nutshell, called upon to face the challenging complexity of this era.
To ensure variety in the layout, a multifaceted palette was developed, consisting of sixteen colours plus black (the quintessential type colour), which allows for endless combinations, both of different colours, and of colours and images (photographs and illustrations).
A final characterizing linguistic element is the use of texturized letters of the alphabet: a tribute to printing as a reference to the original Treccani, custodian of “written” culture.
