Esteghlal (Taj)
When it comes to Football in Iran, two clubs have more fans than any other. The blues of Esteghlal — formerly named Taj — are one of them (Persepolis, covered in this series earlier, are the other). In addition to two Asian club championship trophies, Esteghlal have eight Iranian league championships and six cup wins to their name.
Initially founded as a cycling club in 1945 by an army general, the club was originally called The Cyclists. It soon changed its name to Taj. While the Persian word Taj literally translates to crown in English, the word is also used as a term of endearment and respect.
Despite this, the symbolic association of the crown with the Iranian monarchy meant that the club was forced to change its name after the 1979 revolution. Esteghlal — independence in English — was chosen as the new name. However, to this day many fans still use the Taj in their chants.
Logo
The club’s founding logo was a man on a bicycle, fitting for a cycling club. After the first name change to Taj, the club sported a new logo with 4 interconnected rings (presumably symbolizing their history as a cycling club) and a crown in the middle.
The next name change Esteghlal (independence) had its roots in popular revolutionary slogans, and with it came a new logo that broke with continuity and introduced new elements. This logo was used throughout the 80s, a decade that saw Iran fight a bloody war with Iraq.
After the war, it was time for a new look. A cleaner, more elegant brand was born; The interlocking circles showed a sensible regard for the club’s history, and the clean lines and modern look symbolized a hope for the future. What’s a little unclear is the significance of the number 3, and the colored third circle that extends into a curved shape. Perhaps is is an homage to the Persian paisley.
The new logo
It is not uncommon for soccer fans to feel superior to their rivals, but for fans of Esteghlal, this is a defining characteristic that is likely the legacy of their former club name. Whatever the origins, a strong sense of elitism percolates through the psyche of club supporters to this day, evident in popular taunts like longi (roughly translates to wastecloth) used for opposing Persepolis fans. I wanted to capture this legacy, albeit in a less hooligan-ish, more elegant way, but it was also important to maintain elements of graphic continuity. Here is the process and final outcomes:
What if…
One day the club musters the courage to heed the call of its fans and change its name back to Taj, it will undoubtedly open itself to a new world of branding possibilities. Not only is the name very international (thanks to Taj Mahal), its short length and elegant letterforms in both English and Persian make it ideal for a typographic mark. I couldn’t resist doing some explorations.
About the author
Pendar is a former amateur blogger, ex-dabbler in web comics, serial clothing line creator, and featherweight influencing champion who gave up the glamours of the expat blogging social scene for a career in interaction design. He now lives with his wife and two cats in sunny California. Outside of corporate slavery he watches Netflix and runs IranianApparel.com.
