Aimed at fostering a celebratory atmosphere and creating memorable experiences, the Rio 2016 ‘look’ is far more than a mere branding exercise – these designs will be a source of inspiration, bringing people and cultures together. Venues, products, uniforms – everything associated with the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, will have this stamp. The city will put on its best clothes to host the greatest sporting spectacle on the planet. Inspired by the rich landscapes of Rio and Brazil – full of the sinuous curves of mountains, rivers and lakes – the city’s best-loved icons, including Sugarloaf Mountain and Corcovado, will all take part in the celebration. And we have not forgotten that five other cities – Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, Brasília, Manaus and Salvador – each with their own iconic identity, will host Olympic football matches.
Our visual language is based on the simple pebble and the Rio 2016 typeface, with organic forms that express motion and performance. The design arose from the contours of the Rio 2016 logos and the elastic illustrations and pictograms are an extension of this language.
The first step in the creative process was to open our eyes to what was around us – the people, places, images, monuments, colours, smells, sensations… this wealth of inspiration became the focal point of a photographic immersion exercise, deepening our knowledge of the city’s visual highlights. It took a little over a year, but in the end we managed to recreate the outlines of this Marvellous City.
Mascot: Vimicius
I am the Olympic Games mascot, a mixture of all the Brazilian animals. I was born out of the explosion of joy that happened when they announced that Rio would host the Olympic Games, on 2 October 2009.
I was born on 2 October 2009, but my age is not counted like yours, so nobody knows exactly what it is. But I live my life playing, jumping, running and smiling, just like all the kids.
I can stretch and stretch and stretch myself, as much as I want. And since I’m a mixture of Brazilian animals, I can do all the best things they can do: I can run faster, jump higher and be stronger. I can also imitate the voice of any animal – I’m super-communicative!
I play all Olympic sports. And I always hang out around the city! My favorite pastime is making new friends, that’s why I’m always connected. I love meeting people from all over the world. My best friend of all is the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games mascot.
I live in a tree-house, in the Tijuca Forest, which has become a meeting place for the gang. From my home, we can see the whole city and plan animal adventures.
My mission is to spread joy throughout the world and celebrate the friendship that flourishes between people from all over the world at this super sports event.
Paralympic Mascot: Tom
I am the Paralympic Games mascot, a magical creature, a fusion of all the plants in the Brazilian forests. I was born out of the explosion of happiness when we found out that the Paralympic Games were coming to Rio, on 2 October 2009.
I was born on 2 October 2009, but my age is not counted like yours, so there’s no way of knowing it exactly. All I know is that there’s nothing better than playing, making friends and relaxing in the forest.
I use my head. I really do! To get myself out of any jam, I pull the craziest objects out of my head of leaves. After all,
I know all the secrets of nature and I understand that with creativity, intelligence and determination, we can achieve
whatever we want.
I play all Paralympic sports. And I make the most of living in Rio by playing a lot and adventuring outdoors! When I’m
not running around, I like to open a book and learn about the world. I also love samba and all kinds of Brazilian music.
I enjoy making friends and sharing what I know. My best friend is the Rio 2016 Olympic Games mascot.
Around and about, mixed in with nature. I take naps on a water lily in the middle of a refreshing lake. This way, I can
make the most of photosynthesis – sun bathing for me is like a banquet.
My mission is to inspire everybody to use creativity and determination to always reach further and have fun.