The Brandbook of the Jewish Apocalypse
Graduation project at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
Winner of the Excellency in Israeli Design Award 2020
A contingency plan brand book for the end of the world, as depicted by apocalyptical prophecies in the Jewish Faith.
The brand book is based on my military service in the IDF Spokesperson Unit as a Social Media Manager during the Israeli-Gaza war in 2014.
In this project I explored the way that this Military PR Office has such a huge influence on the narrative in Israel.
I deconstructed our visual ethos and created a whole new branding language for the end of the world, featuring the scenarios Gog and Magog war (Ezekiel Book) and the Vision of Daniel (Daniel Book).
So, when the Jewish Apocalypse is coming - at least we will have a brandbook.
The Challenge
Dissecting and Restructuring Propaganda
During my mandatory service I served as the IDF's social media manager. I had to navigate the IDF’s social media platforms, while understanding and using methods of Israeli propaganda. As I began my research, I returned to the posts we uploaded and analyzed the terminology, the imagery and the visual language, using the tools I acquired at the academy and a critical perspective.
The Facebook post by the IDF on the day the operation begun July 2014
The Process
Visual Motives
I widened the research both conceptually and visually:
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How is the war ethos portrayed in graphic design in general?
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What are the patterns and tropes we see in the Israeli propaganda?
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What are the core visual references in Israeli and Jewish militaristic propaganda?
Visual language for Gog & Magog War
Visual language for Daniel Vision
The Process
Getting Inspired by Stories of Apocalyptical Prophecies of the Jewish Faith
For composing the brand book of the apocalypse, I looked for the right one.
I researched many mythologies and scenarios, but I was inspired the most by the Jewish Faith’s prophecies of wrath. This is the apocalypse I have been looking for: both local and imaginary. It provides for me a way to criticize through exaggeration and mimicry and create a deeper allegory.
The first prophecy is about Gog, the King of Magog. He is prophesied to be Israel’s greatest enemy that will bring the nation’s doom.
The second prophecy is Daniel’s visionfrom the book of Daniel, that tells the story of four beasts that will rise from the sea and bring the beginning of the end.
Sketches for Posters
Photo credit: Daniel Hanoch, Tom Gan-Or