A bilingual identity works when each script is readable, balanced and recognisable in the applications that matter. Adding a translation at the end leaves important decisions unresolved: which language leads, how the names sit together and what happens when the available space becomes smaller.
For a business in Morocco, the requirement may include Arabic and French, with English in other contexts. French and English share the Latin script, but their copy takes up different amounts of space. Plan for the brand’s actual languages, not simply two alphabets on a presentation board.
Establish the words before arranging them
Approve the spelling of the name in each language, any tagline and recurring terminology. Have a fluent reviewer check meaning and context. Translating a promise is a language decision; it should not be determined solely by the space left in a layout.
Collect short and long examples: the full name, a service, an address, a brochure heading and an introductory sentence. They let the team test the identity in credible conditions.
Define the compositions you need
A brand may need a signature combining both scripts, an Arabic-led version and a Latin-led version. Each variation should answer a use case without creating an unmanageable collection.
For every composition, define the relationship between symbol and name, the secondary language’s position and the small sizes that need testing. Signage and an avatar have different constraints. In a very small format, a symbol alone may work when the surrounding context already identifies the brand.
Compare visual presence, not just point sizes
Two typefaces set at the same nominal size do not necessarily appear equally large. Compare their density, rhythm, weight and presence in the layout. Check the weights that are actually available and the readability of everyday text.
The aim is a balanced relationship. Arabic lettering does not need to imitate Latin forms to belong to the same identity. Colour, proportion, composition and art direction can establish the connection.
ESHAA: looking at the relationships between signatures
In the ESHAA project in our portfolio, the identity combines Arabic and English. A geometric symbol associated with radiation connects the signatures, while horizontal and vertical arrangements accommodate different formats.
The example makes the documentation task clear: establish proportions, placement and conditions of use. The practical question becomes which composition belongs in a particular space, and which elements must remain recognisable. The ESHAA project shows these relationships in the finished identity.
Carry the system into documents and interfaces
A bilingual document needs rules for headings, reading order and alignment. On the web, language and text direction also need to be declared correctly. Numbers, addresses and Latin words within Arabic text require particular attention.
Simply mirroring a page is not enough. Review the content and components in each language with someone who reads it naturally. Include the actual device sizes and document formats the business uses, rather than checking only a large design presentation.
For implementation details, see the W3C guidance on right-to-left text in HTML.
Make the handover practical
- Name files so that the language and composition are clear.
- Include approved variations with their uses and limits.
- Show examples on the materials the team produces most often.
- Specify typefaces, usage conditions and appropriate alternatives.
- Assign responsibility for future language adaptations.
A well-prepared bilingual identity helps each new document belong to the same brand. It is a practical extension of the brand system: preserving the idea while allowing each language to work naturally.
