"Stop Z", the Ukrainian marketing campaign to remove the letter Z from the world's logos Can you imagine what the Amazon logo would look like without a Z? A Ukrainian agency is asking big brands to stop using the font in their logos until the war is over.

By Entrepreneur Staff

entrepreneur daily

This article was translated from our Spanish edition.

Alexey Fedorenko | Shutterstock

The letter Z has become a symbol of support for Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine. Since the first Russian convoys approached Ukrainian territory, the vehicles were already adorned with a Z. The symbol , graphically simple, supposedly began to be used to identify friendly fire, but later became part of an ideological discourse when used by the official accounts of the Kremlin despite the fact that Z is not part of the Cyrillic alphabet. Those who support Putin began to use it to Z and today it can be seen on bus shelters, murals, graffiti in the streets and on the uniforms of Russian athletes, such as Evgeny Ryov , the swimmer who lost a sponsor for wearing the symbol.

Away from the oz and the hammer, and its socialist connotation, the Z is a fresh and powerful symbol that has gained followers to the point that there are stores in Russia that sell T-shirts, thermoses and posters with the Z.

As a measure to communicate the repudiation of the Russian invasion , a creative agency in Ukraine has launched an aggressive initiative: remove the letter Z from the logos of the big brands that use it, until the war is over. The initiative called "Stop Z" was dreamed up by Nebo , a Kiev-based creative agency. On its landing page there is a manifesto that explains the project: "Z is the death of Ukrainian children, women and elderly. Z are the cities destroyed and nuclear plants captured. Z is hunger, bullying and assaults. Z in a new lie. Z is the new swastika. Z is Russia, which revived fascism in Europe."

Then comes the call for the big brands to stop using the Z in their logos and replace it with a number 3 (with the colors of Ukraine). On the page you can see examples of the Amazon, Zara, Jay-Z and Harper's Bazaar logos with this graphic proposal.

Last week the Zurich insurance company removed the white Z-on-blue logo from some of its social media channels to avoid associations with support for Russia (although, as far as we know, it had nothing to do with the "Stop Russia" project). Z").

Entrepreneur Staff

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Thought Leaders

How Gangster Al Capone Inspired the Launch of a Family-Run Company That Has Thrived for 95 Years

Marty Ozinga, the fourth-generation CEO of Ozinga, explains the legacy and future of the powerhouse construction materials company.

Marketing

4 Ways AI Is Revolutionizing Targeted Advertising — And How to Balance It's Ethical Implications

AI-powered targeted advertising revolutionizes marketing with hyper-personalized promotions. However, ethical and transparency questions hover over this progress.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Thought Leaders

Want to Attract Success? Don't Do These 9 Things

We are constantly told what to do if we want success — but what about the habits to avoid?

Leadership

3 Major Time Wasters for Leaders — and How to Overcome Them

Here's how you can reclaim your time and maximize your value as a leader.

Marketing

Finding the Right Price for Your Retail Products

Most retailers use a 50 percent markup, but be certain you calculate yours correctly.