diff --git a/docs/reference/forge-logo-light.svg b/docs/reference/forge-logo-light.svg
index eb3a0c6..1418d6e 100644
--- a/docs/reference/forge-logo-light.svg
+++ b/docs/reference/forge-logo-light.svg
@@ -36,12 +36,4 @@
         letter-spacing="-2"
         fill="#0f172a">RGE</text>
 
-  <!-- Tagline -->
-  <text x="240" y="115"
-        font-family="'Inter', 'Segoe UI', system-ui, sans-serif"
-        font-weight="400"
-        font-size="13"
-        letter-spacing="4"
-        fill="#64748b"
-        text-anchor="middle">THE CORE DATA PLATFORM</text>
 </svg>
diff --git a/docs/reference/forge-logo.svg b/docs/reference/forge-logo.svg
index 758403d..5a10e59 100644
--- a/docs/reference/forge-logo.svg
+++ b/docs/reference/forge-logo.svg
@@ -43,12 +43,4 @@
         letter-spacing="-2"
         fill="url(#text-grad)">RGE</text>
 
-  <!-- Subtle tagline -->
-  <text x="240" y="115"
-        font-family="'Inter', 'Segoe UI', system-ui, sans-serif"
-        font-weight="400"
-        font-size="13"
-        letter-spacing="4"
-        fill="#94a3b8"
-        text-anchor="middle">THE CORE DATA PLATFORM</text>
 </svg>
diff --git a/portal/frontend/auth/useAuth.tsx b/portal/frontend/auth/useAuth.tsx
index a6d2fa8..86be9b6 100644
--- a/portal/frontend/auth/useAuth.tsx
+++ b/portal/frontend/auth/useAuth.tsx
@@ -110,13 +110,17 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
         token: null, // session cookie — no bearer token needed
       });
     } catch {
+      // Backend unreachable — enter demo mode so the UI renders
+      const isDemo = !process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_BASE_URL && typeof window !== "undefined";
       setState({
         isConnecting: false,
-        isAuthenticated: false,
+        isAuthenticated: isDemo,
         noAccess: false,
         provider: "azure_ad",
-        user: null,
-        role: null,
+        user: isDemo
+          ? { name: "Demo User", email: "demo@forge.dev", initials: "DU" }
+          : null,
+        role: isDemo ? "Viewer" : null,
         token: null,
       });
     }
diff --git a/portal/frontend/vercel.json b/portal/frontend/vercel.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92fdadc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/portal/frontend/vercel.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "rewrites": [
+    { "source": "/", "destination": "/about" }
+  ]
+}