London 2012 Olympics Logo: Graphical disaster or original statement?
Over the past 24 hours, following the launch of the new London 2012 logo, a wave of negative feedback has swept the net. In blogs, on news sites people are outraged and shocked at the logo designed by renowned British brand designers Wolff Olins (at a reported price of 400,000 pounds, which I am sure not not just for the ‘logo’ but a whole identity system). People are even submitting their own logos to the BBC..
Now, as a designer and an owner of a design business myself, I try to be careful before I scream AWFUL when presented with any design. But my first reaction to to the logos, was negative. So was the reaction of the two designer colleagues in the office last night who showed it to me.
The logo, which is supposed to be animated, adopts what I can call a graffiti style some are calling it stone age style). It supposed to be bold, vibrant and appealing to young people who do not want something corporate and bland.
See the new logo animation
See the new brand video
To be fair, many design icons were hated when they were first launched.
The animation sequences are that lead up to the logo are quite interesting. But the culmination of all this dynamism in a broken square shape is disappointing to me.
I think what the designers tried to do is come up with an anti-design statement. To come up with something that the people can own.
Adopt this edgy look has apparently backfired. A graffiti tag in a London underground station is what it is. Turning it into a logo of a mega event seems forced.
And let’s talk about the design preferences of young people. Are all of them graffiti enthusiasts? Don’t they also gravitate toward the sleek, clean design language of Apple’s iPod?
Then again, this ‘shockingly bad’ logo might still surprise us. Good designs often polarizes people (but polarization means something like 50% loving it and 50% hating it). As I said, I don’t take judging these thing lightly.
I would like to know you opinion. See my poll below.
Here are some screenshots of the brand’s animation.
By the way, this was the logo for London’s Olympic candidacy campaign
So..
Via [ 360east ]
11 comments June 13th, 2007
