Is the Olympics 2012 logo really as hideous as people make out? Some furious protesters have already launched an online petition against it.
And there are some really critical comments on Iain’s post about it, though I must admit that rabbits did not instantly spring to my mind!
I asked my teenage son what he thought, wondering if the objectors were simply not hip enough to appreciate modern branding. But he admitted he was confused by it too and read the jagged cubist numbers as 20R instead of 2012.
I had been invited to attend the launch of this controversial Olympic logo by Edelman PR, I doubt they expected such a negative reaction, but was unable to go as I had a prior engagement. I would have liked to have seen the reactions of everyone there, how surprised they were.
At the risk of being the only one out, I will admit it is growing on me, though my initial reaction was one of confusion too. But then we all derided the new Conservative scribbled oak tree logo when that was launched. Maybe this will also grow on us in time. And we do have a few years to get used to it.
So would you award it a gold, silver, bronze or the wooden spoon? And how does it really compare to the previous years’ logos? My favourite is Greece, the logo is clear and classical with a beautiful blue backdrop, the colour of its deep, blue sea – which I shall be diving into next week!
Update: Oh dear, my brilliant PR course leader Heather Yaxley has a feeling of Millennium Dome about this. I admit I am one of life’s optimists.
Update 2: An intelligent reflection on the logo by Magnus Linklater in The Times.
Yuk!
Yo Homies,
I Prefer the 2012don one or the Underground sign one ’cause thats basically what London’s famous for…
Peace Out Homies, Sleep Well
Well, when I first saw it, i must admit I was not keen on it one bit. However, I quite like it now, and I don’t think it’s as bad as people make it out to be.
wow. not much more than a wow can be said this is very ugly and not nearly as creative as any other symbol ive seen in the past
as an art director and graphic designer, it really depends on the viewer and his or her emotional elements surrounding his or her past . Oh…I think it’s a brain twister version of a Keith Haring piece…
thats y they made it look like it’s broken up! they are trying to break heavn or destroy it!!
it’s part of the illuminati.
It is NOT 2012, it is simply disguised as 2012. It spells zion, which means heaven. The illuminati is against religion, cristianity and jesus. They worship satan. This is one of their logos. Type “olympics 2012″ in google images or google to see what I mean.
i’ve seen this logo a million time yet only when i jad to do a presentstion on powerpoint for the 2012 olympics have i realized its meant to be 2012 as in the shapes form a 20 and 12 etc. Its rubbish!!!
What has been interesting are the responses to it, and what people see in the image.
It’s like one of those Rorschach inkblot tests. Everyone sees something based on their subconscious mind and personality.
Ellee – As the Olympics will do much for sailing down this part of the world, I’m keen that it is a great success. (Mind you, how the roads will cope is another matter).
My feeling is that they over-hyped this and hence get the backlash. It is always a danger in trying to appear to be cool, since “icons” (as this claims to be) tend to emerge rather than be forced on people.
There’s no room for discovery and adoption when you’re told how marvellous something is by those directly involved. So less hype and more genuine word of mouth would have been a good objective.
I’m undecided at the moment and don’t want to jump in and criticise it until I see more of it. Having only caught a glimpse in the news I don’t feel I’ve seen enough of how it will be used. Having said that, one of the TV news pieces yesterday was explaining that on paper most people don’t seem too keen, but show it as a moving image and they quite like it.
Well I think it’s fantastic.
(Not)
Yeah it is awful. An Olympic symbol should represent and inspire unity. That pink thing is fractured and seems to imply thing splitting apart. And that’s all I have to say on it really …
I think it must be very difficult to design something that will please everybody, but I wonder if this will actually please anybody!
[...] Meanwhile in the blogosphere Ellee thinks it might grow on her, while Jon reports a mixed reaction from the team at Lewis 360. Johnnie focusses on the launch and some of the hyperbole that went with it, while Heather is along the same lines as she questions the wisdom of using public relations to promote what’s effectively a marketing device. [...]
maybe it will grow on me; it looks like a fungus after all.
I would give it the “Wooden Spoon” We are pathetic…get it changed immdiately.
A truly awful logo, just what you would expect.
Can’t see the 2012. Is this like one of those colourblindness tests?
One word – pathetic.
Israel’s Six Day War
Ian, I never considered the SS. Oh dear.
Logos are difficult- they are so easy to criticise, especially when they have a rather contrived script explaining them. The more pretentious they are, the more they are slagged off.
I just thought it was a bit naff at first but I heard on Radio 4 that someone thought the 2s were reminiscent of the Nazi SS logo and every time I see it now an image of Herr Flick springs to mind.
I understand it comes in various colours and can be animated so all is not lost.
It is truly hideous, Ellee. What does it represent? London is not easily seen, whereas the otyher host cities have very clear logos. What a mess.