EDDIEWONG

Following yesterday’s revealing of the upcoming London 2012 Olmpic game’s logo design, BBC has setup this page allowing readers to submit their feedback regarding what they think of the logo design. Seems like there is a lot of public and design industry debate going on right now in England. And some of the comments, OUCH!

And, it is not hard to see why. Apparently, Wolff Olins brand/design agency spent a year on this (of course not just on this one design, probably a good few selections) and charged £400,000 (that is approx. Euro590,448 / US$796,558 / JP¥96,906,481) of tax-payers money for it. That’s a heck of a lot of money for a logo considering the money could be spent more usefully on things such as the poor NHS (National Health Service), pensioner housing, etc., (but there will always be arguments like this when tax payer’s money are in question).

As mentioned before, I’m not sure I like the logo design or not just yet therefore I will refrain from trashing it, considering there is still a good few years for it to evolve (and the fact that I don’t have anything better to offer because I have not attempted to design the logo myself). Despite being unable to see a clear link between London, Olympic games, inviting, and whatever else the official press release has mentioned, the logo is still a rather modern approach, dynamic, radical and daring. Again, I’m not saying ‘rad and new’ is cool but being a British designer myself (or any graphic designer, for that matter), we must always think of new ways to push the envelope, break rules, invent something new, etc., therefore I understand what the designers are trying to do and I believe they deserve a bit of credit. And, there is no real ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ when it comes to art and/or design. It’s all about interpretation which happens to be very, very subjective. And for the record, maybe the design agency was pushing to pass a different logo design but the organisers were maybe knuckle-heads and insisted on this one (which may just also be the least desired by the design agency)? Believe me, this s*it happens all the time. I know it. I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it.

Anyway, I think I’ll leave it at that before you guys start slamming me too and think I know/work for the design agency behind the logo design.

£400,000! £400,000! £400,000! Damn, I’d take on the job for 1% of the price! Regarding questions like, “why wasn’t the logo design an open competition?”, “why was this company selected for the job?”, etc., etc. Well, at most times, ‘it is not what you know. It is who you know’. Sadly, this is how the world works I’m afraid…

Anyway some public opinions from the BBC page:

The olympic symbol should have some meaning to the games and where it is being held. This is just a bunch of random shapes that have not real significance to anything whatsoever. Why don’t the organisers think about what the people want to see before they go and scribble any old rubbish on a napkin whilst having lunch at an expensive restaurant. We expect better from these people and if they can’t deliver they should be replaced by people that can do the job!

Alister Waters, Towoomba - Australia

Looks like something from the Flintstones, drawn by Bam Bam. What were these people thinking?

Mikey Rose, Aberystwyth

In the spirit of the Olympic Games I think the people who designed the logo and especially those who agreed it should be subjected to random drugs tests.

Dave, Manchester

The logo design is absolutely awful and is an utter and complete waste of (public) money.
It looks like an incoherent, fragmented, ugly and disjointed mess - with the only clearly identifiable parts being the word ‘london’ and the Olympic circles.
A class of schoolchildren could have done better and the logo design should have been open to a competition.

John Sumpton, London

How was this chosen? I mean its clearly an insult to every Londoner as well as an insult to the olympics, I suppose its fitting that an event of such unimportantance should be represented by this poor symbol!? with all the advertising agencies based in London creating extreamly creative symbology for brands they represent and the Olympic commitee chose this? Who was responsible, clearly a someone with no artistic ability! my initial reaction, being a Londoner, was embarasment !! Please change it

Paul Foza, London

Apparently it’s for the internet Generation. I am the internet generation. It sucks.

Stephen Sharp, Ealing, United Kingdom