So, we’ve all seen the logo for the 2012 Olympics in London (click here for the official website) but what do we think here at Metafocus? Here are some snippets from the studio:
“At the very least it’s diffeent to what one would expect but on a personal level I just can’t warm too it”
“Plain rubbish”
“Oh dear. It’s mind-boggling how something so important to the nation’s self-image could go so spectacularly wrong. Then again, maybe it’s not. Given the logo was designed by Wolff Olins, one of the world’s leading branding agencies, I find it hard to believe that this was the first and best choice presented to the client. You have to wonder how many people had a say in the decision. One thing is abundantly clear: this logo shows all the symptoms of a design-by-committee approach more concerned with trendy political thinking. Producing a brand to bolster the nation’s pride must have been pretty far down the list. It’s certain there were many better designs put forward, none of which the committee could agree upon and so the compromises began…
If this demonstrates one thing it’s that the more people that have a say in the decision the greater the chance of a weak result. Adopting a design-by-committee approach to your company’s branding you may appease internal decision makers, but chances are that it will show. A brand should be strong, lasting and designed to appeal to your customers first and foremost; allowing personal preferences and transient concerns to unduly influence this objective can be very damaging to your image.
But as someone once said, “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” In this case I would have to disagree. The debacle surrounding the Olympic logo is a sobering example of what can happen when you’re completely out of touch with your target audience.”
And finally: “Two words: Lisa Simpson”
I think we should leave it there….
