Logo Design Love » Talking

Madrid 2020 logo causes controversy

David Airey — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:52:56 +0000

Madrid launched its bid for the 2020 Olympics yesterday with a logo that left many Spaniards confused (as reported in The Telegraph).

“The design purportedly consists of the letter M for Madrid and the number 20 in front of the coloured rings of the Olympics stylised into arches inspired by the Madrid landmark, Puerta de Alcalá.

“But the lettering appears to show “20020,” an effect that has brought much derision in the Spanish press and on social networking sites.”

The design is a result of a national competition, won by 22-year-old Luis Peiret. Here’s the logo (shown below) that Luis designed.

Luis Peiret’s original logo design, via elmundo.es

Luis picked-up €6,000 for his winning entry, and intended the script to say M20, but according to this report, an agency called TAPSA significantly modified the design by including an incorrect accent on the ‘i’ of Madrid, removing the colour black, and making the logo look like it reads 20020.

Photo of Luis Peiret via ABC.es

“This is not my logo,” said Peiret.

In a fresh twist, a Madrid company that manufactures gay dolls has claimed the Madrid 2020 logo is a rip-off of its design.

Note the Puerta de Alcalá, and the colours on the heads.

But never mind that. Gays Kelly. Inspired.

Via @MatDolphin.

Published on Logo Design Love

Green T

David Airey — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:48:58 +0000

Cutting the grass is about as far as my green fingers stretch, but I like this logo-growing project by Judy Kameon for the New York Times.

Kameon created a T from 130 plants

“Together with her husband, photographer Erik Otsea, Kameon created a T from 130 plants. And in a postscript sure to warm the hearts of environmentalists, no flora were harmed in the making of this artwork. In fact, they’re all bound for a new demonstration garden in Kameon’s office and showroom.”

Her husband, the photographer Erik Otsea, captured the T

The finished product

Click for full-size chart of flowers and plants used

Kameon’s sketch for the Fall Travel Issue

Reminiscent of Colors project where Mu Chen used soil to recreate classic logos.

Design-related is this interior signage at the New York Times, created by Pentagram, as well as a write-up about the exterior signage.

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Update:
I love this New York Times ~~logo~~ LEGO.

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Via BOOOOOOOM!.

Published on Logo Design Love

Rio 2016 Paralympic Games logo

David Airey — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:45:02 +0000

In 2016, the Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place for the first time in South America, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The Olympic emblem was launched more than a year ago, but I just watched the “brand video” for the Paralympic Games that gives an interesting glimpse of the work involved.

Official video about the creative process of the first multisensory brand in the history of the Paralympic Games, created by Tátil Design for the Rio 2016 event.

“The goal was to create a brand that could inspire people as much as a Paralympic athlete does through determination and ability to overcome. It is a symbol that reflects not what sets us apart, but what makes us equal, a beating heart with endless energy.”

Quote via PSFK

The Paralympic emblem is launched at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas

Sir Philip Craven, IPC President, with the Paralympic Games emblem

You can see how the emblem might animate in this short video.

Relevant links:
Tátil Design website
Rio 2016 website
Rio 2016 Olympic Games logo launched

Via @TheLogoFactory

Published on Logo Design Love

Logo > Queen

David Airey — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:27:47 +0000

The Royal Mail has released official stamps commemorating the London 2012 Games.

This type of stamp — known as the “definitive” version — usually only features an image of the Queen. Royal Mail said it was the first time a logo had been beside the Queen’s head on a “definitive” (everyday) stamp.

Sets of “everyday” first class stamps displaying the Olympic and Paralympic logos will go on sale this week in shops around the UK. They will be available from all 11,800 Post Office branches and from thousands of retailers from 5 January.

Via Mail Online.

Published on Logo Design Love

LogoGarden secures $2M in funding

David Airey — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:11:36 +0000

Question: What do you get if you plagiarise the work of hundreds of designers and sell their intellectual property for personal gain?

Answer: $2,000,000 in financing from FCA Venture Partners.

Via @justcreative.

LogoGarden tactics:

WWF’s panda logo, yours for $69
How low can they go?
Love Thy Logo
LogoGate 2011

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Update: 27 December 2011
LogoGarden founder John Williams responded with this comment.

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Benjamin Franklin image via Thinkstock

Published on Logo Design Love

Trademark symbols, what’s the point?

David Airey — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:48:35 +0000

What exactly is the point in using trademark symbols? I’m talking about the ® and ™ we sometimes see attached to logos.

“If you claim rights to use a mark, you may use the “TM” (trademark) or “SM” (service mark) designation to alert the public to your claim of ownership of the mark, regardless of whether you have filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). However, you may only use the federal registration symbol “®” after the USPTO actually registers a mark, and not while an application is pending.”

Quoted from the USPTO website.

So if anyone can use TM, isn’t it just adding clutter (as Starbucks have done)?

Starbucks website screenshot

Even when the ‘R’ symbol is used (shown below on the Adidas and McDonald’s websites), it looks more like a few stray pixels, a slip of the designer’s hand.

Adidas website screenshot

McDonald’s website screenshot

And when companies such as Nike, Mercedes-Benz, and Coca-Cola leave their main online logos free from this embellishment, is there really any point?

Nike website screenshot

Mercedes-Benz website screenshot

Coca-Cola website screenshot

Just something I’ve been wondering.

Related:
Logo trademarking tips: a legal perspective, on davidairey.com

Published on Logo Design Love

Brandstack closes, leaves designers out of pocket

David Airey — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:28:19 +0000

A lot of you will be familiar with Brandstack — a website selling pre-fabricated logos for a set-price. After three years in business, Brandstack has closed its doors, leaving designers unpaid for the work they sold.

Brandstack symbol designed by Brandclay

“As many of you know, there is some unfinished business that won’t be taken care of. Many designers put their faith in Brandstack and were left short.”
— WES WILSON, BRANDSTACK

It’s a shame for those who’ve lost-out, but for me it’s just another signal that logos created without a client brief are more akin to icons or clip-art, and there’s not a lot of profit to be made from clip-art sales.

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Related, from the archives:
Stock trade marks from 1975

Published on Logo Design Love

Australia bans logos on cigarette packaging

David Airey — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:10:05 +0000

This is news that broke earlier in the year. I thought it worth covering.

New Australian legislation, due to be phased-in over six months from January 2012, will force tobacco companies to use plain packaging.

Above: How packets will look under 2012 regulations (photo: Reuters).

The tobacco giant Philip Morris has launched legal action against the Australian Government, arguing the move illegally diminishes the value of their trademarks.

“We would anticipate that the compensation would amount to billions.”
— ANNE EDWARDS, PHILIP MORRIS SPOKESWOMAN

Imperial Tobacco, a global company that produces brands like Davidoff and Gauloises, has created a large advertising campaign against the plain packaging law that features a stern, matronly figure who asks: “Do you really like living in a nanny state?”

I’m with the Government on this one.

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Update:
At first, reading the comment thread made me doubt siding with the Government, but actually, the more I read, the more I think this is a step in the right direction.

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Elsewhere: BBC, NY Times, The Independent, The Telegraph

Via David Lawlor.

Published on Logo Design Love

Branding 10,000 lakes

David Airey — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:34:35 +0000

“Lake logos have a tendency to be, well, fairly ugly. This project was created to rethink what they could be.

“One Minnesota Lake. One Logo. Every day.

“Should only take a little over 27 years to hit ‘em all. Stay tuned and enjoy!”
— NICOLE MEYER

You can see how Nicole’s getting on here: Branding 10,000 lakes.

Follow Nicole on Twitter.

Published on Logo Design Love

Made in Britain logo revealed

David Airey — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:46:46 +0000

“Half of UK consumers are baffled when it comes to buying ‘British’ and two-thirds (67%) want an official seal of approval to show products made in Britain, while half (52%) think British brands should bring manufacturing back to the UK, according to new research by leading UK cooker manufacturer Stoves.”

Quoted from the Stoves website.

Stoves responded to its research and teamed-up with BuyBritish.co.uk in April to launch a student design contest to produce a standardised ‘Made In Britain’ marque for use on British-made products.

The 11 shortlisted designs can be viewed here on Facebook.

Shortlisted designs

“We received hundreds of entries but with the help of our judging panel of industry experts we are now proud to unveil our winning design by Cynthia Lee from Nottingham University.”

Quoted from Stoves’ Made in Britain page.

Cynthia received £200 and a LCD TV for winning the contest (source: Design Week).

Cynthia Lee’s original Made in Britain contest entry

“We think that this logo really captures the essence of the campaign and will proudly be displaying it on our website and marketing material and encouraging other UK manufacturers to do the same.”
DENVER HEWLETT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, STOVES

Made in Britain logo with updated typography

“To date, the campaign has received national press coverage, backing from prominent MPs and UK manufacturers and the research findings have even been debated in the House of Commons.”

Like Love Irish Food, I’m thinking this is another opportunity missed.

Elsewhere:
Crivens! Made in Britain logo launched!, on Bitterwallet
Made in Britain logo launched, on Marketing Week
New ‘Made in Britain’ Logo Unveiled, on Huffington Post
News analysis: The Made in Britain logo, on Design Week

Via @BlairThomson.

Logo Design Love » Talking

Madrid 2020 logo causes controversy

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Green T

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Logo > Queen

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