Comments on: New York Philharmonic logo

By: Creative Director

Creative Director — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:10:04 +0000

I had such a visceral reaction when I saw this logo.

This was the first logo I have ever seen that has made me want to cry and vomit at the same time. I’m not trying to be mean, it’s simply a fact of my experience with this entire identity, which I examined on Pentagram’s blog.

My biggest problem is that the italic type looks like a mistake. The typeface, nor the circle orientation, doesn’t reflect the sophistication of the audience it’s trying to speak to. Why?

I did a logo just like this in my very first design class, when I was learning to use Aldus Freehand 3.11, and used the design magazine “Before and After” as inspiration. It was blasted my design teacher.

I listened to Michael Beirut speak on a panel once. Nice guy, but I was shocked to hear him say he and those who are up high within Pentagram don’t know about how to use software. The context was that design was about thinking and problem solving, not software. Which I agree with. However, when I see this logo, it reminds me of the beginning Freehand lessons I took over 15 years ago. And it’s sad to me that someone bought this.

By: Yoshiki

Yoshiki — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:36:22 +0000

At first view the awkward skewing threw me off but after understanding the baton reference and seeing it in context, I find it to be a really fitting logo. It gives off an esteemed quality that I can’t really put my finger on, but regardless, it’s fitting for such a organization.

I really liked the combination of the simple baton line and the photo for the pamphlet. With the logo right under the big baton it acts like a simplification diagram for people who don’t get the logo’s baton reference initially.

Great design and beautiful in context.

By: doug

doug — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 03:20:56 +0000

Come on, man. For anyone who likes this logo, I say you’ve drank the Pentagram Kool Aid. I guarantee that if you were shown this logo without knowing they did it, you’d call it for what it is – an uninspired, awkward cop out. I believe they claim the font, italic Akzidenz Grotesk, emphasizes the dynamism of the organization. I’d be hard pressed to say that font, used as it is, conveys dynamism. While the baton is a great device and not an obvious choice, the manner it is employed is perhaps too stripped down and frankly not an elegant rendering. Sorry for the harshness, but not everything they do is immune to failure.

By: David Airey

David Airey — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:07:15 +0000

Thanks very much for continuing the debate. I’d love to respond to each of you individually, but alas, it’s difficult to keep up with everything sometimes, and for that I apologise.

Stig,

Thanks for the Bleed link. Some very nice work there, for sure.

By: Stig

Stig — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:45:16 +0000

Hi!

Take a look at this:
Http://www.bleed.no – Portfolio – Identity – Oslo Philharmonics

This is really NICE and good work!

Bleed is a Graphic Design agency based in Oslo/Norway.

By: oc_designer

oc_designer — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:05:03 +0000

at a quick glance, i love the graphic in the old logo right away. i really don’t think a “new” logo is necessary, maybe just some improvement of the original one. not a fan of this new logo…the font, the line in between…i don’t see the “movement” of music like the original logo represents.

By: #1 / Design Sheffield /

#1 / Design Sheffield / — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:54:20 +0000

[...] Orchestra has grown on me, as I wasn’t buying the italics at first but now i’m sold. I recently contributed to a discussion about this logo over at Logo Design Love. Take a look the full branding project [...]

By: Stu Simpson

Stu Simpson — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:17:59 +0000

To me this logo does not represent “the oldest active symphony orchestra in the United States.” I dont like the chosen typeface, actually I don’t like anything about this. I get the concept but the execution just doesn’t click with me.

By: nmt

nmt — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:07:03 +0000

I agree with what was said about if this system had been created by any other agency, the “I love the logo” comments would have been scarce and nonexistent. I also agree that I have not seen a single extraordinary thing out of Pentagram in quite some time. Nothing they do stands out. Boring. Bland. Blah. This looks like something the secretary at my local church would have churned out for the Sunday bulletin announcing the musical at Wednesday nights revival. Awful.

By: New York Philarmonic new logo - GoodBlogo

New York Philarmonic new logo - GoodBlogo — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:46:30 +0000

[...] Brand New and logo design love point to the redesign of the New York Philarmonic [...]