The London Olympic 2012 Logo Trashed, Questioned, Praised
Creativity is subjective at best but we think we'll have overwhelming support when we say the newly released London 2012 Olympic logo sucks. On the other hand, creativity is subjective at best but also we think we'll have overwhelming support when we say the newly released 2012 Olympic logo is brilliantly infused with modernity of motion and the mastery of motivation. You choose. We can't.
Viewing the logo, designed by Wolff Ollins, initially caused an immediate WTF? Letting the logo sink in while viewing the illustrative brand video behind the logo causes an entirely different reaction. The support for the brand direction could have easily gone down the ill but well traveled road of Olympic fist pumping, rather it quite eloquently examines what motivates humans to achieve. Interestingly, it wasn't for quite some time, we realized the logo's imagery visually represents the numeric date 2012.
Viewing a video of the logo fully animated and making its way around the streets of London oddly conjures notions of The Six Million Dollar Man or The Bionic Woman, which, interestingly, is making a return to TV this fall. It's sort of like 28 Months/Years/Decades Later (you know those sequels are coming), the zombies have been eradicated from London and life has return to its modern self in a way that is light years apart from current day. Yes, the logo is that different from anything we've seen in the past.
So one wonders, does it suck because it's so different or is it brilliant because it's so different? Subjectivity, my friends. A key trait of the business we've all chosen for ourselves and duly supported by one Scamp blog commenter who wrote, "It really looks like someone giving head."
Or, perhaps, the creators were riffing off the Arlington Pediatric Center's unfortunate choice of logo.
Comments
It's a nightmare. Anyone with epilepsy, a tendency to migraines or other associated disorders is not going to appreciate this half-arsed swastika.
It just broke its own World Olympic record for all-time sucky logos.
That we have put forward such a second rate piece of work for the World to see makes me ashamed to be British. The original London bid logo was far better.
It looks like Lisa Simpson giving head. Its awful.The design I mean, not Lisa Simpson giving head.
fidothedog for the win. I will never be able to look at that logo and think of anything else... the Beeb has other choices, but they yanked the best one.
color scheme is pretty much the same as the 1984 summer games in los angeles.
Thats some good head action.
I get that it's supposed to be 2012. I get they want to be different, and they want to convey energy, and connect to the youth. But I look at it and think, "Is that supposed to be some sort of distorted kana?" I watch the video, and think, "Huh. If I wanted to watch something with epilepsy-inducing audiovisual noise, I could try watching Pokémon."
It's easily the worst Olympic design since Atlanta 1996's abortion of a mascot, Izzy.
Yeah, 1988 called, it wants its special effects back.
oh man. that IS Lisa handling that dood's business. i wonder if they are thinking of animating it. that'd be just lovely!
dm
Its already been done, check out:
http://theospark.blogspot.com/2007
/06/london-olympics-logo.html
Enjoy!
LOL thats pretty freakin perfect!
given that the majority of the response is admittedly negative does anybody think it will actually be changed?
dm
they need to fire the marketing co. that designed this piece of crap. The spirit of the world's youth is not personified in graphics from the 80's.
word on the street is this POS cost 400 large. brutal.
dm
At first, you think it's not clear ... and too 'post modern', but then it grows on you and starts to feel like a logo concept that can be extended across a campaign of 'colors and lighting bolts' or whatever they're planning to do!
It looks like a mugging. Although, our 2010 soccer world cup logo is also pretty shitty, so I'm going to put my stone down.
A goatse equivalent appeared on the BBC.
http://cmmnews.blogspot.com/2007/06/loving-olympic-logo-part-2.html#links
This showed that brits dont really have any sense!
What is a logo?
an identifying symbol (as for use in advertising)
Now with that KIND OF JUNK, they have advertised their JUNK MINDS!
This showed that brits dont really have any sense!
What is a logo?
an identifying symbol (as for use in advertising)
Now with that KIND OF JUNK, they have advertised their JUNK MINDS!
not to digress too far here, i just thought that another funny example of an innocent goatse might be appreciated:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/inanimate/455871067/
totally safe for work.
back to advertising!
dm
It looks like the 80's threw up on itself.
It looks like the 80's threw up on itself.
？？？？finally figured it out that it is 2012. so what? it's just a year...
The Olympic logo should represent the country or the city as well as indicating the culture!
i prefer Beijing's logo.
http://analysis.ning.com/
"This showed that brits dont really have any sense!" - abd
Whereas invading Iraq and Afghanistan proves what exactly about you Yanks?
Do us all a favour - stop generalising a whole nation and crawl back under your rock.
There's a good chap.
Londoner, i dont really want to get into this, as i do agree with what you are saying bout generalizations, but its more than somewhat ironic that the 'Brits' were more than happy to follow along into the shitstorm in the middle east.
there are plenty of unappealing generalizations you can tag the US with. just choose one that doesnt generalize the UK too.
peace,
dm
"Londoner, i dont really want to get into this, as i do agree with what you are saying bout generalizations, but its more than somewhat ironic that the 'Brits' were more than happy to follow along into the shitstorm in the middle east."- dm
Fair point, DM, but most of us were NOT behind our puppy-dog PM when he marched our troops off to fight a war for US oil companies.
Most of us are eagerly awaiting the war crimes trial for him and his leash-holder. We may be waiting for some time, it would seem.
I guess the view from this side of the pond is that many more of your countrymen seemed to be supporters of this massacre than against it. At least until the coffins came home. But then again, that could have a lot to do with dubious and slanted reporting...
And this logo STILL sucks. (Which is kind of appropriate, considering the Lisa Simpson resemblance...)
What if the entire sorry chain of events were part of a thoughtful strategy to engage with consumers...not in some generic, 'awareness is everything' Web 2.0 exercise in wasting our time, but a planned campaign with a direction and ultimate purpose (i.e. selling tickets, raising corporate money, driving viewers to the events)?
I've written that fantasy business case history at http://dimbulb.typepad.com.
Were it only true...
I dont get how lisa simpson performing fellacio can be part of a thoughtful strategy to engage with consumers especially in the context of the olympics.
but what do i know ;-)
dm
This is probably wrong, but I can't help think that its vaguely reminiscent of a donkey being shagged by a robot. I say this as the first person to ever fail the rorschach test.