The new identity for the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London, England has been released and I’ve posted it above.  Unfortunately for the IOC, the $800,000 logo has not been met with much acclaim since its reveal.  In fact, as ABC News reports, the criticism has been downright rabid.  Here’s an excerpt from that story:

An online petition posted by Jonathan Ellis Monday has generated more than 28,000 electronic signatures from around the world, many complete with scathing commentary, including repeated “Rubbish!” calls.

The criticism ranged wide. Many called the expensive price tag a waste of money, claiming that a national competition would have been more appropriate than using an expensive professional agency. Others balked at the design because it failed to capture the British spirit, saying the design was a source of collective embarrassment rather than pride. Still others complained that the “abstract” attempt was too much like a “1980s hangover.”

I was reading a post on Thought Gadgets this morning about this, and Ben points out that many blogs and Web sites are having official contests to see if ordinary people can come up with something better.  One of the more notable contests can be found HERE. Ben makes the point that this is a slippery slope because it really serves to devalue the work done by design + branding firms.

While I can’t argue that $800,000 is excessive for a logo design, the world has to have a better understanding of the work and process that goes into a design like this.  It’s not simply a few clicks of the computer mouse and voila!  It’s research, it’s brainstorming, it’s concept development, it’s design, it’s revisions, it’s production.  It’s a whole team of designers working together to achieve a solution. It’s concept after concept, direction after direction, revision after revision until it’s just right.

I personally don’t mind the logo.  To have tried to develop a logo that suits everyone everywhere would have been a nearly impossible exercise that would have resulted in a safe and generic solution. And don’t discount the importance of this word-of-mouth marketing for the event, still four long years away.  Sometimes controversy is key!

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com

I just finished reading a great design book and I wanted to pass along my brief review.  The book was called Decoding Design and it was written by Maggie Macnab of Macnab Design. Maggie is a decorated designer who has also taught logo design and symbols as visual literacy at the University of New Mexico as well as being the past president of the Communication Artists of New Mexico.

This has to be one of the most well thought out books that I have ever read about design.  Rather than relying on her own interpretation of existing designs, Maggie really takes an in-depth look at the numbers and patterns that are present in good design.  She examines the effect numbers, patterns and symbols have on our subconscious when viewing and digesting design.

As Maggie will tell you herself, this is not a light read.  More than most design books I’ve read to date, Decoding Design digs deep to explain the process and significance of modern and historical design and really aims to explain how designs can both have aesthetic beauty and subconscious meaning at the same time.  She tells the reader how to get there.

Maggie does a great job in the book bringing her ideas and theories back full circle by presenting thorough and varied case studies at the end of each chapter.  This helps tremendously in conveying how her ideas are (and historically have been) put into practice.

All in all, a highly recommended read for both designers and those just interested in design.  If you’re interested in hearing more reviews and finding out more about the book, go to http://www.decodingdesign.com or go HERE to order the book!

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com

Orange Element, in partnership with Novak Birch, recently completed our first project for The Peace Corps, which I wanted to share with you. The Family & Friends Resource Guide is used by recruiters as a tool to inform, educate and alleviate common concerns of family members and friends of those who are invited to serve as Volunteers in The Peace Corps. This initial design project has effectively begun to establish a visual brand platform that will be used to develop subsequent recruitment materials for the organization. Here are a few photographs of the Resource Guide we designed:

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com

Giant Food, a local grocer with stores in Maryland, DC, Virginia and Delaware, has recently undergone a long overdue brand identity refresh.  Their old identity had become stale and quite dated - not nearly as impressive as some of their closest competitors, many of which had recently undergone brand redevelopments of their own:

Here’s what Giant had been working with until just recently.  Notice the heavy dependence on the G:

Their new identity gets rid of the “G” mark, but presents a more ‘fresh,’ colorful image.

While it’s a nice mark, I wonder if they have made a bit of a mistake by not preserving any of the equity they have been building for decades.  They have not only discarded the G mark they’ve worked so hard to drive home, but they have also changed the color palette entirely.  It is a complete departure from the existing brand.  And on top of that, I think it looks a little Bloom-esque both in shape and color scheme.  If I were Giant, I would have perhaps looked to come up with something that is both new and modern, but also preserves some of the decades of brand equity they had built up.

All in all, I think a rebrand was a smart move for Giant Food.  They needed it badly.  It was important for them to take measures to prove that they are keeping up with the competition and trying to stay connected to the needs of their shoppers - coming to market with a dated, ineffective brand was not a good way to do this, so the new identity should serve them well.

I’d love to hear what you think?!

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com

Recently, I wrote about some work we did for The Brick Companies to promote their environmental stewardship efforts. In case you missed it, it’s HERE. We love the idea of electronic or online brochures because they are both a cost-effective and sustainable collateral solution.

But what about tangibility? That’s the beauty of a printed piece - it gives people an opportunity to touch and feel the message you’re trying to communicate. Printed pieces can also be used as a leave behind, mailer or a handout at a trade show for example. This is impossible for an electronic piece, which lacks that same tangibility.

For The Brick Companies, delivering something that was both sustainable and tangible was a necessity. Our solution was to create a postcard that informs consumers that the environmental brochure exists online and encourages them to go check it out. But these are not your average postcards. They’re printed on seed-infused paper allowing the user to plant it and grow flowers when they’re finished. Here’s the postcard, which also reminds folks to sign up for The Brick Companies Classic, their annual charitable golf tournament.

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com

Since this edition of Freebie Friday falls on a Font Hour week, we thought it would be appropriate to give away a free font. You might remember Aaron’s pick, Pointy. Well, even though it didn’t win the competition, we were able to pick it up because it is FREE. You can get it by going here:

http://www.fontspace.com/pointydesign/pointy

Now go download it and have some fun with Pointy!

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com