"Our emblem needs to be modern, bold, flexible and as relevant today as in five years' time.”
“We want our Games to be different. We are hosting them in a different era, in 2012. The emblem needs to work across new platforms that reach young people."
"The new Olympic brand draws on what London has become - the world's most forward-looking and international city.”
The values behind this logo sound very exciting. However, the logo itself, designed by the Wolff Olins agency, is for me, a bit of a letdown as it just misses the mark.
The logo is bold and very different from previous Olympic logos which is great. However, I don't believe it will fully engage young people as it appears too contrived and manufactured. It has no soul, compared to say Jamie Reid’s Sex Pistols record-sleeve and poster designs, which I believe acted in part as inspiration for this design. Rather than appearing modern and edgy, the jagged shapes and bright contrasting colours instead seem to slightly patronise the youth at which it’s aimed. It’s too childish and so not particularly cool.
The Olympic organizers wanted to convey the message, through this logo, that London 2012 will be "Everyone's Games". However, an online petition to scrap the logo already has tens of thousands of signatures. Clearly this aspiration has not yet been reached.
I still think the logo has lots of plus sides though. I like the fact that the logo is flexible and can change colours. This adds personality and life to the brand.
I also admire the fact that the organizers have had the bravery to do something different. It would have been very easy for them to do something safe and ordinary. At least this logo is original and arouses some kind of emotional response.
If nothing else, it’s got people talking about London 2012 and gained lots of free worldwide publicity, which will more than cover the £400,000 cost of developing the design.
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