Thursday, June 07, 2007

D'oh!

I must say I am thoroughly enjoying the massive public response to the 2012 Olympic Logo. What a well-deserved pushback to the ludicrous hype with which the thing was launched. What a heartening demonstration that Brits have a brain and aren't going to swallow whole the spin and hype of the branding browntongues.

What really provoked me was not so much the logo itself as the organisers' smug predictions of what it was going to do for the games. How patronising was the notion that this would appeal to young people. Especially when it was so obviously designed for young people by old people who know nothing about young people.

There's a great scene in an old BBC adaptation of The Mayor of Casterbridge. The doomed antihero organises a huge party for the town people in an effort to glamorise himself. But it pours with rain and no-one shows up for this lavish but soulless party. Meanwhile his rival organises a rough and ready dance in a barn where everyone has a great time in each other's company, with none of the grand expense. Henchard eventually arrives at the barn but can't really conceal his bitterness and dismay at everyone having so much fun.

Wouldn't it be great if Seb Coe had the humility to admit to a mistake whilst applauding our exuberant irreverance? But more likely he'll take cover like Henchard. In any case, won't we really remember the logo for bringing lil' Lisa to her knees? Not a pleasant image but, nonetheless, a statement.

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who will ever think of Lisa Simpson the same again now?

6:00 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good post CS!

6:01 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Something that struck me is that this logo reportedly took one year to agree. Which of course means "a committee" somwhere went at it with their daggers for a year until it was completely dead.

6:01 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excuse me. Well, somebody should have rosy cheeks anyways ;-)

6:02 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It just occurred to me that £400.000 is, in the unlikely event that logo designers get paid £200/h, equal to 2000 hours of work. two thousand. 50 full time weeks. I think mr. Wolff should be rather ashamed of himself taking that long to come up with this 'thing'.

6:03 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

nice one slicky xx

6:19 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, they said not to watch the clip if you suffer from epilepsy. I was certainly in fits - of laughter. Poor the Lisa :-(

Good post.

8:47 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We hope you approve of ours.

10:21 pm  

Post a Comment

<< Home