Well, It’s been nearly 2 years since Wolff Olins launched the now infamous 2012 logo to a storm of public controversy. And through months of brandbashing from all levels – from the 3000 strong facebook petition to to reinstate the old logo to the slammings from publications great and small, not only the logo but the brand consultancy is living strong. So surely they must have done something right? I think so.

It is easy to criticise something pink, angular and so downright unconventional. But why stick to the tried and tested if this is what they look like? The one logo and brand that has stood the test of time is the work done by Otl Aicher for the 1972 Munich Games. The logo for the 2012 games, while not being safe like so many others, is strong, memorable and most definitely unique.

This post isn’t about the logo itself though, after all there haven’t been many design-related stories that have hit so many headlines in the past few decades – it’s all been said before. What impresses me is the resilience of not only Wolff Olins but also Lord Coe and the Olympic Committee in defending their decision. This is what Wolff Olins said:

It is unconventionally bold, deliberately spirited and unexpectedly dissonant, echoing London’s qualities of a modern, edgy city… It is for everyone, regardless of age, culture and language …

They have (quite rightly) stuck to the core values of what the brand and the London Olympics stands for, as well as being forward thinking in their tech-friendly design (the logo is designed to be recognisable on mobile-phone screens, transcend language and be adapted as technology – which will undoubtably be several steps on by the time the torch is lit – grows around it). As the world comes round to that which the organisers have never doubted, the applications of this logo are only going to blossom. Both WO and Coe deserve some serious respect for weathering a major storm to come out with heads held high, knowing that this desicion has increased awareness of the London 2012 olympics tenfold. £400,000 well spent.

If you disagree, tell me about it. In the meantime, here are some of the daily mail alternatives. Warming to the pink guy? thought so.

Posted on Saturday, March 21st, 2009 at 1:34 pm by SSZ in Advertising, Design, News, Published | rss feed for comments | Leave a response, or trackback