Design that's Olympic
Gold?
The chances are you’ve seen and formed your own opinion on the
new London
2012 Olympic logo. The logo, based on the date 2012 and
inspired by graffiti artists, dominated the press for several
days when characters and dignitaries of Parliament, the Borough
of London and design experts shared their views with the Country.
And the public’s view? Well, mostly negative. It even went
so far as for one Jewish member of the public complaining that
it resembles the Nazi SS symbol.
So how do you create a design
that will spark the approval of the great British public? Well
we’re not going to deny it’s difficult. Every one
of us is different. Some of us like the colour pink, whilst others
prefer blue. What’s important is that your design is first and
foremost right for your target audience. Before embarking on any
brand design or logo change it’s essential that research is carried
out on the existing brand identity and that of competitors. Also
to be taken into account is any long standing heritage or associations
the brand has that could cause controversy if removed. Just cast
your mind back to the infamous British Airways re-branding disaster!
But equally, be brave. New design is about moving forward, and
not being stuck in the past, especially if your brand is moving
towards the online market.
For the first time ever, the Olympic 2012
logo will also be used for the Paralympic games too. This is a positive
step as often the Paralympics get side stepped. With the majority
of the press coverage concentrating on the main Olympics and the
Paralympics playing catch up with the added difficulty of trying
to introduce another logo and brand. This way, with one bold identity,
both can bounce of each other – the
huge awareness the main Olympics has for the Paralympics, and
the Olympics supporting sporting excellence regardless of disabilities.
Mutual PR if you like.
When creating your new design and/or logo
you need to think about it as an actual brand in itself. It’s crucial
your design reflects your brand values and market because each time
your new and existing customers see it they need to think of your
product. So a design that’s
not too quirky and not so smart that no-one understand it. What’s
more it needs to be flexible enough that it can be applied across
the whole business, not just in part, otherwise your identity
becomes disjointed. And if you have umbrella brands or sister
organisations consider if the brand needs to be moulded into other
usages.
Big London agencies & little Brighton ones
It’s
reported that the Olympic logo cost over £400,000 to create - a
staggering amount in anyone’s budget. But it goes to show that
just because you’re using
a top ranked London agency doesn’t mean you’ll be guaranteed a design
that is embraced by everyone.
So don’t blow silly amounts of budget
on your next piece of marketing or web design. Come and talk to
us. Even though we’re not very big,
here at TwoTrickPony we can produce
big ideas and big designs to go with them. Whatever it is you
want designed, whether it’s a new
piece of marketing literature, a new website or a logo or corporate
identity, get in touch with TwoTrickPony. We also offer a complete
copy writing service too! You could call us a design one-stop shop.
Give us a call today on 01273
208878 or
pop us through an email: info@twotrickpony.co.uk.
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