Brand new logo

The London 2012 brand has been unveiled:

Confused? Impressed? LOCOG explain that: (you can see the sappy promo video here)

London 2012 will be everyone’s Games, everyone’s 2012. This is the vision at the very heart of the new London 2012 brand. It will define the venues that are built and the Games that London and the UK will host. The new 2012 emblem will use the Olympic spirit to inspire everyone and reach out to young people. It is an invitation to take part and be involved.

These will be a Games where everyone is invited to join in. A Games where people are inspired to either take part in the many sports, cultural, educational and community events leading up to 2012 or inspired to achieve personal goals.

London 2012 will encourage active participation involving people nationwide in a whole range of Games initiatives from community activities and volunteering to sporting and cultural events. It will inspire young people and connect them to sport by putting the inspirational values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on the school curriculum.

[...] The new emblem is dynamic, modern and flexible. It will work with new technology and across traditional and new media networks.

It will become London 2012’s visual icon, instantly recognisable amongst all age groups, all around the world. It will establish the character and identity of the London 2012 Games and what the Games will symbolise nationally and internationally. For the first time for a Host City, the new emblems for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are based on the same core shape, reflecting London’s commitment to hosting a truly integrated Paralympic Games.

For what it’s worth, I actually quite like it – I thought that the idea and the energy was all a bit inspiring. Sadly, not many others did – am concerned the fact that I like it is conclusive proof I have no taste, but there is a good case to suggest it is more that I have no baggage in being positive about things, without the British insistance on understatement in all things.

True to form, the British press has been vocal in attacking the concept – generating lots of negativity. Some of this is rather entertaining, to be fair:

 

 

(I do like the tangram-ness of the whole thing, plus my old friend non-extremity man!)

Sad that none of the criticism is about how logos are becoming brands, but pleasing that people are concerned about how much has been spent on things.