2012 Olympics Unveil New Look

The Beijing Olympics might still seem far away, but in London, a lot of people are focused on the 2012 games. On Monday, Sebastian Coe, a double Olympic Gold medalist at 1500m and now chairman of the Organising (sic) committee for the 2012 London Olympics -- unveiled the new look/logo/brand for the games. According to a story on the BBC web site, "the jagged emblem, based on the date 2012, comes in a series of shades of pink, blue, green and orange and will evolve in the run-up to the Games."

To me the shape looks a discus thrower winding up for a toss, and it took me a while to recognize the numerals. But never mind that, the London Olympics wanted an image that would be modern and inclusive and appealing to abroad audience, including young viewers. It's all about branding as we know, and Coe promised that the new brand "...will define the venues we build and the Games we hold and act as a reminder of our promise to use the Olympic spirit to inspire everyone and reach out to young people around the world."

The BBC article goes on to quote Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell who continues the theme: "This is an iconic brand that sums up what London 2012 is all about - an inclusive, welcoming and diverse Games that involves the whole country. It takes our values to the world beyond our shores, acting both as an invitation and an inspiration."

Unfortunately but predictably, reaction to the logo has been tepid, with only 3% of roughly 3600 respondents giving the new logo/brand a "gold medal," and nearly 85% giving it a "wooden spoon." Ouch!



I don't think it's THAT bad, but it certainly is a departure from previous games. The logo for the 1948 London Olympics was more of a travel poster than an actual logo. But that was before color television and YouTube and billion dollar advertising and licensing revenues. The new look, which cost roughly the organising committee nearly a million dollars, has the advantage of easily dissolving into colored pixels at the touch of a computer mouse. To see how it is being used in promotional materials, check out the following promotional video. If you are prone to seizures, mind the flashing images!!

Anyway, the London brand or logo or whatever it is seems far superior to the USATF mascot, Spike, who was introduced to long suffering US track fans five years ago. Spike seems to have passed away - a victim of his own annoying cuteness. Let's hope that London's new look has a happier life.