Anyone else bored by the Olympic logo brouhaha? Well, I've comforted myself by devising a set of rules for Olympic logo launches. Take note Beijing.
Rule no. 1: There is no logic to a logo. No matter how advertising gurus try to explain the meaning behind a design and why you should love it because it epitomises everything about your brand, you shouldn't believe them. Creatives don't have logic. They doodle something down on a bit of paper and then some marketing person dreams up a reason as to how that doodle will sell everything you want it to sell and make people love you. It's all utter crap and as long as everyone knows that and is willing to admit it to themselves without the need for saying it out loud, the world is in harmony. Let's face it, we need these people, we need logos, we need a brand. And how boring would a logo be if it actually did have logic?
Rule no. 2: No one likes a new brand. This was best summed up in the Guardian's weekly media podcast. If you don't already, do yourself a favour and subscribe. I love it - you feel like you're invading a dinner party conversation and learning something at the same time. Are they drunk at the time of recording?
Anyway, in summary - don't launch a rebranding. No one likes a new brand. What was wrong with the old one? If it ain't broke, don't fix it? (Can you think of anything more banal to actually say out loud? If I ever hear someone say that to me personally I promise you I will personally tear their lungs out. I feel that strongly about that turn of phrase).
No one likes change. The only people who like change are left-wing Guardian-reading wanna-be radicals who live in Islington (not the Guardian's words, but mine).
Don't launch it - sneak it in!
Rule no. 3: No one likes the Olympic logo. Well, in my experience of having lived through one Olympic Games in my city, everybody criticised every decision that was ever made about the Olympics, but especially - and most vocally - the logos and those weird little animals thingos they had to go with the logo.
Rule no. 4: Everyone loves the Olympics. I have no words to describe the feeling of having the Olympics in your home town. Of working at the swimming - your favourite event. Of having two hours sleep and regretting that. Of talking to people on the bus. Of cheering so loud you lose your voice. Of watching, looking, meeting, singing, dancing, laughing, talking and losing. Yourself.
Everybody loves the Olympics in the end.
