Had this laying around for a while, classic Olympic poster. This is a perfect example of how much the core ethics of design have changed. Take this one in, then have a look at these olympic logos…. what happened to design?
Montreal ’76
06.29.2007
It’s a great classic design, as is the logo from the ’80 Moscow games.
When you are allready taliking about the Olympics logo what do you think about the London 2012 logo? I to agree that the 60’s design did had a certan vibe to it.
I am actually not as averse to the proposed London games logo as a lot of people. I think it is at least interesting and thought provoking. It’s definitely not my style, but I could see how it could be worked into a lot of promotional things, and that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day I guess, promoting awareness. But I definitely would love to see them go back to the simpler forms/colors of the past logos. Perhaps the younger generations just don’t appreciate the same simplicity and minimalism many of us were raised to recognize as “good design”.
Designers now take synthetic drugs.
Yeah the London one is whacked . Love that old moscow poster. Although being Australian I’ve gotta put a word in about the Aussie one… it contains icons of Australia that probably aren’t too obvious. The legs and arms are boomerangs, the body looks to be of an Aboriginal style, and the streak of blue traces the Sydney Opera House… it’s pretty well done. But still doesn’t carry the same poise as the solid moscow version…
That montreal logo is gorgeous…looks like something of yours, Scott.
As far as the recent stream of olympics logos, I’m fond of the Chicago one with the sears tower being the top of the torch.
Yeah, I have always loved Olympic branding. I will definitely be posting more in the future, have a bunch of cool examples lying about.
Very good point – although I’m sure you could have linked to a slightly less right wing and warmongering site to make it…
Drew-
Even better point! Sorry, in my haste to find a site featuring those 3 particular logos I didn’t stop to check the overall content of the site. I posted my own mirror of the images and switched the link.
Good point. I’m not a huge fan of the Vancouver 2010 logo, either…
Or are we just being nostalgic for a design style we don’t see so much anymore? I suppose in the end of the 60s/70s, people might have been sick and tired of these sorts of designs, and we’ve just been away from those styles for so long that it seems fresh again?
That being said… I still like the old one better, too.
The proposed Chicago 2016 logo was very nice, until Chicago decided to change it:
Orig:
http://www.typophile.com/files/Chicago_2016_6227.jpg
New:
http://www.chicago2016.org/
Stephen, that original logo is amazing for Chicago 2016, i can’t believe their not going with that one. That second one reminds me of a bank logo or something.
like: North Fork Bank
http://www.strategicagency.com/big_brands/nfb1101a.gif
: / disappointing
Phil, I completely agree about the Vancouver logo. Not only did they misappropriate a First Nation’s symbol, the inukshuk (giving it a happy face!), but the symbol has nothing to do with Vancouver (the Inuit people who traditionally make inukshuk live thousands of miles away in the arctic). Sure, I know it’s about showcasing the whole country not just the host city, but Vancouver and the province of British Columbia has plenty of culture (including local aboriginal people) they could have drawn from… this one is just embarrassing.
where is the picture
Hey, cool tips. Perhaps I’ll buy a glass of beer to that man from that forum who told me to visit your site 🙂
Really good, go ahead
I think it’s symptomatic of a lot of mainstream design. Loss of confidence in a simple solution. From design companies as well clients.
If this (the Montreal logo) was submitted to certain person of my acquaintance, the reaction would be “the background is boring and undifferentiating, can’t we make it a gradient? The symbol needs to be more impactful (read fatter). Can we get it rendered in 3D, to bring it to life? And a drop shadow.”
I won’t blame computers, they’re just a tool. It’s the tools sat in front of the computers and the even bigger tools standing in front of the clients.
Re: the Chicago logo; the Chicago team did not have a choice but to change their logo; prospective cities are not allowed to use the Olympic torch as part of their logo. Chicago violated that very basic rule with their first logo, and were forced to change it. They chose a star reminiscent of the 4 stars on their city flag, with colors representing the Great Chicago Fire at the top, and Lake Michigan at the bottom.
Great post. I know I’m three years late noticing this, but it’s so true!