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London 2012: Attack of the ‘80s

13

Posts

  • Paul_IQ164Paul_IQ164 Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    I've seen people say the logo looks somehow like a swastika before. I can't see it myself. There's just a complete disconnect there between steps 2 and 3.

    Paul_IQ164 on
    But obviously to make that into a viable anecdote you have to tart it up a bit.
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  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Paul_IQ164 wrote: »
    I've seen people say the logo looks somehow like a swastika before. I can't see it myself. There's just a complete disconnect there between steps 2 and 3.

    OH MY GODWIN!

    i was listening to a radio program this afternoon, they even went so far as to say some people have had seizures from just looking at the logo, not even the horrendous 90s neon/pastel flickering travesty. I find that amusing.
    Then some guy said he'd looked it up to see what the fuss was about, to find himself being woken up from the floor by his 2-year-old hitting him in the face with a Buzz Lightyear toy.
    What it did make me think, though, is unintentional viral advertising. Everyone's now looking up this seizure ad (i did myself, trying to get the afternoon off work. No joy), and talking about this shambolic Olympics logo. Kinda reminded me of the launch of the 'Wii' name.

    darleysam on
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  • TaximesTaximes Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Didn't the Mayans predict a horrible, eye-raping London Olympics logo for 2012?

    Taximes on
  • stiliststilist Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Taximes wrote: »
    Didn't the Mayans predict a horrible, eye-raping London Olympics logo for 2012?
    Yeah, but they thought it would be Marge instead.

    stilist on
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  • ÆthelredÆthelred Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    The designers have said they want people to interact with the logo. They've certainly got that, but they seem to be operating off the "all publicity is good publicity" maxim!!! whereby people taking the piss out of your work is a good thing.

    Also, it's just part of the promotional video that can cause seizures. The logo can't do anything on its own and the reporting that it can is shit journalism.

    Æthelred on
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  • JansonJanson Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    It's making me feel thoroughly ashamed :(

    Janson on
  • Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    I... really like it.

    I respect the designer(s) that came up with it. They've got some fucking balls and enough nonce to avoid the "so what" design of pretty much every Olympics logo of the past few decades. Ultimately, they've broke from tradition, which is something to be applauded. This is very much a "Wii" period.
    And because of one of you smart arses now all I can see is Lisa Simpson giving head...

    Nexus Zero on
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  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    I... really like it.

    I respect the designer(s) that came up with it. They've got some fucking balls and enough nonce to avoid the "so what" design of pretty much every Olympics logo of the past few decades. Ultimately, they've broke from tradition, which is something to be applauded. This is very much a "Wii" period.
    And because of one of you smart arses now all I can see is Lisa Simpson giving head...

    Being different is not an inherent good it just means it is different. If 'it's unlike all the previous logos of the past few decades' is the only praise you can give this design I'd have to say that that's a pretty strong condemnation of it.

    moniker on
  • Paul_IQ164Paul_IQ164 Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    moniker wrote: »
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    I... really like it.

    I respect the designer(s) that came up with it. They've got some fucking balls and enough nonce to avoid the "so what" design of pretty much every Olympics logo of the past few decades. Ultimately, they've broke from tradition, which is something to be applauded. This is very much a "Wii" period.
    And because of one of you smart arses now all I can see is Lisa Simpson giving head...

    Being different is not an inherent good it just means it is different. If 'it's unlike all the previous logos of the past few decades' is the only praise you can give this design I'd have to say that that's a pretty strong condemnation of it.

    To be fair, the logo isn't exactly an art-form which particularly inspires high praise. Apart from the very successful ones, which almost by definition belong to big corporations rather than things like the Olympics.

    Paul_IQ164 on
    But obviously to make that into a viable anecdote you have to tart it up a bit.
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  • stiliststilist Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Paul_IQ164 wrote: »
    To be fair, the logo isn't exactly an art-form which particularly inspires high praise. Apart from the very successful ones, which almost by definition belong to big corporations rather than things like the Olympics.
    Eh, logos are designer porn as much as anything else.

    stilist on
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  • Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    moniker wrote: »
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    I... really like it.

    I respect the designer(s) that came up with it. They've got some fucking balls and enough nonce to avoid the "so what" design of pretty much every Olympics logo of the past few decades. Ultimately, they've broke from tradition, which is something to be applauded. This is very much a "Wii" period.
    And because of one of you smart arses now all I can see is Lisa Simpson giving head...

    Being different is not an inherent good it just means it is different. If 'it's unlike all the previous logos of the past few decades' is the only praise you can give this design I'd have to say that that's a pretty strong condemnation of it.

    Not when all the others have been bland. Each and every one. I don't like bland; what's to remember? I'm not saying it's good to be different for difference's sake, but there wouldn't be a thread if the designers were pussies and stuck with something similar and familiar. You'd all be perfectly content. Bullshit. What's the point? To appease people or to please people? The best songs are the ones that grow on you.

    Also, I tend to hate logos that claim to be "representative" of something. If they'd come out with a Beijing-esque logo, or one of those BBC viewer's pathetic attempts, everyone would be like, "oh look that's representative because it incorporates the London Eye and Big Ben, how clever! Oh I sure am a brainless fucktard!" but no, we've got something that's actually got an attitude similar to the real city itself, not some vapid tourist attractions that pepper it, and everyone's crying about it. For once, we have a logo that can claim to be representative of something and every Tom Dick and Harry hates it but me.

    Nexus Zero on
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  • SamSam Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Paul_IQ164 wrote: »
    It's been a depressingly predictable reaction so far. "It looks like a five-year-old did it!"; "They paid £400,000 for that?!"; "I could make a better logo in half an hour".

    The last of these claims is clearly wrong, as shown by these pages of logos designed by MOTPs at the BBC's website, those of which aren't jokes are almost all incredibly bad.

    Anyway, I'm no particular fan of the logo (though I think it's beginning to grow on me) but I'm thoroughly sick of the whining about it.

    I don't know, this one is genius

    _43010117_andrew_robinson416.jpg

    Sam on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited June 2007
    moniker wrote: »
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    I... really like it.

    I respect the designer(s) that came up with it. They've got some fucking balls and enough nonce to avoid the "so what" design of pretty much every Olympics logo of the past few decades. Ultimately, they've broke from tradition, which is something to be applauded. This is very much a "Wii" period.
    And because of one of you smart arses now all I can see is Lisa Simpson giving head...

    Being different is not an inherent good it just means it is different. If 'it's unlike all the previous logos of the past few decades' is the only praise you can give this design I'd have to say that that's a pretty strong condemnation of it.

    Look at my awesome logo! It is good because it is unlike anything used before!

    MyAwesomeLogo.jpg

    ElJeffe on
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  • stiliststilist Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    MyAwesomeLogo.jpg
    :lol:

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  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    moniker wrote: »
    Being different is not an inherent good it just means it is different. If 'it's unlike all the previous logos of the past few decades' is the only praise you can give this design I'd have to say that that's a pretty strong condemnation of it.

    Not when all the others have been bland. Each and every one. I don't like bland; what's to remember? I'm not saying it's good to be different for difference's sake, but there wouldn't be a thread if the designers were pussies and stuck with something similar and familiar. You'd all be perfectly content. Bullshit. What's the point? To appease people or to please people? The best songs are the ones that grow on you.

    Also, I tend to hate logos that claim to be "representative" of something. If they'd come out with a Beijing-esque logo, or one of those BBC viewer's pathetic attempts, everyone would be like, "oh look that's representative because it incorporates the London Eye and Big Ben, how clever! Oh I sure am a brainless fucktard!" but no, we've got something that's actually got an attitude similar to the real city itself, not some vapid tourist attractions that pepper it, and everyone's crying about it. For once, we have a logo that can claim to be representative of something and every Tom Dick and Harry hates it but me.

    You're offering up a false dichotomy. A logo has to either be gaudy and 'unique' or it has to be bland and kitsche. That's just outright bullshit. There are plenty of architectural examples I could list that show it to be so. (Eiffel Tower, the Beaubourg, Pei's Pyramid, Crystal Palace, Crystal Phallus, &c.) All of those were controversial at the time and caused derision but they did have redeeming factors in the designs because they were good designs and people could defend them. This is indefensible. It doesn't represent anything, it's jagged lettering of the olympic year with a rather poor color scheme. What is the symbolism there aside from shouting at people to look at it?

    moniker on
  • Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Look at my awesome logo! It is good because it is unlike anything used before!

    MyAwesomeLogo.jpg

    How is that stylish or in any way representative of London?

    A logo has to either be gaudy and 'unique' or it has to be bland and kitsche.

    No, it doesn't. I'm not saying that. I'm saying that most Olympic logos are nothing. They're bland, they're predictable, and they're designed purely to appease. They're passable. Passable is not good enough. If you're really trying to represent something, why stick to the predetermined convention? I'm not saying that the London logo is the only other choice, I'm just saying it was one choice that should have been taken. I'd argue that even by taking the choice, London 2012 has made a pretty big statement about itself.

    Nexus Zero on
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  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited June 2007
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    How is that stylish or in any way representative of London?

    The monkey represents the unsophisticated man, blithely expelling thoughts of the Olympics while grasping onto his simple, pedestrian pleasures, as indicated by the banana.

    He stands atop the noble pig, suggestive of the intellectual Londonite heroes who trudge through the muck and mire of the plebians' ignorance in order to selflessly prop them up and protect them from harm.

    ElJeffe on
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  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    A logo has to either be gaudy and 'unique' or it has to be bland and kitsche.

    No, it doesn't. I'm not saying that. I'm saying that most Olympic logos are nothing. They're bland, they're predictable, and they're designed purely to appease. They're passable. Passable is not good enough. If you're really trying to represent something, why stick to the predetermined convention? I'm not saying that the London logo is the only other choice, I'm just saying it was one choice that should have been taken. I'd argue that even by taking the choice, London 2012 has made a pretty big statement about itself.

    Yeah, that it isn't for you.

    <3 Jeffe

    moniker on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    How is that stylish or in any way representative of London?




    No, it doesn't. I'm not saying that. I'm saying that most Olympic logos are nothing. They're bland, they're predictable, and they're designed purely to appease. They're passable. Passable is not good enough. If you're really trying to represent something, why stick to the predetermined convention? I'm not saying that the London logo is the only other choice, I'm just saying it was one choice that should have been taken. I'd argue that even by taking the choice, London 2012 has made a pretty big statement about itself.
    the pretty big statement is that the government spent a lot of money on some ugly design that makes people all over the world point and laugh at the UK.

    Aldo on
  • Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    moniker wrote: »
    Yeah, that it isn't for you.

    Really? I seem to be the only one who gets it. Edit:Sorry, humour detector was only set to stun.
    the pretty big statement is that the government spent a lot of money on some ugly design that makes people all over the world point and laugh at the UK.

    Most people all over the world are idiots. They'll get it though, they've got five years.

    Nexus Zero on
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  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    Really? I seem to be the only one who gets it. Edit:Sorry, humour detector was only set to stun.



    Most people all over the world are idiots. They'll get it though, they've got five years.
    So everyone who says it's fucking ugly is an idiot now.


    okay.

    Aldo on
  • sp1ttlesp1ttle Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    stilist wrote: »
    ‘Lisa Simpson giving head’

    Now that I've seen it, I can't unsee it.

    Well, it is the XXX Olympic games. :P

    sp1ttle on
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Aldo wrote: »
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    Most people all over the world are idiots. They'll get it though, they've got five years.
    So everyone who says it's fucking ugly is an idiot now.


    okay.

    No, but we are unwashed plebians who simply cannot grasp the symbolism and expression that this jagged block lettering holds within itself.

    moniker on
  • Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    moniker wrote: »
    No, but we are unwashed plebians who simply cannot grasp the symbolism and expression that this jagged block lettering holds within itself.

    Exactly.
    No, not really. Well, it's fair to say that most of the world is filled with idiots. If you believe otherwise you're one of them. But that classification isn't dependent on your acceptance of this logo. There aren't many idiots on the PA boards, but at the same time, there aren't many designers. I promise in a few months you will accept this logo like you accepted "Wii"
    And if you don't, I'll eat my dick.

    Nexus Zero on
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  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    Exactly.
    No, not really. Well, it's fair to say that most of the world is filled with idiots. If you believe otherwise you're one of them. But that classification isn't dependent on your acceptance of this logo. There aren't many idiots on the PA boards, but at the same time, there aren't many designers. I promise in a few months you will accept this logo like you accepted "Wii"
    And if you don't, I'll eat my dick.
    To be honest, I still think that "Wii" is a lousy name for a gaming console. :?

    Aldo on
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    I'll accept good design over time even if I have qualms about it up front. This is not a good design and has nothing redeemable about it to be argued for. You haven't given any defense of it yourself, just saying that everything else was bland or disinteresting to you and so something that is different is therefore good. I can easily see the points for and against the designs of the Pompidou, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Pyramid, the Crystal Pallace, St. Mary's Tower, &c. I can't see any for this design at all in any sense or field.

    moniker on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited June 2007
    I second whoever said that this logo was a bad execution, regardless of the actual design philosophy. The letters themselves are blocky and ugly, even if you don't mind the fact that it's a garish 80's rehash that has nothing to do with London.

    ElJeffe on
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  • Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    I second whoever said that this logo was a bad execution, regardless of the actual design philosophy.
    This is a point I'll concede slightly. While I like the design, moreso its philosophy etc, there's a couple of things that bug me one of which is the second '2' being made of two blocks rather than the precedented one.
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    The letters themselves are blocky and ugly, even if you don't mind the fact that it's a garish 80's rehash that has nothing to do with London.

    I don't think that's true. Bands like Hadouken!, Middleman and 'New Rave' bands are showing that this is far from the truth and I think that in a few years this logo will feel a lot more relevant.
    You haven't given any defense of it yourself, just saying that everything else was bland or disinteresting to you and so something that is different is therefore good.

    Arguing that a design inherently urban, individual and brash capturing the London spirit isn't giving it a defence?

    Nexus Zero on
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  • ArikadoArikado Southern CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited June 2007
    The logo would look better if it had different colors and perhaps more curved than jagged wanna-be graffiti numbers.

    Arikado on
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  • Nexus ZeroNexus Zero Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Arikado wrote: »
    The logo would look better if it had different colors and perhaps more curved than jagged wanna-be graffiti numbers.

    It doesn't have curves but if you look on the official site it's clear that they'll be using different colours.

    Nexus Zero on
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  • SUPERSUGASUPERSUGA Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    I actually like the style, to me the idea is a good one that represents a modern London quite well. However I do agree that it just looks badly made, I'm sure I'll get used to it though.

    I see some of the alternatives that are being suggested in newspapers and on sites, though, and it makes me cringe. People that want the union jack or a lion or something... come on, let's at least try and be creative. Not to mention the various skyline designs I've seen. I'd much rather have something interesting (but admittedly better than the current logo) than a piece of pure blandness like that.

    SUPERSUGA on
  • ÆthelredÆthelred Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    The idea of having a different logo is a good one - who can honestly say they remember any of the preceding Olympics' logos? This piece of shit is damaging the very idea of a "different" logo though.

    Tony Benn was on Question Time tonight; he said:
    I thought it was the logo for Tony Blair’s legacy: flashing lights, confusing - and it causes epilepsy.

    :lol:

    Æthelred on
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  • QuazarQuazar Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Here are a couple of actual Olympic logos from the 1980s:

    1984losangeles.gif

    1988_Summer_Olympics_logo.png

    Quazar on
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  • EdcrabEdcrab Actually a hack Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Great. So ours is more 80s than the actual 80s logos.

    Just... what?

    God. The ad campaign- before being taken down due to epilepsy scares- reminded me of the 90s Byker Grove intro. The production just felt so cheap and nasty. It's a goddamn laggy paintover! I'd mock amateur animators who pulled that off!

    People'll no doubt get over it, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll grow to accept it, much less like it. The firm would've been better served by producing several prototypical designs and, just for once, asking the public which of them they wanted.

    No doubt we'd still end up with a piece of crap, but it'd be democratic crap :lol:

    Edcrab on
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  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive GNU Terry Pratchett Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Edcrab wrote: »
    Great. So ours is more 80s than the actual 80s logos.

    Just... what?

    God. The ad campaign- before being taken down due to epilepsy scares- reminded me of the 90s Byker Grove intro. The production just felt so cheap and nasty. It's a goddamn laggy paintover! I'd mock amateur animators who pulled that off!

    People'll no doubt get over it, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll grow to accept it, much less like it. The firm would've been better served by producing several prototypical designs and, just for once, asking the public which of them they wanted.

    No doubt we'd still end up with a piece of crap, but it'd be democratic crap :lol:

    After the Eurovision Song Contest voting show, I don't trust the British public to make a decent decision. All it would need is for one design to catch that "13 year old girl with a pre-paid mobile phone tariff" demographic and the Olympics would have an even lamer logo. I don't want the visual equivalent of Scooch representing our capital.

    Rhesus Positive on
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  • RookRook Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Janson wrote: »
    I wouldn't mind it half so much if there was any sense or meaning in the blocky shapes...but it's just '2012'. Doesn't even do a good job of it.

    The first one is supposed to be england, and the zero looks like london, Haven't figured out what was going on in the 12 though.

    Rook on
  • TaximesTaximes Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
  • HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    edited June 2007
    Nexus Zero wrote: »
    moniker wrote: »
    No, but we are unwashed plebians who simply cannot grasp the symbolism and expression that this jagged block lettering holds within itself.

    Exactly.
    No, not really. Well, it's fair to say that most of the world is filled with idiots. If you believe otherwise you're one of them. But that classification isn't dependent on your acceptance of this logo. There aren't many idiots on the PA boards, but at the same time, there aren't many designers. I promise in a few months you will accept this logo like you accepted "Wii"
    And if you don't, I'll eat my dick.

    Eh, I accepted the name Wii because it's a great console that holds much appeal for me. They could have named it virtually anything and I would've accepted it. The Olympics really don't have that going for them. The flipside of the coin is that there's really no way any logo, not even one designed by an ancient god of awesome logos, would make me start caring about the Olympics.

    I also sumbit to you that the reason we got the name Wii instead of Revolution, which is pretty much better in every way, is because of design/PR people who got caught up in their own bullshit. Much like the ones who came up with this logo.

    In other words designers/PR people can be idiots as well. :P
    I actually don't mind the logo all that much, but when I take into consideration the price tag it comes with I find a lot to laugh about.

    HappylilElf on
  • Flying NoodleFlying Noodle Registered User new member
    edited June 2007
    I don't usually post here, but as mentioned by Taximes, The Sun recently did an article in which the challenged a variety of people to come up with their own logo. Although I generally avoid the newspaper, this time I have to admit they ran a marvelous piece ;-)
    sunolympic.jpg

    I actually quite like the Sun artist's design...

    Flying Noodle on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited June 2007
    I like the monkey's one. It reminds me of some pieces hanging in MOMA.

    Actually, I really like the Sun's artist's version. Is it flashy and memorable? No. Will I remember it in 10 years? No. But it's simple, elegant, tasetful, and appealing, and it's actually relevant to London.

    ElJeffe on
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