Comments on: The soul of the Empire http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/ Before & After's creative director John McWade's conversations with subscribers Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:50:15 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Hilmi Hamdan http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-3/#comment-2572 Hilmi Hamdan Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:50:28 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2572 Yeah, I really like the 2014 logo. To be frank, the firebird logo didn't even catch my eye. I had already scrolled down a bit and saw it: "Wow, that's nice, so where's this logo?" After finding out it was the logo, I really like it, great job. I mean, you can read it in many different ways: Sochi.ru2014 Olympics, Sochi 2014, .ru Olympics, sochi Olympics. Ingenious, not forgetting the .ru, reminding us that Russia is truly part of the digital age. Yeah, I really like the 2014 logo.

To be frank, the firebird logo didn’t even catch my eye. I had already scrolled down a bit and saw it: “Wow, that’s nice, so where’s this logo?”

After finding out it was the logo, I really like it, great job. I mean, you can read it in many different ways: Sochi.ru2014 Olympics, Sochi 2014, .ru Olympics, sochi Olympics. Ingenious, not forgetting the .ru, reminding us that Russia is truly part of the digital age.

]]> By: seezee http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2521 seezee Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:48:09 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2521 When I first saw the accepted design, I did not read the numerals as "2014". Instead, I saw "zoiY". Only after reading the article did I see that they were numerals. So I can't say I'm a fan of the design, purely on legibility grounds. When I first saw the accepted design, I did not read the numerals as “2014″. Instead, I saw “zoiY”. Only after reading the article did I see that they were numerals. So I can’t say I’m a fan of the design, purely on legibility grounds.

]]> By: John Pettersen http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2402 John Pettersen Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:32:51 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2402 Very interesting to read John's critique and the other comments, and, having looked at the link to the previous designs on this page, I believe that the official logo is right on the money. It has a direct connection to the Internet — .ru really is up to date but still has a retro feel (very up to date?), as it references early Russian revolutionary posters. What really appeals is that the logo and the place are the same. On all previous designs, the logo had to be enforced with the name and date of the host city. I also like the idea of Sochi and 2014 like it was the mirror image reflected in ice. Very interesting to read John’s critique and the other comments, and, having looked at the link to the previous designs on this page, I believe that the official logo is right on the money.

It has a direct connection to the Internet — .ru really is up to date but still has a retro feel (very up to date?), as it references early Russian revolutionary posters.

What really appeals is that the logo and the place are the same. On all previous designs, the logo had to be enforced with the name and date of the host city. I also like the idea of Sochi and 2014 like it was the mirror image reflected in ice.

]]> By: Marieke http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2401 Marieke Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:13:11 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2401 When I look at the logo, I feel that the Olympic rings are "falling off" the logo and can not carry the weight of the fat lettering in the final logo. When I look at the logo, I feel that the Olympic rings are “falling off” the logo and can not carry the weight of the fat lettering in the final logo.

]]> By: Jason Jewett (moshi creative) http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2350 Jason Jewett (moshi creative) Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:04:21 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2350 I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis of the Transformer logo, John. However, I feel the official logo fails for similar reasons. True, it's Russian, wintry and today . . . but it does nothing to speak to the host city. According to Wikipedia ('cause hey, what do I know?), Sochi is a popular resort town on the Black Sea near the Caucasus mountains. If it's not an instantly recognizable city, then shouldn't that host city logo educate or at least inform a little of its surroundings/history/landmarks/etc.? I'm not suggesting the "low-hanging" fruit version of this logo (mountains and reflection), but when viewing logos from previous host cities (Squaw Valley '60, Innsbruck '64, Turin '06), it seems there is just a bit more thought put into them (see some examples <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/08/01/sports/20080802_TORCH_GRAPHIC.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>). Indeed, it's a great Russian 2014 winter Olympics logo . . . just a miserable Sochi 2014 winter Olympics logo . . . imo. I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis of the Transformer logo, John. However, I feel the official logo fails for similar reasons.

True, it’s Russian, wintry and today . . . but it does nothing to speak to the host city.

According to Wikipedia (’cause hey, what do I know?), Sochi is a popular resort town on the Black Sea near the Caucasus mountains. If it’s not an instantly recognizable city, then shouldn’t that host city logo educate or at least inform a little of its surroundings/history/landmarks/etc.? I’m not suggesting the “low-hanging” fruit version of this logo (mountains and reflection), but when viewing logos from previous host cities (Squaw Valley ’60, Innsbruck ’64, Turin ’06), it seems there is just a bit more thought put into them (see some examples here).

Indeed, it’s a great Russian 2014 winter Olympics logo . . . just a miserable Sochi 2014 winter Olympics logo . . . imo.

]]> By: Maria http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2349 Maria Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:58:17 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2349 I had a talk about this logo with an older gentleman from Poland. He immediately said, "ah — that — is Russia" to the official logo without me saying which one it was, and he asked if the other one had been for the games in Nagano! Go figure. There's something to this logo that will resonate with a vast amount of people. While the firebird logo is frankly beautiful, it is not strong, and by strong I mean masculine, forceful, cold and bold. And that is what Russia sees itself as and needs to be seen as. I had a talk about this logo with an older gentleman from Poland. He immediately said, “ah — that — is Russia” to the official logo without me saying which one it was, and he asked if the other one had been for the games in Nagano! Go figure.

There’s something to this logo that will resonate with a vast amount of people.

While the firebird logo is frankly beautiful, it is not strong, and by strong I mean masculine, forceful, cold and bold. And that is what Russia sees itself as and needs to be seen as.

]]> By: Heather K. http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2348 Heather K. Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:20:15 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2348 I liked the first logo at first glance. It looks like an Olympic logo. A generic Olympic logo. For an Olympic games that are happening in 2014, the second logo does it for me. Granted, I wasn't excited when I heard that sochi.ru didn't send you to the Olympic games, but now it does. It feels more current, and if you look at the site with Olympic logo archives, the sochi.ru one fits in with its modern feel. (The London 2012 one is awful. Really bad.) Also, I'm not a fan of the triangles. I get it . . . they represent snow/ice. But it looks like a Tetris game or 5th-grade geometry homework. I liked the first logo at first glance. It looks like an Olympic logo. A generic Olympic logo.

For an Olympic games that are happening in 2014, the second logo does it for me. Granted, I wasn’t excited when I heard that sochi.ru didn’t send you to the Olympic games, but now it does. It feels more current, and if you look at the site with Olympic logo archives, the sochi.ru one fits in with its modern feel. (The London 2012 one is awful. Really bad.)

Also, I’m not a fan of the triangles. I get it . . . they represent snow/ice. But it looks like a Tetris game or 5th-grade geometry homework.

]]> By: Ankur Sethi http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2344 Ankur Sethi Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:16:07 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2344 I like the one with the leaves. I like the one with the leaves.

]]> By: Peter McWade http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2335 Peter McWade Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:12:59 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2335 To me the logo must represent, not just grab. The chosen one does represent Russia. The snowflakes, or what I see as ice, represent it well, too. Cold, sharp, edgy, clean, fresh, and new. This IS Russia today. But still keeps its heritage intact. I like it. Go have a look at past logos. Pete :-) To me the logo must represent, not just grab. The chosen one does represent Russia. The snowflakes, or what I see as ice, represent it well, too. Cold, sharp, edgy, clean, fresh, and new. This IS Russia today. But still keeps its heritage intact.

I like it. Go have a look at past logos.

Pete :-)

]]> By: Jennifer P. http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/12/the-soul-of-the-empire/comment-page-2/#comment-2333 Jennifer P. Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:15:01 +0000 http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/?p=2586#comment-2333 Isn't a logo supposed to grab you like an electric punch? The chosen Sochi logo still doesn't do a thing for me. Isn’t a logo supposed to grab you like an electric punch? The chosen Sochi logo still doesn’t do a thing for me.

]]>