New WGA Logo Referendum, Round 2

[sandlanders]

Anyone can find similarities in any design to some other design. The block letters look like Washington’s logo (but I think the Wisconsin one is more compact and has more impact) and the stylized “g” looks like so many other logos that happen to use the small letter “g”, including a new one that Google is using. (Can a stylized “w” and “a” be included to highlight the whole organization, not just the “g”?)

There was even a law suit about 10 years ago between Garth Brooks and Warren G over the same g logo, and then the former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell tried to use a small g, too.

“It’s always something”, so I say: The membership has given advice, the board will discuss the results and give reasons for which logo they choose (that’s why we elected them–to make decisions and take the flak), any necessary tweaking will be done (this isn’t a $$$$ advertising account), and we can all start using the new WGA logo on our cache pages, etc.

Let’s move on.

[kbraband]

@Da Bloodhound wrote:

You TOTALLY missed the point – but then I thought you might.

You’re trying to turn this into a personal confrontation. I won’t go there.

[PCFrog]

**insert emoticon of the frog eating popcorn?

[TyeDyeSkyGuy]

I too think there is nothing bold about the “stylized g” logo. Again, nothing against the artist, it’s just my personal opinion.

Now then, Dave’s design, the one that is similar to to the Washington logo, is very bold. Is it a copy? I dunno, shouldn’t we ask Dave?

It’s no secret that I like his design. I think it looks fantastic. I’d also guess that if we hired or found a volunteer graphic artist to “tweak” this design, we’d end up with something that maybe didn’t resemble the WA logo as much.

In the end, whichever design is chosen by the board, I’ll still be inserting it into my cache pages.

[seldom|seen]

I’ve given my share of input on this topic and referendum. We are at a crucial stage where the WGA needs to make a couple important decisions before any forward progress can be made. I am content to wait until they have time to make a well-vetted descision, but do hope that coming to those decisions doesn’t drag on for too long, resulting in a loss of whatever momentum we had in the spring when this logo ball started rolling.

[Da Bloodhound]

With Midwest Geobash and the West Bend events coming up over the next three weeks I wouldn’t look for any resolution on this topic any time soon.

I don’t think interest levels over a great looking logo are going to go away – perhaps just be put on a back burner temporarily.

But that’s OK.

😀

[greyhounder]

Work on our upcoming logo is still going on. This is no minor thing. Please be patient.

Bec

[Gusty Winds]

The logo revision, if it is to be done, is not a project to be rushed. There is no need to build a fire here while there are other fires to be tended. 🙂

[cheezehead]

Well, we DO have a logo that HAS worked for the last few years. So until then I guess it WILL STILL work. What’s the big deal anyhow? Why do we does the WGA NEED to pay a pro to touch up the final anyhow?

Once the new logo is done, there is a whole lot of cache pages that are going to have to be fixed also.

[Barry Butrymowicz]

Here is a idea for the next WGA coin

oops forgot to edit out the S

Barry of sweetlife

[Da Bloodhound]

Oh, now that’s SAD

But you are entitled to your opinion, even though I personally don’t agree with your negative point of view.

[Ry and Ny]

I think that the point was made a bit dramatically, but it is definitely a valid point that does point out the elephant in the room.

The fact is that we know Dave didn’t set out to copy another log. The fact also remains that our knowledge of this is irrelevant. It has nothing to do with the reality of the design, as brand identity is, by definition, about perception, and the perception of being derivative is not a good one to have.

Admins, feel free to delete from here on in if the following example violates the TOS here, but I do want to illustrate this point. London’s Office of Government Commerce spent $28,000 in designing their logo and branding pens, cups, ofice stuff, etc.. :

They got exactly what they wanted, a smooth, bold, clean look. What they also got that they didn’t intend was a matter of perception when the logo is turned on its side:

The point of this is not to get a chuckle or to offend anyone, it’s to demonstrate that intent is meaningless, and it doesn’t matter how vigorously you defend and attempt to validate the intent — in the end, when branding, all that matters is the perception that the logo carries — which, in fact, is the only reason to have a logo to start with.

[nohandsgps]

Ahh Yes perception. It was brought to my attention this past weekend that somebody thought I didn’t have hands (NoHandsGPS). I think I have to keep searchin’ for a product name. I might have to change my tag line as well. 🙂

*Good Luck WGA Board Members. It looks like you have another really big and important decision to make. Just remember you won’t please everybody, but we appreciate you reading our opinions.

[PCFrog]

Still looks good in all positions….

Sorry had to

Really I did

🙄

[Ry and Ny]

And that’s a good answer, PC Frog if you’re a fan of the current logo. I personally happen to agree with the people who think it should be updated, but I can respect your satisfaction with the status quo, even if again your demonstration was as much drama than actual statement just as the geocoin example was. Again, though, I think it’s a dated logo and it looks like it belongs on the wall of a Cracker Barrel, not in a current organization. Just my $0.02

I cannot support, however, the block text logo that won the contest. Again, it’s not a slam on the logo and in no way do I think it was designed as a copy, but again, a logo is about perception, not about intent, and the perception is that we will be copying Washington. It cannot be avoided and it cannot be defended successfully to those who do not know the designer. Period. Also, any revison of the logo has 3 groups to make an impression on. In order of importance, these are 1: The outside world that has no knowledge of geocaching; 2: The rest of the geocaching community and lastly 3: the membership of the WGA.

I don’t design logos for a living, but I work with them on a daily basis in the promotional products industry. I can assure you with the utmost confidence that the stylized “g” logo, outside of the half dozen people who have criticized it as “girly” or “not bold”, will be considered a bold (yes, bold) and modern, yet not trendy design that’s already designed perfectly for promotional materials from t-shirts and embroidered shirts to mugs and pens and print advertising. It’s sleek, it’s modern, it doesn’t involve a Nike-esque swoosh like 95% of logos do, and it carries the message of what we do.

As a professional in the business, not in the design side of things, but on the branding side of the issue, I think it’s almost silly that we had what is damn near a world-class logo dropped in our lap and it’s getting slammed for being “girly” and not “bold” enough. I wonder if some people even understand what “bold” means in branding terms.

There’s no need to hire anyone to tweak. We have a real-live logo that huge companies would kill to have an equivalent of that hinted at their business goals and we’re bickering over kiddie stuff.

[Author]

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