Creatives lament uninspiring Commonwealth Games logo

The new Gold Coast Commonwealth Games logo has been touted as a confused and uninspiring visual representation of the upcoming international sporting event by the Australian branding community.

The emblem, designed by WiteKite and unveiled today at Broadwater Parklands, features a spoked wheel of colour showcasing the silhouettes of different athletes.

Commonwealth Games Minister Jann Stuckey said the Games emblem captured the essence of the Gold Coast and what the Commonwealth Games was all about.

“The emblem has been inspired by the Gold Coast’s stunning beach side location, its iconic skyline, and the colours are representative of the coast, the hinterland and the celebratory atmosphere which is synonymous with the region,” Stuckey said.

But the broader creative community is unimpressed. Creative director at M&C Saatchi’s branding agency Re, Jason Little, believes the brand is a forgettable pastiche of existing sporting logos.

“Although a visually appealing piece of design, this follows the tried and tested formula for a sports event and Olympic identities. It uses rainbow colours, paintbrush type, athletes doing their thing. If you look at the Olympic logo from 2000 from Sydney it’s in the same ilk but a bit modernised.

“This is exactly spot on with what I would expect for such events, in that it neither intrigues nor offends anyone.

“It’s a shame. I don’t think it’s a brave approach, I don’t think it does anything different and I certainly don’t think it will be memorable.”

Landor ECD Mike Staniford told B&T he thought the execution was messy and unresolved.

“My first impression was that there seems to be a confusion of ideas going on in this. It seems to be some kind of sun but then there is a building and then the athletes overlaid on it. For me the level of design and execution is quite poor and really quite throwaway," said Staniford.

Staniford believes the organsiations involved in the logo’s creation could have much more effectively capitalised on their opportunity to promote the Gold Coast on the global stage.

“The Gold Coast has done a lot recently to get its own identity in shape. It’s a major, major opportunity for the Gold Coast – a huge event – and I think it could have been marked by something more distinctive and more profound.

“I think it could have been designed with stronger aesthetics, a stronger idea and a stronger execution.”

What do you think of the new Commonwealth Games logo? Leave your comments in the discussion box at the end of this article.

GOLDOC Chairman Nigel Chamier OAM said the emblem was a result of months of research and development.

“Market research was undertaken to unpack the deeper emotional factors which define the Gold Coast as a place, and those that define the Commonwealth Games specifically,” Chamier said.

“Local focus group workshops were held and we then defined the Games core proposition before engaging brand and design company WiteKite to develop the artwork.

“GOLDOC believes the emblem is an outstanding reflection of community sentiment and broader perception of the Gold Coast and its role as host city for the Commonwealth Games.”

The emblem has also received praise from the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, HRH Tunku Imran of Malaysia.

“I’m delighted with the emblem. I feel it captures perfectly the warmth, the energy, the fun and the vibrancy of the Gold Coast and Queensland and represents everything the Commonwealth is looking forward to in 2018,” Prince Imran said.

The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games commence on 4 April, 2018.

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