Australia has chosen the yellow wattle as the new national logo.
The logo shakeup was revealed by The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday morning, which had obtained a report on the matter from Australia’s Nation Brand Advisory Council.
“Australia is internationally popular for its friendly people and natural beauty. However, there is room to improve perceptions around our business capability. There is an opportunity to increase foreign investment if we can strengthen awareness of our products and services overseas,” the report said.
“We love our kangaroo — it is currently the most internationally recognised shortcut to Australia. But we considered whether it would shift perceptions of our nation, or simply reinforce what people already knew about us.”
The report suggests the new logo will help promote Australia’s lesser-known assets, such as technology and education.
In a statement to 2GB, trade minister Simon Birmingham said the new logo is not the end of the kangaroo.
“The Morrison Government remains 100 per cent committed to the Australian Made Kangaroo and is providing $5 million to increase its recognition.
“Kangaroos will continue to be a key part of Australia’s marketing and logos from our Air Force to our tourism campaigns, our national airline and our sporting teams.
“The Nation Brand developed by Australian business leaders will simply seek to bring some consistency in how different government agencies, industry bodies, states and territories present themselves at international trade shows and similar events.”
The new wattle-inspired logo will directly replace the current Australia Unlimited logo, which depicts two boomerangs creating an outline of Australia (see below).
the response so far
Having only been unveiled this morning, the logo has already drawn widespread criticism.
“It’s terrible! Bring back the kangaroo,” radio presenter Ben Fordham said during his show on Wednesday.
But perhaps the logo’s largest problem was pointed out by Liberal MP Mark Coure.
“I can’t believe they have changed the Australian made logo to look like this, it looks like a virus,” Coure said on Twitter.
“I will be writing to the Australia’s Nation Brand Advisory Council & Trade Minister @Birmo to reinstate the Kangaroo!”
Another Twitter user suggested: “It looks like a defective Christmas bauble.”
“It looks like we are talking about the element Gold from the periodic table,” another added.
