Designers Rip Into The New $5 Note
The new $5 note has received a lashing the past 24 hours.
Yesterday, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) revealed the design of the $5 note pending its official release on September 1 this year.
But not everyone is loving it. Within hours of the RBA release, articles popped up around the interwebs parodying the design. Below is the new note, sans parodies.
News.com.au called it ‘vomit like’ – referencing social media posts – and Pedestrian.TV pulled together the numerous photoshopped fivers that are circulating. It’s garnered so much traction online The Guardian opened a thread for its audience to have their say. And it’s been picked up overseas by The Telegraph in the UK and New Zealand’s stuff.co.nz.
Not everyone abolishes the design – this journo liked it – but it’s hard to ignore the scornful comments coming from social media. Some designers too aren’t pleased with it, labelling it a “wasted opportunity”, a late April Fool’s joke and rendering it ‘design-by-committee’.
True, we do not have the brief for the design, so the comments are coming purely from an observational viewpoint. B&T understands the design was from a culmination of work from internal and external designers, with work from RBA’s printing company Note Printing Australia. The RBA selected one design from three and a preferred designer to refine the note.
Still, that hasn’t stopped Jaid Hulsbosch, director at design agency Hulsbosch, from quipping it’s like a late April Fool’s joke.
“I believe the Next Generation $5 note is very embarrassing for Australian design,” he told B&T.
“It unfortunately does not set a new standard; this was a great opportunity to create a design hallmark that reflected Australia’s ambitions and enterprise for the future.”
“I think the Queen looks like the rest of us feel,” remarked Graham Barton, creative director at design and branding agency Folk.
“They’re not great are they?”
Both Barton and Jennifer Segail, managing director and founder at design agency Jam&Co, agree it looks like ‘design-by-committee’ – a colloquialism for an idea that has many designers but no clear concept.
“You need to have focus otherwise the design can become confused and complicated which I think is what has happened here,” said Segail. “My opinions are purely based on what I see in front of me, but understand that the brief and the process would have played a major role in this rather disappointing outcome.”
Barton added it was “grasping at prickly straws”.
“It’s commendable to retain a distinctly Australian signature, resisting the temptation to simply gravitate to another’s visual style – be it drop-shadowy-Americana or Euro-minimalism,” he said.
But, if this is reflective of a nation, it’s unsurprising it’s getting paid out so much.
While the RBA said the note was designed to maintain the similar elements of the original $5, so as not to confuse people, Jam&Co’s Segail begs to differ.
“I believe it has been a wasted opportunity,” she said. “Surely we, Australia, should be able to update and modernise a $5 note quite dramatically without confusing people who are pulling notes from their wallets.”
Dan Ratner, managing director from design agency uberbrand believed the design was a missed opportunity to celebrate Aussie icon Fred Hollows.
“While there is a definite place for Queen Elizabeth in our currency, the five dollar note presents a great chance to showcase a true Australian hero who championed tirelessly to restore sight to those in need,” he said.
“There’s even a petition to ‘Put Fred on the Fiver’ instead of the current Parliament House image.”
And the actual design elements of the note are questioned.
“The complete mix match of images, lack of element hierarchy, and overall feeling of design confusion makes us look like we don’t know who we are,” said Segail.
“The overall artwork lacks simplicity and consistency – two critical principles for any iconic design,” put in Hulsbosch.
“It’s an over-complicated vision that results in a contradictory layout with a battle of detail versus graphic elements. You can’t have both. From the Queen’s head and on the reverse side Parliament House; the overwrought detailing fights wildly with interpretative graphics of the Prickly Moses wattle and the Easters Spinebill.”
Still, the ‘tactile’ element introduced to make the note easier to distinguish for those with visual impairments is to be applauded, added Hulsbosch.
And yet Folk’s Barton said the practicalities have overpowered the aesthetics.
“Clearly, practicality has been prioritised over aesthetics,” he said. “Assisting the vision impaired and foiling forgers. Which is difficult to argue against. But not impossible.”
Please login with linkedin to comment
$5 note Advertising Standards Bureau Blis Media customer fatigue reserve bank of australiaLatest News
The Mars Agency Announces Latest Findings Of Retail Media Report Card
The Mars Agency has developed a scorecard that assesses the capabilities of leading platforms across key criteria required to optimally plan, execute, and measure effective retail media programs. The scorecard aims To help brands efficiently evaluate their spending options across retail media networks in Australia (and New Zealand). With spending on retail media advertising in […]
‘It’s The Lesser Of Two Evils’ – NRL Eyes US Betting Market As Aussie Regulators Circle
US betting firms will be delighted by the circa 50,000 Americans who could soon watch the NRL on their favourite app.
A-League In Deep Discussions With New Partner To Keep Games On TV After Production Company Enters Administration
The A-League's insatiable appetite for scoring own goals continues.
TV Ratings (27/03/2024): Jungle Members At War Over Concealed Lipstick
A heated argument between two jungle members did the numbers for Ten last night, with I’m A Celeb obtaining a total national reach of 1,282,000. Fans were delighted as Candice Warner and influencer Skye Wheatley got into it over a stick of lipstick, leading Warner to dub the Instagram star “selfish.” Wheatley, best known for […]
Is The Australian Music Industry In Trouble? Inquiry Launched Following Splendour Cancellation
Earlier this week, an inquiry was launched into the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Australian live music industry in the wake of multiple festival cancellations. On 25 March 2024, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Tony Burke MP, asked the Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into and report on the […]
Liana Dubois, Leandro Perez, Aimee Buchanan & More Gather For Inaugural Compadres Leadership Event
Didn't get the invite? Perhaps you're not as important as you thought.
Cathay Captures The Unforgettable Thrill Of Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Via Publicis
Nobody does rugby like Hong Kong, apparently. Certainly nobody does it as badly as Australia.
Cocogun Nabs Christine Watts, Kirsty Reynolds & Shev Tan Bolstering Management & Creative Teams
Cocogun bolsters its team with new hires. Committed to purchasing a bigger sofa, too.
The Media Store’s Jacquie Alley & Sam Cousins Take The Plunge With Pro-Bono Work For Cure Cancer
B&T chats with The Media Store bosses about their great pro-bono work and sponsored swim.
Hawke’s Brewing Co. Taps Rocket Comms For PR Agency Following Competitive Pitch
We're expecting Rocket Comms productivity to crash in spectacular fashion following this win.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Patties Serves Up A Taste Of Home For Olympians & South Sydney Rabbitohs Recommit To Gambling Reform
While the Rabbitohs commits to gambling reform, B&T reckons the team should commit to a decent auto sponsor.
Google: “Inevitable” That Bad Actors Will Abuse Ads Platform As Advertiser Account Suspensions Double
Google maintains it's simply impossible for it to entirely stop bad people placing & paying for ads using its service.
Quantcast Expands APAC Sales Team With Appointment Of News Corp Account Manager
No pressure at all when you are appointed as a client success manager.
Publicis Sapient Tests Microsoft-Powered Gen AI Search Tool With Homes & Villas By Marriott Bonvoy
Given Gen AI's record for mangling stuff, B&T cannot see the problem with letting it decide your next holiday digs.
Volkswagen & DDB Group’s “Roo Badge” To Reduce Kangaroo Related Road Collisions
Watch out for RooBadge as Cannes Lions' most debated campaign this year.
Twilio Launches Unified Profiles & Agent Copilot Features To Boost Productivity & Engagement
Agent Copilot sounds like James Bond's less interesting cousin.
Reebok & Honda Among New Clients For onetwo agency
OneTwo finally lives up to its name with this double billing.
Ogilvy Report: Throw Out The Social Strategy Rule Book, The Rules Of The Past No Longer Apply
B&T was puzzled that all 'influencers' aren't, effectively, 'virtual', but here we are.
WhiteGREY & AKQA Merge In Australia, Lee Simpson Departs
Fortunately, the combined agencies aren't opting for a trite portmanteau for the new name.
Splendour In The Grass 2024 Music Festival Cancelled!
Music fans all over the country reportedly relieved they can pack away their rain coats and gumboots for another year.
TV Ratings (26/03/2024): “Fairy Bread, F***ing Disgusting”: Gordon Ramsay Slams Aussie Food In Food Stars Launch
Ramsay not one for mincing his words, even when it comes to minced meat pies.
Paramount+ International Boss Doubles Down On Aussie Content, Says Ad-Tier will Grow Audiences And Revenue
Good news as Paramount will not be binning I’m A Celebrity for re-runs of Frasier.
Brent Smart: Telstra Pushing For 50-50 Brand-Performance Split But Warns Numbers ‘Won’t Look Great’ Initially
The old brand vs performance debate continues. But here, Brent is firmly sitting on the fence.
Crowded House, Tones And I & Dom Dolla Win Big At The Shure Rolling Stone Music Awards
B&T staffer reports back with humdinger of a hangover & feeling seriously uncool after mixing with music types.
Opinion: Dyslexia “A Hidden Gem” For Brands & Agencies
Dyslexics offer underappreciated benefits in the corporate field, according to this op-ed.
David Jones Taps Criteo To Power Online Retail Media Arm
Want to see ads for things you probably can't afford? David Jones has got you covered with new retail media play.
oOh!media Sets Up Team To Target Business Audiences Across Airports & Offices
oOh! wants brands to harass you every minute of your next business trip.
QMS Launches Australian First DOOH & TV Partnership With Samba TV
Samba TV, of course, is not a channel dedicated to dancing. Much to our dismany.
Slew Of New Hires At Amplify
Four new faces join the Amplify offices. Team say desk scarcity becoming "acute".
Adobe Announces Content Authenticity Initiative Expansions To Counter Deep Fakes
Try as they might to enlighten them, we suspect Trump supporters will continue to watch and believe Fox News.
The PR Group Appoints TechCrunch Senior Reporter Catherine Shu As Director Of Content & Media
Catherine Shu makes the bold leap from journalism to PR. Says inevitable pay bump was "unrelated".
HERO Nabs Ebony Santin From AMPR
Rumours Santin cleared out the stationery cupboard before departing are as yet unconfirmed.
Karena Noble Checks Out Of EVT Hotels & Resorts To Launch Comms Consultancy
Noble still managed to squeezed in a continental breakfast before departing.
Canva Acquires Design Platform Affinity To Bring Professional Design Tools To Every Organisation
Canva & Adobe face off continues. We're not picking sides but keenly aware that Canva's office is next door to ours.
“Lean On Our Team To Help You Find An Audience”: Why Understanding Audience Engagement Is Essential In Journalism
Engaging the audience is critical to journos, apparently. We'd thought self-loathing & alcoholism were key.
Adobe Summit: Major Gen AI Developments, Data Concessions & Partnerships
What happens in Vegas stays there. Unless it's the Adobe Summit and then you get to read about in B&T.