Have membership graphics been chosen?
The controversial new look and feel of the CIA has been compared to designs that emerged from the culture of electronic music. This is the latest example of club style visuals appearing in unexpected places. We are investigating whether it is a hostile takeover or the natural order of things
With the coronavirus pandemic refusing to give up its control of the world, the live events industry in many countries continues to be in a state of stasis. Despite the obvious nightlife challenges, talk of a new underground space surfaced just days after the start of the New Year after a fancy picture surfaced. However, the date in the corner of the picture didn't refer to a kick-off night for a club – it was instead the moment when the Central Intelligence Agency would unveil a new look.
The repackaged website and tone of the CIA led to comparisons with the tweaked language and promises offered by ad agency websites and content houses. However, it was his visual identity that was filled with futuristic 3D linear visualizations and chunky typography that sparked ridicule from the design community and beyond. A new additional logo that looked familiar to fans of Peter Saville's topographic design for Joy Divison's Unknown Pleasures album drew endless comparisons to electronic music festivals. Every facet was reminiscent of the images that routinely appear on secret fly-in-the-fly posters in cities, promoting nightlife events. Meanwhile, the new website features an outlined type similar to the Crack Magazine cover font, and additional designs reminiscent of LED lighting used on blingy logos for clubland.
The redesign marked a new recruiting offensive for “people of all backgrounds and walks of life” – an advance that largely explains this unexpected approach to visual language, which distances itself from archaic bureaucracy and negative perceptions of US security and intelligence operations. A CIA spokesman told the New York Times that the new look "is designed to attract talented applicants and provide a modern, relatable experience."
Above: 3D pattern used on the new CIA website. Above: the new logo of the CIA
The CIA reshuffle received significant attention – not surprisingly for an organization this size that took such a move – much of it negative. "I just think it's so badly designed – I'm just repeating the CIA on the margins. It looks like a student did it, or at least someone who doesn't understand why – let's call them" techno graphics "- looks the way he does," says Ian Anderson, who runs Sheffield-based studio The Designers Republic is known for his logos and album art for musicians such as warp artists Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and Autechtre. it's a terrible logo. I mean, it doesn't affect what the CIA is. It's a bit like banks are deciding to get a little funky. That's fine, but at the core I want a bank to be reliable, and I don't want my bank manager to be the guy standing next to me at an Autechre gig – I want him to be pretty boring, but really good at managing my account. "