The massive emblem debate
We recently saw the launch of two major event logos – the 2028 LA Olympics and the 2025 Osaka Expo. Identities have been both mocked and hailed – here we examine why logos are causing such a heated debate and what they're about express our relationship with design
Last week, the logo for the LA Olympics in 2028 was released. With most of this year's events – including the Tokyo 2020 Games – canceled or postponed, in eight years an identity for one event has been met with a surprising amount of excitement.
But then the release of a new Olympics logo – or indeed a major new rebranding – always leads to a lot of online debate. While many key design pieces don't pique the interest of anyone outside the industry, logo design, especially in the age of social media, seems to be just the thing for a much wider audience.
The LA Olympics brand quickly followed in the footsteps of another logo that has become widely known in recent weeks: the Osaka Expo 2025 identity that caught the eye with its googly eyes. Or does it show jumping red blobs, tomatoes or a scrunchie? The online jury is out. What is clear is that having a logo for another event happening many years into the future has distracted us enough from the disastrous state of today's world to spark much discussion. It even got someone to reproduce it in the form of baked goods, which is certainly the highest form of compliment a logo can be given today.
However, the possibility of logos being cut through like this can be uncomfortable for the design industry. While most would realize that having design work recognized by the general public is a rare treat, it can also prove to be a nuisance. One of the prevailing narratives from the industry is the irritation that entire brand identities, with all the research and strategies behind them, can simply be reduced to the logo.