The Occasional Design Disaster

Every once in a while, a design goes horribly awry. Sometimes it is a lack of planning and sometimes it is just simply miscommunication. We don't make a point of being negative on this blog but there has been a great deal of controversy lately about two huge design undertakings. I'd love to know everyone's thoughts!

The London 2012 Logo

©London2012.com

The London 2012 logo has made headlines around the globe, generally evoking shock and horror amongst designers. Ever the optimist, I'm looking for someone who can point out the good in this design. Personally, I'm not sure there's anything that's working for it. Even the type is somewhat bizarre. I simply don't know what to make of it, but my initial reaction is much like that of everyone else: confusion. Generally, when doing identity work, confusion is not the emotion you're looking to evoke.



The IKEA Verdana Fiasco

©www.idsgn.org

Needless to say, this controversy has made huge waves in the design community, particularly amongst the typophiles. It even made Time magazine. The short story is that, after twenty years of using a custom designed Futura face (IKEA Sans), IKEA suddenly changed its identity to use an off-the-shelf screen face, Verdana. So, what do you think? Love the logo? Identify with IKEA's new look?