Vista Group analyzes the new Auckland A
The Vista Group reconvened yesterday for the first time in several months and, over vegetable risotto and chorizo pasta, addressed the topic of local government and advertising, prompted by the launch of a new logo for Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Being a Wellington-based group, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to put the boot into Auckland’s new logo (and we’re going to take the Ranfurly Shield off them tomorrow as well):
- Frayed around the edges, just like Auckland.
- Like a chair losing its stuffing after years of being scratched by the cat, just like Auckland.
- Like a building under demolition, just like Auckland.
Magazine publisher and font designer Jack Yan went anal over the letters U and N. We ordered him extra chorizo to calm him down. We then put on our white hats to find something positive to say:
- Like a building under construction, a work in progress, just like Auckland.
- We liked the Asian Pacific feel of the colours.
- We liked the printed jandals.
City self promotion is regarded sceptically at best by many. I was on a board some years ago which initiated a revamp of the successful Absolutely Positively Wellington campaign, only to fall foul of petty parochialism among Wellington’s assorted mayoralties. (We only need one, but for some reason we have 4 plus a regional council). The dumbest response was that we should rename Wellington so that their glorified suburb could promote itself separately. I hope Auckland doesn’t suffer from the same problem, but it doesn’t look likely.
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September 19th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Interesting to hear everyone’s thoughts on the logo.
I have to admit I don’t really understand the idea behind Auckland A, so I am looking at it from a purely typographic point of view.
It would be very interesting to read the initial brief to the designers.
September 19th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Absolubtely Positively Wellington was a gem as it worked on the social image of the people who lived their (everyone wants to be perceived as positive), whilst helping position Wellington as a place full of positivity, vibe & things to do & see. A big A is just asking for trouble, especially because most of the rest of the country consider Aucklanders to be a bunch of A_______s(just repeating the saying, I was born there so can’t be too condeming). I hope there is more to it than that, is it still the city of sails or is it just about sales now?
September 19th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
that would be lived there
September 29th, 2008 at 1:25 am
And Nathan, I am right about the U and the N, yes? No way is the U the same width as an N—as it is now, it appears wider (though mathematically it is not). This is the problem when you hand a logo to a designer with no type design experience.
Jim, you were being very diplomatic over what I actually said!
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:01 am
Hi Jack,
Yes, I think you are right about the U and N. Typographically there seem to be a number of issues with the logo. But who knows maybe that was in the brief