Is wenlock and mandeville names that should mean something? Maybe it's an england thing?
Mandeville sounds like a 60's car/blender brand. Maybe it's just man devil. (Go get them christian fanatics!)
My guess is that it was supposed to be Hemlock and Man Devil since the emotion that those things would strike in a human being are very similar to the emotion the mascot designs do, but somewhere along the line a person with a fraction of sense stepped in and named it something totally different.
So here we have a forum frequented by some exceptionally talented but unemployed artists who are working their asses of trying to find a job, and someone gets paid for producing this crap.
It's a cruel world.
I've spent time looking at them to try and see their appeal, but they just look so bad. Mascots often are of questionable appeal but one can usually appreciate why some people might like them. These just seem like an afterthought, and I'm guessing a very expensive afterthought.
ouch, those look like one of my characters from my grade 10 skills canada animation. and that logo....christ. oh well Im sure it'll still be an awesome event
I think it's a matter of either overdesigning too many executive fingers in the creative pot....
how do you design something that encompasses the olympic spirit AND the spirit of the host nation... while at the same time not offending anyone and trying to appeal to everyone's tastes? You go batshit abstract.
You get bland formless crap and someone will probably pick it apart anyways.
Think a danish or finnish newspaper accused the sasquatch character for vancouver of being pedo bear or something like that.
I don't doubt that the designers were skilled or experienced... but I think we've all had at least one well dressed thumb in our creative pie at one point or another.
Sir knight probably has it right, design by commitee often spells the death of creativity. They cant be racist cause theyre silver, they cant be sexist cause theyre blobs, they cant be politically incorrect cause they arent really people. Still its pretty crap, couldve made the mascots the queens corgi dogs in cartoon form or something, that would have been nice.
The Beijing ones are scary too in their own way....especially after you've seen their 3D versions.
I think the brit ones are just a big joke and the designers are just laughing their asses off. I mean first the logo that looks like you know what and now this hehe
WTF just watched that vid. Shit London has some good fucking drugs over there.
On a side note wtf is that logo suppose to be? I totally saw the "inappropriate" one right away when I looked at it but what was there intention for it to be?
was that for London too? I'd be pretty disappointed if they choose the current ones over this...
So well done, I always love the character Andy puts in his stylized humans.
the stupid Vancouver ones were designed to appeal to asian tourists but who the F*** are these supposed to attract? the Calgary 88 mascots were the best,
oh and pixar should totally sue their asses.
I couldnt figure it out straight away, I assumed it was something to do with islands being cut out and joining together, the top left shape kind of resembles the shape of great britain (in a totally abstract and awkward way).
The other 3 chunks dont really resemble anything though.
So I googled it, it actually says "2012". No clue what the purpose of that square in the middle is. "20-1-2"?
"The new design, which cost £400,000, has received a mixed response, but Lord Coe was adamant it put across the image and message that he wanted the London Games to deliver to the world.
"It's not a logo, it's a brand that will take us forward for the next five years," he told BBC Five Live."
"When people see the new brand, we want them to be inspired to make a positive change in their life.
The brand, designed by Wolff Ollins, has been targeted at the young people the organisers hope will get involved.
"This is an iconic brand that sums up what London 2012 is all about - an inclusive, welcoming and diverse Games that involves the whole country.
It takes our values to the world beyond our shores, acting both as an invitation and an inspiration."
"This is not just a marketing logo, but a symbol that will become familiar, instantly recognisable and associated with our Games in so many ways during the next five years."
I thought it was a map of some sorts at first (north and south america on the left, europe as the square, and asia and africa. Didn't see the 2012 thing at all.
the mandeville one appears to have been sculpted with arseless chaps on....am I right, or might need to see a specialist about what my mind makes connections to?
They could have a little olympic rings animation that spirals out of his monocle. C'mon, Britain, it's not that hard to stereotype yourself for the amusement of the rest of the world.
Replies
Says it all
Some 'top quality super respected team of elite graphic designers' amirite?
I'm ashamed that my home country is producing this crap to promote a worldwide event.
It's like the logo shambles.... and a warning here if you haven't seen it yet... once you see this you won't 'unsee' it:
http://www.whydidigowrong.co.uk/2007/06/05/lisa-simpson-and-the-london-olympics-2012-logo/
EDIT: P.I.G beat me to it!
I think you need to look at the London mascots again and retract your comment.
Pedobear > Wenlock and Mandeville
Wenlock and fucking Mandeville... I mean seriously... wtf?
Mandeville sounds like a 60's car/blender brand. Maybe it's just man devil. (Go get them christian fanatics!)
My guess is that it was supposed to be Hemlock and Man Devil since the emotion that those things would strike in a human being are very similar to the emotion the mascot designs do, but somewhere along the line a person with a fraction of sense stepped in and named it something totally different.
I don't think I ever heard one person say "i like that logo" for the olympics and yet it stayed
I am raged.
It deserves to be seen by all!
oh wait there it is!
The vancouver ones are still the best imo:
name of the town that is the inspiration for the modern olympics and the other is something to do with the paralympics
should have been three lions though
It's a cruel world.
I've spent time looking at them to try and see their appeal, but they just look so bad. Mascots often are of questionable appeal but one can usually appreciate why some people might like them. These just seem like an afterthought, and I'm guessing a very expensive afterthought.
[ame]
3 Lions?? wouldnt that be a bit too nationalistic.
how do you design something that encompasses the olympic spirit AND the spirit of the host nation... while at the same time not offending anyone and trying to appeal to everyone's tastes? You go batshit abstract.
You get bland formless crap and someone will probably pick it apart anyways.
Think a danish or finnish newspaper accused the sasquatch character for vancouver of being pedo bear or something like that.
I don't doubt that the designers were skilled or experienced... but I think we've all had at least one well dressed thumb in our creative pie at one point or another.
on the other hand very few Olympic mascots were actually good.
china's mascots were awesome. very cute, very chinese with a global appeal and utilising the olympic colours.
I can just imagine the kind of ridiculous feedback the designers had to work with
A cyclops? comon now...
[ame]
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?t=078700
I think the brit ones are just a big joke and the designers are just laughing their asses off. I mean first the logo that looks like you know what and now this hehe
On a side note wtf is that logo suppose to be? I totally saw the "inappropriate" one right away when I looked at it but what was there intention for it to be?
was that for London too? I'd be pretty disappointed if they choose the current ones over this...
So well done, I always love the character Andy puts in his stylized humans.
the stupid Vancouver ones were designed to appeal to asian tourists but who the F*** are these supposed to attract? the Calgary 88 mascots were the best,
oh and pixar should totally sue their asses.
I couldnt figure it out straight away, I assumed it was something to do with islands being cut out and joining together, the top left shape kind of resembles the shape of great britain (in a totally abstract and awkward way).
The other 3 chunks dont really resemble anything though.
So I googled it, it actually says "2012". No clue what the purpose of that square in the middle is. "20-1-2"?
Some quotes from this article; http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/olympics_2012/6718243.stm
"The new design, which cost £400,000, has received a mixed response, but Lord Coe was adamant it put across the image and message that he wanted the London Games to deliver to the world.
"It's not a logo, it's a brand that will take us forward for the next five years," he told BBC Five Live."
"When people see the new brand, we want them to be inspired to make a positive change in their life.
The brand, designed by Wolff Ollins, has been targeted at the young people the organisers hope will get involved.
"This is an iconic brand that sums up what London 2012 is all about - an inclusive, welcoming and diverse Games that involves the whole country.
It takes our values to the world beyond our shores, acting both as an invitation and an inspiration."
"This is not just a marketing logo, but a symbol that will become familiar, instantly recognisable and associated with our Games in so many ways during the next five years."
Well it definitely is instantly recognisable
I prefer this one though;
yep, that its going to be shit
logo is shit though I agree
+1
I have to quit games and get into this kind of shit.
I think the london olympic artist are fine ...
even these guys are not one who decide what kind of mascot
they animating ...
Seriously???
It looks like someone pocketed £3 999 900, and got primary school students to do it for cookies and popsicles
They could have a little olympic rings animation that spirals out of his monocle. C'mon, Britain, it's not that hard to stereotype yourself for the amusement of the rest of the world.
[ame]