Design by community, creating the Auckland Council logo
Because I just moved from New Zealand back to Belgium* I’ve missed what I can only imagine was a grand unveiling of the Auckland super city logo competition, much to the shock and horror of designers from the Far North to Invercargill. No doubt cries of ‘bang-for-buck’ and ‘say to no to spec-work’ were bantered about, along with a considerable amount of cries of, ‘cool’. Indeed, my first chance encounter of the competition was an email from Louise asking if anyone wanted to tackle the subject in an article; my gut response was to attempt to find some positive takes on what I could only imagine to be the less favourable side of the coin: pro-community.
In a very poignant and timely press release, DINZ spoke really eloquently on our behalf. To summarise, it highlights the lack of consultation from the design community in regards to the competition itself, the lack of involvement of designers on the judging panel(!) and it discusses how the competition undermines the value of a strategic branding design process.
Interestingly enough, save this professional validation and the economics of such a big job in the capital of New Zealand’s creative community, we, as a collective probably wouldn’t ordinarily have such an issue with requesting real and honest creative input from the community. However this particular initiative feels both manipulative and tender.
As designers it’s easy for us to see the mechanics at work on both sides. There’s no real way to hide the fact that at its heart, this competition is part of a strategy to get locals to buy in to the super city concept. You can almost imagine the pitch in the suit, “If you get them to feel that they’ve helped create the look/feel… if you get them thinking about what the city means to them, they’ll feel more connected to the city and really take ownership.” On the other hand, this competition is one of many exercises to find out something real and beautiful, something we really respect as apart of contemporary design’s ethos; how Aucklanders define Auckland.
When New Zealanders around the country begin thinking of their neighborhood fitting into the city fitting into the region fitting into the nation, they’ll be thinking about it just like designers do. They’ll think in words, images, relationships and colours. There are few people who will read or hear about the call for entries who won’t stop for a second and think in design. Perhaps they’ll think more critically of their own town’s identity. Perhaps after they read the newspaper article, they’ll joke with a friend about how to symbolize Auckland without being cliche. Maybe they’re so familiar with the shape of Highway 1 that in their mind it becomes a line instead of a road.
These are each design processes that we, as designers, use readily. Each example is a nugget of ideas that can grow into substantial motifs. Although we’d like to sometimes pretend that these processes are exclusive to us as designers, they are actually open-source and applicable to any number of scenarios.
The greatest problem with the logo competition is not that the community is involved, but that we were not involved with the decision on how to involve and interact with the community. What’s done is done. Perhaps we should begin thinking of it now as 4 million or so people thinking about design. Maybe we should spare a thought for all of the school kids that will encounter this design problem as one of their assignments and maybe make a logo-toolkit for their teachers to use. Perhaps we should consider the people who doodle on napkins. (Designers sometimes do that as well!) Besides, even if you don’t want to admit it at the moment, a lot of us will put our designs in too. We’ll just be designing as part of the community instead of designing solely for it.
*Don’t worry, as everyone seems to ask, we’re permanent residents, so the inevitable move back to New Zealand will be an easy and painless process!
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On a different note, in regards to the design of the competition’s website, I can only hope that the use of a stock image of pens and scribbles (istockphoto file#: 1304229) and free vector ink splatter was ironic, when the competition uses phrases such as original and genuine.
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March 21
2012
February 20th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
complete joke really, but at the same time not surprising, auckland council has never been a “wow” organistaiton. more of a “wtf” one.
February 20th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
It is such a a catastrophic fail, I can not help but think that we (Graphic Designers) are partly responsible.
Also enjoyed the humorous debate on Public Address.
February 21st, 2010 at 12:41 pm
I really thought this looked like a competition for school children the way it was set up and advertised in the NZ Herald! You wouldn’t ask for someone to be a teacher and not be qualified – so why ask for a design from all and sundry ?
It is just typical of a council approach on the cheap – but lets spend lots of money on the Rugby World cup!!
February 21st, 2010 at 5:14 pm
I thought exactly the same thing Barbara *sigh* What are they thinking? Don’t they know most of us draw with Wacom pens rather than a selection of felt tip pens ;)
Seriously though… I’m trying really hard to understand why they may of taken this approach. And seeing as Auckland City’s latest re-brand cost anywhere from ($25,000 – $1,000,000) this does appear to be a more ‘cost effective and open’ way of doing things as well as trying to counter-act or prevent anymore controversial Auckland City Council’s brand similarities.
[ReQuote - DINZ Statement] “Auckland is home to many world class brand strategy and graphic design firms, many of whom consistently win awards. . . . Let’s not even mention what such a competition can potentially do to the credibility of design and our international reputation as a design led innovative nation.”
I completely agree, but maybe (dare I say it) Telecom’s re-brand has something to do with why they approach this they way they are. The initial feedback on Telecom’s branding exercise from the Design community and general public wasn’t the most positive either and that *was* done by one of New Zealand’s leading Design agencies.
At the end of the day, I don’t think you can please everyone, but I don’t think this is the right approach either. The *best* Designers/brand strategist are not going have the time, energy or patience to take this one seriously, are they?
February 21st, 2010 at 5:25 pm
I fail to see how this involves or promotes a community. If that is the goal get people thinking about how they can design and improve their direct local environment. But that goes against the whole super-city idea I guess.
And besides – whats wrong with the current (brand new) City Council logo anyway?
February 21st, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Maybe when the designers of the Telecom logo said it can be ‘whatever you want it to be’ they over-empowered the public eye?
I am stoked DINZ is showing such great leadership, looking forward to hearing Brian Richards on TVONE Breakfast tomorrow.
February 21st, 2010 at 9:33 pm
I agree that DINZ has to go into bat on this one, but there is also the risk that designers come out of this looking self-interested and reactive. What is crucial is that this situation is turned into an education campaign on why a logo is not just a pretty picture. The only reason that this can happen is that the public at large don’t really understand what a complex process good branding is. So lets see how Brian Richards handles this, and strategise from there.
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:11 am
It was great to see Brain Richards on TVONE Breakfast this morning, representing professional designers through DINZ.
He talked about the logo being the ‘door’ to the brand and the bigger picture of firstly creating a brand story.
He also pointed out that there is a lack of brief in this competition, we have been given no idea as to the strategy that should underpin the logo and what the essence of the Auckland Super City is or needs to be.
I do ike the idea of involving the community in the process, but I think it should be as a method of finding out what the essence of Auckland is.
Asking the community to design the logo undermines the years of education and experience that a professional graphic designer is working with when they come up with a ‘logo’. The moment of inspiration doesn’t come out of nowhere but from this total sum of the designers working and personal life experience spent looking through the eye of a designer at everything around them.
On another note, in a economic climate such as today, there are many qualified graphic designers out there that would have greatly benefited from such a contract and $10,000 worth of prizes just won’t cut it.
And why can’t we look to the Auckland Brand to represent the new Auckland Council? http://www.brandauckland.com/index.html
Some great interpretations of the brand have been created by illustatrors and artists such as Glennz and Penny Stotter.
http://www.brandauckland.com/the-brand-artists.html
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:39 am
On the one had – yes it’s almost kind of lazy that they take this approach.
But on the other hand – wouldn’t it otherwise be millions of our tax payer dollars forked out to an agency that might come up with something that could easily be just as bad.
They do really need designers on that panel.
February 22nd, 2010 at 8:52 am
follow the twitter conversation here
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=@hamish_keith
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:21 am
Scrabbling to justify your existence? Worried that your profession isn’t taken seriously? Looking for a way to express your frustration to the Auckland City Burghers? Try the free logo maker; plug in the brief and create hundreds of top-notch competition entries in minutes. No creativity required.
http://thefreelogomakers.com/free-services/free-logo-maker/
have fun!
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:35 am
Nice one James. Also here is the link to the Brian Richards commentary.
And I love this. Giraffe for Auckland’s Super City Logo!!!
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:14 am
You know what I think, I think the competition is a way to see what everyone wants on the logo. so when they choose a winner, the winner’s design will relate to many of the other designs submitted does that make sense. In a way it could be a clever way of seeing what is desired from everyone in the community. I’m pretty sure that if a kid wins the competition, their logo will be enhanced by a designer. The competition is probably mostly for ideas and visions. But I agree, a branding expert should AT LEAST be on the judging panel.
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:15 pm
It’s good to see that most people posting here have seen the competition as one to design a new Council logo (and not a brand for the city as DINZ and some other commentators seem to believe it is).
I agree the logo design job would be best done by a specialist, but in my experience it’s not uncommon for “design competitions” to be run for logo development projects (companies sometimes invite staff to participate in similar kinds of competitions, and then use that input to help brief a professional design company who may or may not build on those concepts). It’s hardly life-threatening surely.
In my view we’re running the risk making a big deal about something that would have been far better dealt with by DINZ face to face with the Auckland Transition Agency.
My personal feeling is that DINZ is beginning to look rather petulant and our design industry somewhat insecure and lacking in self belief and confidence.
Is it such a bad thing to ask stakeholders with or without formal design training to have a go? Do you really think this will undermine the value of high quality professional design work? Are designers the final arbiters of everything creative? I don’t think so.
The biggest threat to the profession is the poor quality of work produced by an increasing number of so called professional designers. It lowers peoples perception of the value and quality of good design, and limits the ability of the profession to make a strategic contribution to the national economy as a consequence.
That’s an issue I’d rather the industry (and design schools) talked about much more so than a logo competition that will no doubt be enjoyed by many schools and students, and even the odd design company, for a couple of weeks in an entire lifetime.
February 23rd, 2010 at 11:24 am
Are they smart, cheap, or just dumb?
First we had the new flag debate, now we’ve got the Auckland Supercity Logo. It’s all fun stuff, but the conspiracy theorists amongst us should be having a field day!
Here are my thoughts …
http://www.ad3.co.nz/blog/
March 10th, 2010 at 11:26 am
Karen Walker and Bill Ralston Judges?,… WTF!!!
and who the hell is Ema Tavola I suspect she is the token pacific Islander
and Wayne Pihema is the token Maori, How very PC and pointless, I am a graphic designer and wouldn’t touch a project like this I can guarantee the winning design to be some childlike drawing that karen thinks will look pretty on a frock that wayne thinks has a touch of maori inspiration and that Ema will just be badgered into agreeing with the others,
Any serious designer should steer well clear of crap like this
March 18th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
High 5, Andrew!
March 25th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
after reading the comments from the profesional designers I cannot help thinking what a bunch of precious little darlings they all sound like I love Auckland and am glad the plds are too high and mighty to submit entries or scared they would loose to a child.The professionally designed (current)Auckland council logo is a joke had the designer/s not heard or seen triangle tv and come on you plds the Telecom logo as a school boy in art class that the line gestured as in the Telecom logo could indicate kaos or bubby let loose with felt pens dearest designer daddy doesn’t use I suggest to all plds of this world to see light(very importaant to artists)pull your heads out of your arses
April 26th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
I take back all my negative comments (above)re plds I am horrified with the logo chosen by Bob and the Power Rangers please forgive me you young fresh designers are sincerely precious
April 28th, 2010 at 9:24 am
Is there a place on the www where people who joined the Auckland City Council logo competition can post their entry? I submitted an entry and am now curious about the other entries.
April 28th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
great question from the dutchess ,have a look at bibi’s design at logosauce there may others there I haven’t explored that site very deeply as yet I too would love to see other designs anything with an A or a sail went in the bin(I would have at least have liked my clearfile folder back.Old Bob and his park rangers were very secretive about their judging,not very community spirited eh? Another open competition run by the designer community eg design by community(hint)The winners design could be used by the soon to be formed Auckland DEMOCRATIC Party
April 28th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
A small correction to my last post meant to hint at design assembly for open comp not design by community(der)
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:40 pm
I like the logo, I think it is vibrant and dynamic which is what a modern council should be.