From Visalia, California, to Florence, Alabama, many a city authority has suffered the wrath of residents over an unpopular logo redesign. Ultimately, it seems that no piece of graphic design is as sure to get people riled up as an identity for a town or city – particularly after the cost of the rebrand gets out.
Bloomington in Indiana is the latest to discover that, and it's easy to see why the proposed new logo is hitting such a bum note. Once you see the unfortunate resemblance, you can't unsee it.
The City of Bloomington's existing brand identity revolves around a geometric design that resembles a snowflake or floral pattern. Adopted way back in 1986, it was inspired by a combination of a peony and a trout lily, traditional quilt patterns used by regional folk artists in 19th century and the shape of the city''s Downtown Square (which is presumably square).
The new rebrand intends to replace this representation of local tradition with a giant 'B'. The broader brand system includes logos for different city services and departments.
While the new logo might be easier to scale, some residents aren't happy that their square has been replaced with a derriere.
Dave Askins, the editor of local news site B Square Bulletin, puts its bluntly in his op-ed dedicated to the new design. "Proposed new Bloomington logo looks like a butt," reads the headline.
Editor’s note: Proposed new Bloomington logo looks like a buttfrom r/bloomington
While the writer praises the attractive colour palette and contemporary sans-serif type and recognises that the "giant geometric 'B' is simple enough to work on a website, a truck, a T-shirt or a sign" while also surviving shrinking to the size of an app icon, he sees the butt resemblance as a gas-tly and insurmountable design oversight.
"The two enormous rounded lobes, pinched together at the center, do not just allow that interpretation. They practically invite it. Add a little puff of air at the point where the two cheeks meet and the logo is transformed into an illustration of Kurt Vonnegut’s famous line: 'We are here on Earth to fart around'.
"Rotate the logo 90 degrees clockwise, and it cannot be denied: It’s the image of someone using the common technique of lifting one butt cheek to quietly release a fart."
Dave suggests that any proposed new logo be shown to a focus group of teenagers or elderly men for a quick cheek check, which isn't a bad idea considering some of the design fails we've seen over the years.
Of course, the other bummer with Bloomington's new design compared to the previous identity is the lack of any kind of local significance or personality. A giant 'B' could represent any place, brand or corporation whose name begins with said letter. Dave has points out that existing designs for an app, a law firm and an online boat marketplace all look similar to the proposed logo.
"A good city logo does not have to contain the courthouse dome, a limestone block, a bicycle, a tree or any other literal Bloomington symbol. In fact, trying to incorporate any of those iconic references would almost certainly be a mistake. But if the design is going to be abstract, the abstraction still needs enough personality to become unmistakably ours," he argues.
The logo is due to be presented at the City of Bloomington Council's next regular meeting tomorrow (2 September). Some of those attending will presumably want to air their opinions.
