After looking at all of the
obama logosand creative enthusiasm for a new road of change that Obama crafted, I think his logo will be considered and regarded as a symbol of the New World and a new symbol of the United States, at least as long as he's leading it. But I think it is bigger than that. Obama has rebranded the image of the U.S. with his logo. His branding and marketing, which won awards, has shot into the stratosphere of our world who tuned in and turned on to the hope of Obama.
With many in the world, not literate in English, the image of symbols has been the age-old form of idea communications. Think of how the peace sign went universal. It sold an idea and not a product at all.
Let's deconstruct the idea of this new logo for the world.
(note: I've not written a post here in a long, long time and can't upload my images, I am sosososo sorry. I have crossposted this w/ links and images on MotherPie with other media/political communication/culture things and this isn't a promo for my blog -- I just don't have time to figure out how to post stuff here so go see the logo compared to Pepsi there. It is my image so if you can upload it for me in comments, thanks!!!)
For one, it takes the red and white stripes and takes us into the world beyond, like a road leading to the future. It reads from lower left to upper right, a design form that is uplifting and expresses hope and positiveness. The red-white-and-blue is reconstructed into an image of new patriotism. The O represents not only Obama, but the world, round like the globe, encircling everything with the image of all, the image of completeness, which is what a circle represents. The o for earth, sun and moon. The horizon represents a new day, a new dawning of perception and order. Even the use of blue is peaceful, like the comfort blue of a sugary drink, not navy blue like the military.
The logo is simple, clean and wordless. Like the Pepsi symbol, which needs no words but is understood around the world, Obama has been well-branded. (Pepsi has come out with a new logo after Obama came out with his; all are circles). At first many likened the obama logo to the old pepsi one. It certainly uses the colors and the symbol of the circle that resonates beyond language. All cultures understand the encompassing symbolic language of the circle. A circle represents the idea of within.
The O of All, even if unintended, has been created. It is already out there, virally.
The brand is there, after this presidential campaign season, circulating as an idea, even if other textual translations don't translate. Ethan Zuckerman has just written about the polyglot internet and its need to have a system of translation for textual information for his speech prepared for the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on the Future of the Internet. Symbols are needed shorthand and Obama's is masterful. I even saw people putting their hands together as one might to make a heart, but making an O, in the celebrations after the elections. Perhaps even the "ok" sign of the o alone will shift? Obama didn't use it, but neither did he use Shepard Fairey's poster.
Now that you've read this, go compare the logos of candidates I studied and see if you don't see the brilliance of this branding. You need no letters or name, now. The O logo, like the Nike symbol, stands alone.
I'm on an art kick at the moment. I can not, not, not, let this art go unspoken for. Elvis has left the building, the cat is out of the bag, the toilet has flushed. The O is out there. I wrote last July that he was selling like soap.
You know, when you own something, it is yours. Many have owned the images of Obama's campaign.
Oh no? Oh yes. O.
P.S. I have to go walk and get away and exercise after all the intensity of this week and what I've been studying. I'll check in later.