"Everyone's a Critic." You say that like it's a bad thing!

The City of Brantford, Ontario has just unveiled a new logo and positioning statement. The launch is not going very well to say the least. An online poll on the local daily The Brantford Expositor website asks "Do you like Brantford's new logo?" 14% say 'Yes'. A whopping 86% say 'No'.

Here is the new design:

As described by representatives from JAN Kelley, the agency responsible for the rebranding project:
The logo features a flowing “B” representing the Grand River as well as an exclamation mark – the universal sign of greatness. 

The accompanying positioning statement is "GRAND TO GREAT". 

The logo is being criticized on many different levels, including its uncanny resemblance to a widely available (and free) stock logo, and the well known Baskin Robbins logo. And public criticism of the costs involved in rebranding a city or municipality is always inevitable. But mostly they just don't like the design.

I want to talk briefly about something else. I have worked as a professional graphic designer for most of my life. I have also taught graphic design basics to newbies and advanced courses at the university level over the past twenty-five years.

Never before have I seen so much interest in, and passion for, all things graphic design as exists today. The general public continues to become more aware, interested, and engaged. I can't tell you how exciting this is for me, and I'm sure, for my fellow design practitioners. 

Gone are the days when the very mention of a typeface would product blank stares from our friends. Today, our friends have a thousand fonts on their computers, and speak enthusiastically about their favourite serif and sans serif faces. "Regular" people talk about concept, gestalt, and message.

The biggest benefit of a more "design aware" public is that they will ultimately demand more from those of us producing the work we all have to live with. They can recognize intelligent, creative and respectful communication when they see it, and they also notice when it is absent.

The public is pretty smart. Businesses are figuring this out every day. Local politicians are starting to do the same.

One final note on the new Brantford slogan: I think you've got it backwards. Going from "GRAND TO GREAT" is the same as going from "GREAT TO GOOD". Some suggested reading…