Outcry over London 2012 logo inspires outpouring of creativity

The campaign to scrap the logo for the 2012 Olympics has taken on an international dimension as bloggers from around the world heap scorn on it.

Cier Vianney, from Bayonne, in France, wrote yesterday: "This logo is one of the worst I have ever seen: and that's a point of view of a typographer." Jonathan Bradshaw, from Toronto, said the logo reminded him of "some sort of rejected logo of an early Nineties children's programme".

Zoltan Banffy, from Budapest, said it was "very painful to look at". Amy Murphy, from Miami, called it "pathetic" and David Barnett in Dubai said it looked "like a failed soft-drinks label". Ryan Torres, from Massachusetts, called it "illegible, inelegant, and communicating absolutely none of the spirit, nobility, athleticism or beauty of the Olympics".

Meanwhile, Independent readers showed that it was indeed possible to design a logo that conveyed a straightforward message - without taking a year over it and pocketing a £400,000 fee. Some are the work of amateurs, some are by design agencies. The Exentrix agency sent in its contribution with a note pointing out: "We charge a set fee of £375 for designing logos and here's a sample."

Daniel Fard, of Shell Creative, who sent in three designs, said that the official logo, "fails in its objective to be representative of London and the UK".

The outcry also extended to the world of politics, with London's Mayor, Ken Livingstone, suggesting that the designers, Wolff Olins, should have their fee withheld. He told the BBC: "I wouldn't pay them a penny. Who would go to a firm like that again to ask them to do that work? I mean, this is a pretty basic thing."

Philip Davies, a Conservative member of the Commons' Culture, Media and Sports Committee, said he would call for the logo to be scrapped. "It is incredible that someone has been paid £400,000 to come up with this garbage," he said.

The former sports minister, Kate Hoey, described the logo as "an incredible waste of money". She added: "This could have been a wonderful logo that would have sold this great city. But it has only sold someone's ego."

But the co-founder of the design firm that created the logo implied that the thousands who have protested have been "lazy" in rushing to judgement. Michael Wolff, who has since left Wolff Olins to form his own company, said his former colleagues were being attacked for coming up with something "entirely new".

Writing in London's Evening Standard, he warned: "When you don't quite know what you feel, and even when you think you do, it's best to mistrust your first reactions. Prejudice is comfortable and lazy. I think most of us will come to see this symbol as a breakthrough."

His warnings did not deter thousands from joining the outcry. By last night, more than 45,000 signatures had been added to an online petition calling for the logo to be changed.

The creator of the petition, Jonathan Ellis, said that the new logo was "ridiculous" and should be ditched as quickly as possible. "I feel it is an embarrassment and portrays our country in the worst possible way," he wrote.

Rival petitions which have come out in favour of the logo have attracted very little support.

Could you do better?

Design your own Olympic logo and send it to olympiclogo@independent.co.uk

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