Barack Obama's Rejected Logos

December 15, 11:10 PMDesign Trends ExaminerNeal Shaffer

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My friends at Baltimore design studio Orange Element linked up this excellent post from Logo Design Love about the process that gave us Barack Obama's iconic campaign logo. 

Two things about it jump out at me.

One, the thorough manner in which the campaign went about executing ideas, all of which basically worked. There isn't a "bad" mark in the bunch.

Two, the fact that they got it right. The final choice isn't necessarily the most exciting (a nod I'd give to the one pictured here), but it is the best blend of innovation and comfort. They pushed the boundaries but were able to still recognize that destroying them completely might have put off their target audience. 

Whether or not you agree with his politics, it's pretty clear that Obama's campaign represents a permanent shift from one generation to the next. His embrace of creative innovation and his willingness to employ modern thinking about design and communications will ripple through American politics for years. By 2012, we'll likely have reached a point where nobody will ever again run a successful political campaign without at least considering the importance of design, strategy, and creative talent.