Semiotics of 2020 Tokyo Olympic Logo Visual Identity
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A presentation that sets out considerations for the design of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics visual identity. This is based upon a semiotic analysis of previous Olympics Games logos (the author has written extensively on this topic) and the unique design and calligraphic in Japan.
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Semiotics of 2020 Tokyo Olympic Logo Visual Identity
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- 15. 14. Considerations for Tokyo 2020 How to balance soft power with a worldly welcome? Client/Project CREATIVE SEMIOTICS LTD.
- 16. 15. Considerations for Tokyo 2020 How to balance primacy of Tokyo within Japan? Client/Project CREATIVE SEMIOTICS LTD.
- 17. 16. Considerations for Tokyo 2020 How to balance the historic and cute with the cool? Source: Copyright (2013) Client/Project CREATIVE SEMIOTICS LTD.
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- 22. CHRIS ARNING Mobile: 07951 160 921 Skype: chrisarning E-Mail: chris@creativesemiotics.co.uk Website: www.creativesemiotics.co.uk Client/Project CREATIVE SEMIOTICS LTD.
Editor's Notes
- Konbanwa, good evening. I am here this evening with some ideas for the development of the visual identity for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. It seems quite an appropriate topic as with PechaKucha I need to present 20 slides in 20 seconds!
- I am interested in this topic firstly because I have a personal interest in Japanese culture and practice calligraphy. For those of you who read Japanese will see the character for bravery. I believe bravery is important in developing any logo, but of course in bravery is balance…
- I am also interested in this topic because my company Creative Semiotics specializes in what is known as ‘semiotics’, or as it is called in Japanese kigouron – and it is a technique for thinking more deeply how to manage meaning for more effective communication in brand strategy.
- Logos are the ultimate demonstration of the semiotic principle that a lot of meaning can be packed or condensed within a cluster of signs, so every detail can be important.
- For example, this Unilever logo manages to both identify the company with the U letter of Unilever and visually represent all their product areas from food to personal care within the shape as well as to convey a sense of softness and fertility.
- I am also interested in the Olympic Games as a movement. As you can see here, as a proud Londoner I volunteered at the London Olympics as an Ambassador last year. Here I am on duty wearing a rather fetching hat. And here’s my souvenir baton.
- Summer Olympic Games are events full of symbolism. Opening Ceremonies, for example, need to express something of the host nation city and welcome the competing athletes and the world and please the IOC. The ceremonies always seek to impress and overawe the audience.
- At the same time we find the most memorable points in ceremonies are often small moments of whimsy and humour, charming or endearing the host city and organizers to their audience.
- This is a tricky balance to strike for organizers and the tension between local pride and international welcome is also played out in visual identity and logo design. So, traditionally Olympic logos tend to be a combination of heritage reminders of place and metaphors of dynamism and openness as can be seen on this continuum…
- Some logos such as Munich 1972 and Torino 2006 shown here are more single minded about embodying universal form language and visual effects and are less concerned with embedding unique geographical marks.
- For example, when we look at the Rio 2006 logo we can see an astute balance of the global and the local in the way it is rendered with the Brazilian colours, subtle Rio lettering vibrant beach sunset and a sense of tropical effervescence but all encased in a dynamic embrace.
- If we look at the London 2012 logo, a logo which I admire for its bravery but question its execution, the lessons are that on launch it probably lacked this balance and it contained probably not enough of either embedded London signs or a global appeal.
- However, the logo did seem to become rather more accepted as the Games unfolded and were seen to be a success. Looking back now, it feels like a rather fitting emblem for what was a very successful, but quite quirky, informal and unconventional Olympic Games.
- So, onto Tokyo 2020. I have just have a few points I would like to raise that Tokyo and the design team should think about for your consideration. Firstly is how to balance the warm and worldly welcome with something that is also authentically Japanese and makes people proud.
- Secondly, is it possible to balance the embedding of something authentically Japanese in the identity while at the same time reflecting something special about Tokyo that references the uniqueness, dynamism and culinary excellence of this world city?
- Thirdly, how to balance the historic with the cute with the cool. This is quite a design challenge but I know Japan has one of the most talented graphic design communities in the world, so I’m hopeful they can produce something magical…
- The Tokyo 2020 Candidate City logo was attractive but like many candidate logos it swayed towards playing it safe primarily conveying softness and global welcome and using a floral motif as many Olympic games do, but it could be a little bit anonymous as a final logo.
- So I present these more as rough design ideas than as actual logo prototypes. Hopefully they will provoke some discussion. Firstly, to what extent can you use Japanese script in the logo. In this version I used katakana script, the foreigner facing of the scripts. Could each character be turned into an athlete?
- Perhaps this is a little cluttered, but is there a way of incorporating 2020 into the name of the host city? I believe a 2K20 emblem can transmit something both informal and futuristic. And how will designers use thehinomaru flag?
- It is also important to inject dynamism into the logo. There is of course a rich calligraphic tradition in Japan and shosho forms of writing that can be used to convey pulses of energy and action in a few brush strokes. In this example I take the kanji for excellence rendered in a freer style. So that is the end of my presentation. I’m out of time, so thanks for listening. Arigatou.