“ If you’re explaining, you’re losing.”
In the forum we had a lively discussion about the new World Youth Day logo. I will try to pull together a longer blog compiling some of the comments for later discussion. For now, suffice it to say that the consensus was that it's too complicated. It's trying to pack too many different images into one, such that each image added actually makes it more convoluted and subtracts from the overall cohesion of the whole logo. It makes each image more difficult to make out and comprehend. Thus, the need for the logo explanation. In the words of Joe Marshall: "If you have to explain a logo you're losing."
But we would be remiss if we didn't give any ideas for improvement, which is why Wesley Bancroft, one of the most amazing brand designers in the country spent a couple hours this afternoon playing with a new concept. In his words, this image is "just a rough concept on how you can appropriate the culture where WYD is happening and encapsulate the Universal aspect of the Church at the same time."
"It Harkens the Panamanian Native Patterns, including the Aztec and Loom patterns. All of the other Catholic motifs are obvious. The patterns are a dynamic system both in the typography and the mark. Here is a rough idea for how you could make the brand unique and dynamic utilizing Native and Ancient patterns of Central America. The mark on the left could be a globe, a host, or the four-corners of the earth. Each unique pattern in the positive space also represents how each of us is unique but unified."
**Reference the one above to see how the brand architecture could be dynamic and differing with each application:**
Wesley wanted me to make sure that it's clear that this is just a grayscale concept and not intended to be a working mark. Ether way, though, Wesley, you are a genius. Let's hope they ask you to do the next World Youth Day brand. We'll all keep our fingers crossed. For those of you who would like to see more from Wesley, check out his portfolio. If you REALLY want to get your mind blown, go to our patreon, support the community, and listen to Wesley's talk that he gave at the Summit on branding. It was a serious game changer.
