| Why the new Cornwall Council logo is a no go |
|
|
|
Page 1 of 3 Cornwall Council has sneakily created a new logo; and everyone seems to hate it. Yet will the Council listen to the people? Read on... Here's a scenario. Council decide to spend £50,000 on a new Cornish emblem. People say no, we like the one we've got and £50,000 is too much to spend. Council goes off in secret and designs 30 logos 'in-house'. One logo is chosen by a handful of 'select' councillors and shown to less than 100 council employees, of which allegedly less than 10 are Cornish.  The Cornwall Council Shield; trusted and respected. New logo is unveiled, public outcry, no one likes it. Council says by the way it'll cost around £500,000 to implement and by the way, you have to have it. Sounds laughable? Well, we could all laugh if it wasn't true and if it wasn't taking place in Cornwall. The new 'logo' for Cornwall Council is universally despised by the public, academics and designers and yet has incredulously been given the go-ahead. Why, for something that is to embody what The Duchy stands for across the globe, was there no public consultation? Simply put, the council's new pictorial representation is a textbook demonstration in poor design, poor consultation and lack of foresight. The old logo was undeniably Cornish and recognised the world over; a chough perched on a crest with the 15 bezants and the Cornish motto Onen Hag Oll - one and all. Essentially, if it ain't broke then don't fix it.  The Cornwall Crest; classic and timeless. Here is the council's pretentious description of the new illustration: 'Based on the shield from Cornwall's ceremonial crest, the new logo is inspiring and dynamic, bringing a contemporary modern feel to the best of Cornish tradition. Interweaving lines of gold and black bring to mind the Cornish tartan and represent the ways in which Cornish communities connect together. The positive, dynamic lines of the design represent growth and movement.' While I can just make out a slight shield shape at the bottom, the top looks like a flame and the Cornish tartan looks nothing like this design. Aren't flames destructive rather than promoting growth and movement? Council communications manager Carole Theobald goes on to suggest that the logo 'represents the ancient means of communication so effective in yesteryear, the beacon. It carries the black and gold, the colours of Cornwall's ancient monarchs.' There is only one record of beacons being used in Cornwall and that was to warn of the Spanish invasion of 1588. Black and gold are not the colours of the Cornish monarchs; this remark is pure fantasy. David Whalley, leader of Cornwall Council, said: “This new logo has elements of Cornish history at its very core.” Where is the Cornish history in this logo? Am I not taking the right drugs? Is it a coincidence that the colours of the logo are those of the ruling Liberal Democrat party that Mr Whalley belongs to? |
|||||