A few years back I wrote an article in which I argued that the controversial logo of the London 2012 Olympics was actually not that bad. Yes, you know which one I'm thinking of, the angular thing that nobody could interpret, but which everyone remembers.

Now the debate is over us again; what on earth are we to think of Paris Olympics logo?

Does a logo have to be pretty to be good?

If you search for “what makes a good logo” you will find a number of tips and advice. Common keywords are simple, memorable, timeless, versatile, relevant. But no one says it must be legible, or pretty. Why is that

These forward criteria are often used to rank logos.

It's easier to say what a logo shouldn't be

A good logo should shy away from these four traits:

Complicated: To ensure clarity, recognition and versatility, logos should be simple.
Generic: In order not to get lost in the crowd, a logo should be distinctive and stand out from competitors.
Trendy: A brand is built over time and the left impression is attached to the logo. Therefore, a logo should stand the test of time without being too strongly linked to trends.
Difficult to use: Simplicity ensures that the logo can be interpreted at a long distance or in small sizes and also works both embroidered on textile garments and in app icons.

Find out more about the relationship between logo, brand and identity.

I vote for memorable

Not many people remember the logo of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics or the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics. But most people remember the one for the London Olympics in 2012. Whether you like it or not is irrelevant, people remember it! It was neither pretty (in most people's eyes) nor particularly readable. The peculiar shapes stacked on top of each other make up the year 2012. But having a logo that is legible and pretty is not the most important thing, even though it may be desirable. A much more important factor is that it is unique, memorable and relevant, and there the London Olympics logo scores high in my opinion.

The logo of the London Games in 2012

"Ultimately, the only mandate in the design of logos, it seems, is that they be distinctive, memorable, and clear."
- Paul Rand

Is the Paris Olympics logo relevant?

Then what about the Paris 2024 logo? I dare to say that the logo is neither complicated, generic, trendy nor difficult to use. So, it's not a bad logo per se. But one keyword that indicates good logo design, and one that many people talk about right now is whether the logo is appropriate, in other words: is it relevant? I will come back to that shortly.

The much talked about logo for the Paris Olympics 2024.

Three ideas in a logo is at least one too many

The logo is explained by the fact that there are three ideas combined into one symbol; the gold medal in the background with the Olympic flame inside and then with the hair and lips of “Marianne”, who has ben a personification of the French Republic since the revolution of 1789.

Before we get to that bit, I would just like to say that it is rarely possible to combine three ideas into one simple logo. One can easily argue that the three ideas individually are relevant to the Paris Olympics. Both the medal and the flame have clear links to the Olympics and sports, while Marianne is linked to Paris - if you understand that aspect. And understanding it is essential, because that's what makes the subject relevant.

Few know Marianne as a symbol of the Republic of France

I believe that most people do not register the medal and that most people outside of France do not associate Paris or France with a Marianne. What we are left with then is the somewhat cartoonish head of a woman with short modern hairstyle and full lips. And therefore all the reactions and the questions. in current media. What does this figure have to do with the Olympics and sports? It provides associations to completely different things, such as beauty products or the dating app Tinder .

Regardless, many would agree that the logo has got that special French flair. And maybe they also have managed the most important thing: to create a logo that is memorable. Time will tell.