Finally, we’ve used the Michael Wolff interview in The Post today.
I liked Michael. We disappeared off to the pub together for half an hour before he did his Q&A session at the Plus International Design Festival.
He was very likeable, easy-going, perceptive and well-versed in giving a journalist something to chew on – hence the story hitting the front page!
I got the feeling that his criticism of Birmingham’s council was something he had been storing up. [Edit 17/11/07: I now have it on good authority – i.e. from Michael – that he had done no so thing. His comments were spontaneous and inspired by what he had seen at PLUS. I stand corrected!]
In reponse the questions posed here:
In answer to prem1um:
All my clients have been challenging. Do you know why? Because it is very hard to explain to the money man at the top of a big business that design is important. Most of them just do not get it, their brains work in a different way. It’s very rare you find a chief executive or director who can also think creatively.
In answer to Nick Sims:
I defend the 2012 logo because I think it is a very brave and very good piece of work. Do I think it’s the best example of design ever? Probably not. But, it does do what it was supposed to do. And it has come from an agency that doesn’t really make mistakes.
The logo moves away from the static emblemic style of past Olympic logos and adds movement and a flexibility to it. Unlike most people I’ve had the opportunity to see what it looks like in motion and, I have to say, I rather like it.
The negative reaction has come from the fact it is so different. When you are faced with something you haven’t seen before, most people struggle to find something to say. If they don’t know if they like it, then they say they don’t like it. Or, they look around at what other people are saying and if they hear someone else saying they don’t like it, they’ll adopt that opinion.
I don’t think Wolff Olins designed it to cause controversy – that would just be a nonsense. Brands are not supposed to be connected with negative ideas – they are supposed to inspire and evoke the positive aspects of the thing they represent.
I hope that’s answered your questions!
[Answers are here]
…the 5th of November.