This is unbelievable. The London 2012 logo issue is spinning out of control. I have never, ever seen so much controversy around a logo design.

I could not believe my eyes when, earlier today, I saw a Reuters article that stated that the logo animation (of which I posted some screenshots yesterday) was actually withdrawn from the organizer’s web site, after a neurology professor warned that a part of the animation could cause epileptic fits!

LONDON (Reuters) – Animated footage promoting the logo for the 2012 London Olympic Games was removed from the organizers’ Web site on Tuesday amid concern it could trigger epileptic fits.

The video clip shows a diver plunging into a pool as part of a campaign to promote the jagged Olympic logo, a graffiti-like blow-up of the number 2012 in a range of colors including hot pink and electric blue.

A London 2012 spokeswoman said the concerns surrounded a four-second piece of animation shown at the logo’s launch on Monday and recorded by broadcasters.

Emphasizing that it was not the logo itself which was the focus of health worries, she said: “This concerns a short piece of animation which we used as part of the logo launch event and not the actual logo.”

Meanwhile, the BBC is reporting that a petition is being signed calling for the logo to be scrapped. The organizers are defending the identity vehemently, saying it will evolve and that it is flexible..

An online petition calling for it to be scrapped has more than 25,000 signatures and over 3,200 messages have been posted on the BBC Sport website.

But a London 2012 spokesman told BBC Sport: “The emblem is flexible and will evolve over the next five years.”

She added: “Our emblem needs to be modern, bold, flexible and as relevant today as in five years’ time.

“We want our Games to be different. We are hosting them in a different era, in 2012.

“The emblem needs to work across new platforms that reach young people.”

This is turning into one for the biggest public graphic design debates in recent history. In today’s blog saturated media environment, public opinion finds new ways of being voiced and expressed. User-generated logos are being submitted and online polls are being put up (so far 82 out of 103 voter on my poll think the logo is horrible).

It a messy situation. But it’s an interesting mess. It’s not everyday a piece of graphic design, is at the center of public debate.

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5 responses to “London 2012 logo animation could cause epileptic fits!”

  1. Ola Avatar
    Ola

    it’s ugly anyways

  2. Business Education Avatar
    Business Education

    I know this kind of problem for a long time. At that time the problem is cartoon for kids which cause epileptic. The animation also shown fast changing color.

  3. ufaq inaam Avatar
    ufaq inaam

    i am a masters of graphic design…..all i want to say…people tend to over do the design,saying they are making new trends….but doing different things dont mean they are also doing it rite…
    personaly,i dont like the logo….at all.

  4. Pheras Hilal Avatar
    Pheras Hilal

    I personally like it.

    It’s unorthodox, fresh and groundbreaking. I like the bright retro colors, the typography, and the fact that it doesn’t have the typical olympic colors.

    I find the logo revolutionary.

  5. Matthew Ford Avatar
    Matthew Ford

    Looks like a few zig zag swipes of a paint brush and that’s supposed to be art? How much is the government paying the guy who just copied what his kids could’ve done? Why not a real picture of some people participating in sports? Something more pleasant to look at? Forget the trend of going digital. I have epilepsy and a lot of digital billboards I have to look the other way as they’re all made of flashing lights! Cop cars, Ambulances, Fire Trusck, they used to use ordinary rotating lights, but now it’s high speed flashing digital lights which can cause seizures. It’s one of the EEG tests hospitals give people with epilepsy, to purposely make them have a seizure so they can record it.