Obama logo

Process

The logo was designed by Chicago-based Sender LLC (a brand development and design company) on assignment from Chicago-based Mode Project (a motion design studio). The latter had been brought on board early on by David Axelrod, Obama's chief campaign strategist, although it had never done a political identity before. Creative director and brand strategist Sol Sender led the design team of three which included Amanda Gentry and Andy Keene. Project managers at Mode Project were Colin Carter and Steve Juras.

"We were looking at the "o" of his name and had the idea of a rising sun and a new day," according to Sender. "The sun rising over the horizon evoked a new sense of hope."{{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211033443/http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=23974&seenIt=1 |archive-date=2008-12-11|publisher=Crain's Chicago Business |access-date=2008-12-14 |access-date=2008-12-14

The final design was decided among seven or eight options in the first round. "In terms of our internal process, though, I believe the logo — as we now know it — came out of a second round of design explorations. At any rate, it happened quite quickly, all things considered. The entire undertaking took less than two weeks."{{cite news |access-date=2008-12-14

The design began late in 2006 and the finished logo made its debut when Obama officially announced his candidacy for presidency February 10, 2007 in Springfield, Illinois.

John Slabyk and Scott Thomas, designers with the Obama campaign oversaw the customization of the logo for 12 different identity groups as well as for each state with 50 additional versions. There was also identity for Republicans and Independents supporting Barack Obama.

Reception

The reception of Obama's logo was generally positive, and in some circles, highly praised. The Boston Globe beamed that "the ever-present rising sun logo has the feeling of a hot new Internet company."{{cite news |access-date=2009-01-17 "It begins to break with tradition while also rooting itself in tradition," said Peter Krivkovich, CEO of Cramer-Krasselt advertising agency in Chicago. "Patriotism is the foundation, but above that is hope, opportunity, newness." David Morrison, president of Philadelphia-based market research firm Twentysomething Inc., said the logo has "a nice, contemporary, dynamic, youthful vibe about it." Designer Michael Bierut called Obama's branding "just as good or better" as the best commercial brand designs. "Every time you look, all those signs are perfect," Bierut said. "Graphic designers like me don't understand how it's happening. It's unprecedented and inconceivable to us. The people in the know are flabbergasted."{{cite news |access-date=2020-06-07

On the other hand, cartoonist Ward Sutton asked, "is it a zero and a sunset over a deserted highway?" "Too many type styles and colors. The look is left undefined. The designer may have been too inexperienced," he added.{{cite news |access-date=2009-01-17

Some have noted the similarity of Obama's campaign logo to others, namely those of Pepsi when turned upside down (Obama himself is said to have been of this opinion),{{cite web |access-date=2024-02-02 |access-date=2024-02-02 |access-date=2009-03-24 |access-date=2024-02-02 |access-date=2024-02-02 |access-date=2024-02-02

References

References

1. "Sol Sender Interview on the Obama Logo".
2. (12 December 2008). "Obama logo ideas that weren't chosen - Logo Design Love".
3. (2009-07-11). "The Obama Brand: A Retrospective". Visual Culture.