The Logo Campaign: Kerry is Losing

The Bush Cheney logo has always reminded me of the Nascar logo, likely because of the bold italic type, but also because the styling of the flag, angular and energetic, is brash and vibrant like the ads on the Nascar racecars and uniforms.

Sad to agree with the article that the Kerry logo is lackluster and the loser by a long stretch. How much better might it have looked if they'd simply switched the type to Miller?

Yeah, Miller Display Bold.

Well, I think that Kerry's logo is better than Gore's Swoosh logo from 2000 (although Bush's was better than that one, too).

I remember reading a review of the 2000 campaign logos four years ago; I think it was in HOW. The magazine asked several "famous" designers what they thought of the logos. Someone commented on Bush's reduced-flag, with its too few stars and stripes, saying that it reminded her of the confederate flag… and that maybe that was a subtle hint as to Bush's true target group.

I agree that the Kerry*Edwards logo is horrendous. But I am no fan of the Bush*Cheney logo either. I’ve noticed a new Kerry*Edwards logo on yard signs around my town, though, and it’s a bit of an improvement but not much. And does this not just reinforce his flip-flopper reputation?

And (typographic mavens correct me if I’m wrong here) what is Paula Scher talking about when she says that the letterspacing between the “K” and the “e” are too loose? It looks to me like they can’t get much tighter. If she is just talking about the space that inherently exists because of the typeface design, then isn’t that just the problem with using that particular face (which is, by the way, Georgia beaten with an ugly stick)? If you want to stick with a Carter face, I don’t think Miller solves the letterspacing problem. Why not go with Charter ITC Small Cap?

Finally, nobody has outed the agencies that designed the logos. Does anyone know who did the Kerry*Edwards logo? The Bush*Cheney shop is RSA Advertsing (in Austin, TX, of course).

I agree with JD on that "Ke". Not that I would ever second-guess Paula Scher on the subject of kerning ...

Re her comments on the Bush/Cheney logo, she might have mentioned that the letterspacing on the web address indicates sheep fuckers.

Letterspacing is OK for web and e-mail addresses. Bouma rules don't apply to them, because we read them letter by letter, not as word shapes (and they don't have correct punctuation, or caps, etc.). A little letterspacing with these addresses, especially long, obscure ones (think www.bundesrepublik.de or www.wheredoyouwanttogotoday.com doesn't that look wierd?), and does not lead to sheep shagging.

Robert Bringhurst concurs on this as well.

So Mr Bringhurst likes the little wooly ones as well? Heh, I always guessed as much.

Marian, I had exactly the same thought about the lowercase tracking on the Bush*Cheney web address but forgot to include that in my post. But I did not think of the Goudy reference. I guess since RSA and Bush are from Texas, they would shag steer instead of (or maybe in addition to) sheep!

Bouma, quand notre kern fait bouma....

While we're throwing insults, I'd just like to say that the insipid and dysfunctional Kerry/Edwards design "indicates" chablis sipping surrender monkeys.

"Emphemera"

Have you seen Google ads on right, not any more on fonts but on Kerry-Bush. Google is watching you!

And I thought I was the only one that has a problem with this! I've mentioned to my wife that they really should have had a famous designer come up with a strong visual for Kerry*Edwards.

I'm particularly unpleased by the "A Stronger America" message at the bottom. It's hard to read on a yard sign and harder on a bumper sticker - never mind the fact that I've recently seen it in a condensed font which looked horrible.

It would be interesting to see if a campaign could actually be swayed by visual design.

Well, interesting and sad I guess.

And I thought I was the only one that has a problem with this! I've mentioned to my wife that they really should have had a famous designer come up with a strong visual for Kerry*Edwards.

I'm particularly unpleased by the "A Stronger America" message at the bottom. It's hard to read on a yard sign and harder on a bumper sticker - never mind the fact that I've recently seen it in a condensed font which looked horrible.

It would be interesting to see if a campaign could actually be swayed by visual design.

Well, interesting and sad I guess.

> It would be interesting to see if a
> campaign could actually be swayed
> by visual design.

Does the word "chad" remind you of anything?...

hhp

If that's so, what visual design would you use to sway an election against the GOP?

A photo of Bush thinking?

hhp

No, no, silly Hrant. You're trying to convince the Right you're with them! How about Ann Coulter posing nude on the hood of a Nascar race car? Never mind that it would be a lie. The Right are accustomed to being lied to.

You terribly witty lefties should head on over to Kerry Haters For Kerry
You can suggest bumper sticker slogans there.

Just a slogan? An entire festival!
The Great American Puppet Race.

hhp

A little letterspacing with these addresses

Indeed. However a) it seems excessive and b) I couldn't resist.

Just as there were no WMD, there seems to be no such font as Folio Extra-Bold Italic. Having looked at the EPS version of the Bush*Cheney logo, it does indeed appear to be based on Folio Extra-Bold. But it appears to have been redrawn by hand. And if you look at the paths and control points in the eps file, it hasb een both strangely skewed compared to Folio Extra-Bold and inefficiently drawn (too many control points).

Yes, there isn't a Folio Extra Bold Extended Italic as far as I can find, so I assume that it is simply inclined. Odd though that the prime (which is typographically wrong, shame on Paula and just about every other commentator thus far for not catching this) is for some reason not inclined. Folio does include the apostrophe character. Maybe by the use of the prime the designer actually means Bush has his foot in the door?

There's a cartoon in this weeks village voice that compares (among other differences) these logos. It says that while Kerry's flag is at least almost complete, Bush's divides the flag down the middle and displays only the upper half. An interesting analogy to his domestic policies, eh?

Its also interesting to note that both these logos break the law (see section 4g). Also breaking the law are pretty much every ground zero tourist I've had to wrestle past (section 4d).

I think that the use of the prime instead of a real apostrophe is lazy. However, the "obliqued" Folio Extra Bold Extended doesn't "offend" my eyes, typographically speaking, because why not have a "dynamic" version of this bold and direct headline font?
Likewise, the abbreviated flag is really just a graphic device - and actually very effective when you consider that these "bumper sticker" and web banner logos are more often than not seen at sizes and distances that call for such graphic shorthand.
The letterspacing of the web address below is, at least, not a shorthand slogan, like the K/E "A Stronger America". The choice is telling in that it directs you to the Prez's website, rather than gets in your face with sloganeering.
The K/E logo is simply ineffectual typographically and graphically for the reasons pointed out in the NYT graphic: Thin, non-italicized lower-case of a text font; Edwards name larger; slogan type stretched and squeezed.
The B/C logo may break one or two type/graphic rules, but it really works as a bumper sticker/web banner/front lawn logo. If they had used an apostrophe rather than a prime then there'd really be nothing wrong with it at all.

Amen.

All over Atlanta I am seeing small, black square bumper stickers with a simple white serif "W" in the foreground and nearly illegible-at-a-distance "for President" in tiny white lowercase underneath. It looks so Goth, I first mistook it for Wumpscut. No idea how directly it's connected to the real W campaign.

Here's more on the W stickers, John.

Why not link directly to the site itself

and the product store

...cuz Dominey provides commentary with the link to the store.

The world of typography is not safer with Bush as president. [Amateurish Flash ad seen on the front page of NYT.com.]

By the way, Gerald, I did notice the prime in the B*C logo but forgot to mention it.

Anyone have the dirt on who did the K*E logo?

FWIW, another Bush/Kerry poster survey and critique over at Before & After Magazine.

Since most people don't know about the nuances of good typography, it might be wise to focus on what the two campaign 'logos' subtley convey to the uninitiated. I tried to express this (forgive the generalizations) in a letter which The Times ran on 10/14:

Integrity in a Logo

Published: October 14, 2004

To the Editor:

Scott Dadich's welcome analysis of the typography of the two presidential campaign logos jumps to a conclusion that has a black and white simplicity ("What You See Is What You Get," Op-Ed, Oct. 9). The sans-serif, all-caps typography of George W. Bush may well be "brash" and "aggressive" and thereby an accurate depiction of the Bush administration, but it does not follow that the serif type of John Kerry projects the candidate as a "wimp."

Serif types are the original typographic forms of the Roman alphabet. Sans-serif types are derivative letter forms that have been stripped of their serifs (as the name implies, if you know a little French!), a simplification that lends itself to short, simple messages.

Sans-serif type is the medium of corporate graphics and sound bites; it is associated with selling and spin. Serif type is the medium of books, editorial and content; it is associated with learning and knowledge.

When looking at the Kerry logo, you do get what you see, but some see intelligence, wisdom and integrity.

Thomas Starr
Boston, Oct. 9, 2004
The writer is an associate professor of graphic design at Northeastern University.

On the Bush logo, I see a hand-drawn or hand-modified design that probably earned a typographer somewhere some money.

On the Kerry Edwards logo, I see a default system font.

Who has the better-designed campaign poster? We asked our readers, and early returns indicate the President gets four more years. Check it out.

http://www.bamagazine.com/BushKerry/

John McWade
Before & After magazine
http://www.bamagazine.com

BTW, people have pointed out that the "Edwards" in the Kerry sign is relatively too big - and I certainly agree. But I have to wonder, isn't it deceptive that the "Cheney" in the Bush sign is not larger than the "Bush"? We all know who has more de facto power.

hhp

It's over. Is it crazy to suggest a better sign might have helped get Kerry another three million votes?

Um, yes.

I don't know, Ben. Those "W – The President" squares may have played a role for some… they looked sleek and different, and for a political campaign quite stylish. Of course, those traits don't quite fit the man, but advertising is often deceptive.

Dan, check out the W variations at:

http://www.georgewbush.org

I have a hard time picking a favorite, but "W - Cokehead" sure makes me laugh.

Oh, those stickers were just asking for knock-offs! But the originals must have been made by someone who at least had half a brain for marketing techniques… sadly more than what can say about the Kerry campaign. The red states bought into those W stickers big…

Kerry's campaign had serious design flaws, but in the end I think they went much deeper than typography.

> advertising is often deceptive.

"Often"?!

hhp