Glasgow hunts new logo in identity row

Glasgow is to seek a new identity for its year as City of Architecture and Design in 1999. The current logo is the subject of a dispute with its creator, local consultancy Graven Images.

The festival’s head of communications Sarah Gaventa says a limited, invited, paid competition will be held for the design of a “Glasgow typeface” from which a logotype will be drawn.

Graven Images designed the city’s successful bid document in 1994 and later designed and registered the 99 logotype which was used for the bid and is now in wide circulation. The consultancy’s co-founder Janice Kirkpatrick says no design fee was paid or sought: “If they wanted to go on and use it they would have to pay to have it done properly.”

In the absence of a long-term deal on the logo, Kirkpatrick says: “They haven’t paid for it to date so we said we don’t want them to use it. It’s a stupid situation. We are not trying to screw them. We have been one of their biggest ambassadors. All we want is a fair deal.”

Gaventa will not say if Graven Images will be in the competition. “The best Glasgow practices will be invited to take part,” says Gaventa, who claims not to be worried by the prospect of local confusion as the new logo is phased in: “We will be able to establish the new identity.”