Critics slam London logo

Beresfords’ new logo for London is facing heavy criticism. But others are calling for restraint from “vitriolic” attacks, saying the marque needs time to prove its worth.

Design Museum founder Stephen Bayley was quoted in The Daily Telegraph as saying the logo is “atrocious”, and told Design Week that it is “depressing”. He says: “The concept is puerile, typography unintelligent, the execution tacky and the result embarrassing and utterly inappropriate.”

RSCG Conran Design creative director David Chaloner says the logo is “not only symbolically naive but also visually banal”. But he adds: “I don’t know the brief so I can’t comment on whether or not Beresfords has done its job.”

Greg Taylor, director at Leeds consultancy Elmwood, says judgement has to be reserved until all the logo’s applications happen. “At the moment all we can see is a brand marque,” he says.

The criticisms in The Daily Telegraph are slammed by Design Research Unit director Chris Ellingham. He says such “assassination of another consultant’s work… rebounds on the integrity of the profession as a whole”.

Beresfords managing director Laura Haynes was unavailable to comment.

See Letters, page 13.