Download SYMBOL AND LOGO FOR SIRACUSA. PROJECT PLANNING

SYMBOL AND LOGO FOR SIRACUSA.
PROJECT PLANNING.
RECORDS ON SOME CASE STUDYIES
OF VISUAL IDENTITY SYSTEMS FOR THE CITY IMAGE.
Documentation by Aiap
(Italian association for the visual communication projects)
The city identity is a value to be preserved and spread at the same time. This goal
implies clear communication, effective organization of the targets and guarantee
of business “localization” of the local resources. The current marketing surveys and
strategies show how the commercial brands are now independent from their products.
They are rather pure concepts, philosophy of life, with their own ethic and aesthetic.
These strategies aim at establishing a communication and a sentimental bond
between the values promoted by the brand and the consumers.
Today the cities need to establish a contact with the complicated universe of
individuals they communicate with. In order to build a city image and communication
strategy, we need to understand this new perspective. To do this we also need to know
the necessary actions to describe and valorize the city. Identification, orientation,
guarantee, personalization, clarity and functional capacity are necessary to apply
relational communication strategies.
A visual identity for Siracusa
Many Italian cities applied modern strategies to select their visual identity by
combining traditional heraldry and city armorial bearings with a modern program
of institutional image projects. Like companies, also cities make use of standard
models for the application of the identification methods, in the same way they make
use of manuals to regulate the application of the image in the various communication
demands. Siracusa as well started a similar program. However too often these actions
have been insufficient in terms of creation of a clear relation with the people living and
using the city.
A city is represented not only by an administrative district, but it also includes groups
of individuals or bodies that provide services (environmental services, transportation
and tourism promotion). This situation requires a specific approach, in order to
comply with the issue of the city image and organization. The project should introduce
the city image in a larger and more articulated visual system that conforms to the
“technical” and horizontal communication channels, as well as to the “experiential”
and one-way channels opened by the new technologies.
City identity means legal frameworks for static communication products, and it also
means a “variety of identities” that are coordinated and modulated through the
organization of the project.
Some observations that might be useful to the project
There are three types of city symbols. All of them represent and express the city with
a special sign or a character, however they are radically different from each other in
their strategic and communicative value. The first group includes those symbols that
represent the city institutions and administration. Usually these symbols imitate the
city heraldry and they are applied according to specific customs. They recall the city
historical events, symbols and visual traditions.
When these references are lacking, modern shapes are adapted in the heraldic
symbol in a more schematic way usually inspired by companies’ logos. This type
of symbol often refers to a precise codification of the heraldic convention where signs
and colors are regulated by specific meanings. Their shape must recall an explicit
official character and comply with identification and communication requirements
(usually secondary), but most of all they must comply with official rituals (political
etiquette, or representative purposes).
The second group includes those symbols that concisely represent the city images
in order to identify a specific function and/or service (tourist offices, promotion
bodies). Therefore these symbols must aim at distinguishing the addressed activity
through a specific shape and structure such to indicate the organization. They
express a very important communicative necessity and introduce the city to people
by addressing the service that is offered. We can call them tools for the urban
promotion, but they can also express much more.
A third group, which is the real object of this competition, includes symbols that
represent a real brand. These are the visual and communicative symbols of a specific
product that represents the city administration, as well as the tourist function or other
economic strategies, and much more. All the resources are combined in order to
distinguish, identify and select the city. The visual “name” becomes a real product,
and the city becomes a brand, the centre of a wide marketing strategy. This brand
becomes at the same time a “quality seal” for people, for promotion campaigns and
for the large variety of articles and goods that can be manufactured.
Some examples of city symbols
The following is a selection of projects regarding logos and brands targeting the city.
There are several examples, some of them are very famous (as a result of successful
and well-made projects), some of them are fairly known, some others are not at all.
Some brands are the result of public or private competitions, some other symbols
were instead commissioned projects. They can provide useful examples and solutions
to show the limits and the stages of projects that are different from each other.
AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam is a very interesting case given the articulated elements that
characterize its image. These elements comply with the necessity to identify
specific functions and describe institutions. The tourist symbol of the
city identifies the tourist office functions and it is used for its institutional
communication purposes. It is a functional tool that has no functions or uses
for merchandising or promotional activities. There is also an official symbol
of the city that comes from the city emblem and that has clear heraldic features.
This symbol is protected by a copyright and it is used in the souvenir market.
In 2004 Amsterdam added an interesting regional marketing campaign to these
promotional symbols. After a survey in the other European cities (Barcelona,
Berlin, Dublin, Rotterdam) Amsterdam decided to valorize its unique features
by involving public and private institutions, so to define a strong identity.
The result was a valorization of the city name, through its transformation into
a multifunctional tool.
“I amsterdam”, created by the innovative company Kessel&Kramer, becomes
a city poster: it highlights the advantages - museums, transportations – as well
as tolerance, multicultural environment, development and research, design and
fashion. Particularly the slogan acknowledges the unique resources lying in its
citizens. The citizens are Amsterdam. This statement makes people proud to
belong to that city. The single person becomes the local communication means.
This process created a meta-language that operates from the inside and the
outside.
ALTO ADIGE, SUD TIROL
The brand Alto Adige was created due to the necessity of a strong
rationalization.
The company Metadesign Berlin had to deal with the large variety
of brands that already existed in the public institutions. This fact
generated side effects such as waste of energy, lack of coordination
between the communication policies, overlapping and repetitions.
The final result was a gradual impoverishment.
The creation of a company for the regional marketing was the step
preceding the creation of a single brand that, like an “umbrella”, could
gather together other symbols and also valorized the progress in a
structured way.
NEW YORK
Project: Milton Glaser
“In order to promote its diffusion, the trade-mark at the beginning was not registered. This
meant that anybody could do anything with it. In the example (on the right) someone decided to
add the word “love” inside the heart, as if people could not understand its meaning otherwise.
The result depends on the observer’s subjectivity, who is stimulated to find a solution to the
simple rebus: “I” is a word with a full meaning, the heart is the symbol of love and “NY” are
the initials of a city name: adding the word “love” just spoils the effect. This little product that
was almost left unfinished, became the most famous work of mine. It has been exaggeratedly
considered as the most copied object of the twentieth century. This image became part of the
common vocabulary, to the point that is hard to believe that it was necessary to invent it, and
that it didn’t always exist instead. It’s a mystery to me how and why this could have happened.”
from: Milton Glaser. Art is work, Edizioni Leonardo Arte
Today the logo is property of the Economic Development Department of the New York state,
which allows its commercial and promotional use. The proceeds of the trademark licenses are
assigned to the tourist promotion.
Beside this logo, New York also has the “heraldic” symbol of the state/city, much less known.
OSLO
The image of Oslo is a prow of a Viking vessel, stylized in various ways.
It is a registered trademark of the tourist office that also makes use of it.
When it is used for any promotional purpose, it also has few words written
under the vessel that vary according to the context (ex. Oslo Promotion).
BARCELONA
The symbol of Barcelona is a capital “B” shaped in a peculiar way: a round bracket
is lying under the letter. The bracket can be seen as a mouth, a smile,
a hull with a B-shaped sail on top, or a movement of the ocean. It is a simple
choice, yet capable to offer many interpretations. The symbol also represents
a structural basis, a system, an articulation. The “B” is often accompanied by
a logo or few words in lower case that nicely complete the design: B is Barcelona,
B is culture, B is tourism... The result is simple, but it communicates a cheerful
expressivity.
COPENHAGEN
Project: Scandinavian Branding.
The symbol of the city is the mermaid, the famous sculpture by Edvard Eriksendal.
The logo is a smoother version of the famous sculpture, with round and soft edges,
while the message“ Wonderful Copenhagen” is added to the drawing. The logo is
used to localize tourist information and welcome centres. The image is clearly a
derivation of the famous mermaid, and since the symbol is property of the artist, the
users, tourist office of Copenhagen included, must have a license to be able to use it.
FRANKFURT
The logo of the tourist office of Frankfurt is also used for promotion leaflets and
souvenirs. The logo of the city is instead used by the local administrative office, as
well as in promotional material. Both of them have an appealing, modern, effective
and abstract look.
HELSINKI
The symbol of Helsinki is an “H” written with little dots arranged in perspective manner
in a colored rectangular space. Next to this rectangular space there is a blue rectangle
with the logo “Helsinki” and “ all points considered” reinforcing the strength of the
symbol. The clear, yet a bit cold message is maybe in line with the city stereotype.
It works fine for informative and promotional material, but it works less for products and
souvenirs. The symbol of the city is the logo of the administrative and mayor’s offices.
This logo is the town property, and it is not used for merchandising, but only for official
material.
LISBON
The logo of the office for the tourist promotion is used only for promotional purposes and
merchandising, since it is a registered trademark. The symbol has been developed in
several versions along with time, they are all cheerful and made with delicate, yet bright
colors, the message that comes across is a certain freedom. The stress is on the values
and spirit of the city, rather than on the features of the promotional institution.
LONDRA
The logo “visit London” is included in a graphic context representing the typical
symbols or places of the city. This system works also thanks to the presence of these
representative city symbols. The logo is property of the London Tourist Board, an
independent organization with the participation of the British Ministry of Tourism.
It is used for promotional purposes and there are clear restrictions for commercial use.
PARIS
The Eiffel Tower is the visual stereotype that is used the most to represent Paris.
All the evolutions of the Tourist Office logo rotate around such symbol. In the fist
logo the tower was more stylized, vaguely three-dimensional and embellished
with flags (which is maybe more effective in congresses or fairs), the symbol then
became an abstract sign obtained with colored clustered dots shaping the tower.
The main feature of these logos that represent Paris is that they are not used for
marketing purposes. There is also the emblem of the administrative district that
is used mainly for institutional purposes. Many types of logos and images are
available for Paris. From liberty-like messages, to the stylization of other typical
icons and places of the city. All these images are thought and used for marketing
and tourist purposes: stamps, t-shirt, mugs and hats.
STOCKHOLM
The logos of Stockholm, both for promotional and administrative
purposes, are full of images and colors. They are informal and
pleasant.
The logos for events are largely used to promote and market the city
image. The official symbol of the city (the shield of St.Erik) is used
in the administration and for commercial purposes with no changes
in its colors or words.
VENICE
Project: Mathieu Thibaut, Philippe Starck (Consultant)
The logo of Venice was created after a very troubled competition organized by the
municipality of Venice, the symbol was finally signed by a very famous international
designer, however it does not come up to the expectations. Venice is the only city
in the world that can count on a quality guarantee for its products or services.
However this concept is not well represented by this symbol, which is instead quite
nostalgic and decadent. Besides the cultural reference, the logo communicates an
obscure image of the city, moreover its structure, the capital “V” with the head of
the lion and one single wing, lacks some balance. The logo is weak, however there
is a good strategy behind its launch on the market. An effective marketing and
communication strategy has created a precise image and defined a plan to apply,
market and start the license activity.
ZURICH
This symbol is property of Zurich Tourism (a no profit company), and
represents the tourism in the city. The graphic of the symbol is typical Swiss,
a lot of stress has been paid on abstract geometry and on visual images.
These characteristics confirm the aesthetic quality of the Swiss school, but
on the other hand they also give the logo a “company” dimension, since
they valorize the tourist system and organization ignoring other sides of the
city.
Correct use of the symbol
Incorrect use of the symbol
BERLIN
Project: Meta Design
The symbol of the new, united Berlin is the stylization of the Brandenburg door.
The symbol has a compact aspect, it has many drawings and is cheerful.
It was created during a very articulated image and identity program (from the
transportation system to specific typographic features). The contrast between
positive and negative signs provides a dynamic result. What is missing instead
is some emotion; the symbol recalls a company logo (the hat with this symbol
on it reminds a bit of a sport and/or corporate club gadget, if compared with
other hats having logos with things such bears and city heraldic symbols).
Berlin Tourismus Marketing GMBH is the body in charge of the advertising and
marketing of the city.