Criticism a-go-go for new Glasgow Commonwealth games logo

SCOTLAND'S largest city has been responsible for some of Britain's most iconic marketing slogans. "Glasgow's Miles Better" and "Glasgow: Scotland with Style" both captured the vibe and culture of the city and its people.

But yesterday city chiefs were forced on to the defensive after the new logo for the 2014 Commonwealth Games was met with stinging criticism from design experts.

Unveiled to much fanfare after months of cogitation, the £95,000 design was derided as complicated, serious, messy and old fashioned.

The logo consists of four coloured circles which represent different aspects of the sporting games.

It is based around four numbers associated with the games – the 20th time the games have been held, the 17 sports represented, the 11 days of the competition and one host city.

The second ring is precisely 17/20ths of the size of the full outer circle, and the third ring is 11/20ths of the size. At the heart of the logo is the letter G standing for the host city.

But asked by The Scotsman to evaluate the logo, Steve Creamer, creative director for Peek Creative, said: "It's not clear what this mark is meant to represent. It seems confused and a bit messy.

"Any brand mark that needs an explanation to go with it hasn't really succeeded in achieving its goal."

He said examples of successful brands, such as those for Apple, Nike or Adidas, were simple and obvious.

He added: "Anything that needs an essay in explanation isn't really very good because we don't really interact with brands in that way."

Mr Creamer thought the logo looked old fashioned, belonging more to the 1960s than 2010. "The G reminds me of the old Girobanks," he added.

Paul Hitchens, creative branding director at Verve, a creative brand consultancy, thought it looked "heavy" and "serious".

"There is a mathematical reasoning behind it – behind an event that's about sport and passion. It's so academic that I don't think that will really connect with the multitude. It's quite perplexing when you do read the rationale for it."

A spokeswoman for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games denied it was complicated.

"It has a very strong rationale behind it," she said. "We wanted to create something that was stylish and passionate and fun and graphically very clean."

The logo, which cost about a quarter of that created for the 2012 Olympics in London, is expected to help generate about £80 million. It will be used as a key part of the branding of the games and used to attract sponsorship.

For the first time, the Commonwealth Games Federation approved the use of an alternative Gaelic form of the design. The Gaelic version reads Glaschu 2014, followed by "20mh Geamaichean a'Cho Fhlaitheis" (20th Commonwealth Games).

The logo was designed by Marque Creative Ltd, a Glasgow-based firm chosen from 66 entries.

The green G in the centre was chosen because Glasgow means "Dear Green Place" in Gaelic.

Mark Noe, managing director of Marque, said: "We hope the identity will become an iconic symbol celebrating a very special moment in time."

John Scott, chief executive of Glasgow 2014 Limited, praised the new design's "fun and flexibility".

He said: "I believe it is a classic piece of graphic design. I think it will last the test of time and serve us well as we launch our commercial programme.

"We are both delighted and excited about our new identity. We believe it is truly iconic and befitting of a world-class city."

LOGO LINEAGE

• THE logo for the 2012 Olympics in London cost £400,000 and it took the best part of a year to create. It immediately attracted widespread disapproval, being described as a mess.

• The logo for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa features a football player kicking a ball in the air – the stance of the player pointing upwards apparently symbolises the growth of football in Africa.

• The Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games motif was inspired by the Chakra, the national symbol of freedom, unity and power. A rainbow Chakra spirals upwards in the shape of a human figure.

• World Cup Willie, the mascot for the 1966 competition, was the first World Cup mascot, and one of the first mascots for a major sporting event.

Official logo for 2014 Games has a familiar ring

It’s taken nine months, eight people, three offices and £95,000, but the result is – the new brand logo for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Against a backdrop of fireworks and special effects, the new design was unveiled at a ceremony in Glasgow yesterday in front of more than 1,000 invited guests, dignitaries and local schoolchildren at the Clyde Auditorium.

More than 60 design agencies from around the world competed for the high-profile contract to design the logo, with Glasgow-based Marque Creative eventually being chosen.

Costing far less than the £400,000 it cost to design the London 2012 Olympic logo, the brand is expected to become a common sight across the city in the build up to the Games.

Unveiling the logo, John Scott, chief executive of the organising committee, said: “I believe it is a classic piece of graphic design.”

The 20th Commonwealth Games is represented in red, the 17 sports are represented in yellow, the 11 days by blue and the one host city by the use of a Green G in the middle of the concentric circles.

Robert Smith, chairman of the organising committee, described it as a “new icon for Glasgow” and believes the unveiling marks the start of a significant year for the Games.

He said: “2010 is a year in which very visible progress towards the delivery of the Games will be evident. The National Indoor Sports Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in the east end will start to rise up out of the ground and the site for the athletes’ village will be cleared.”

The aim of the logo is to offer its exclusive use to companies to generate income through sponsorship. Mr Scott added: “We now need to raise the revenue required to help stage the games through selling rights to the brand identity as sponsorship.”

Mark Noe, managing director of Marque Creative, said: “We are privileged to have had the opportunity to create the brand identity for such a significant event as the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The identity is one which is grounded in integrity and design rigour and we are proud of the legacy that it will leave behind for Glasgow and Scotland.

“We hope that the identity will become an iconic symbol celebrating a very special moment in time – and will become synonymous with quality, achievement and vision.”

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon added: “The new brand is much more than a marketing logo. Over the next four years everyone will become familiar with this distinctive brand and begin to identify with it.

“We want this unique design to inspire all Scots to get behind the Games and see Glasgow 2014 as an event for the whole country.”

Only 7% women in Delhi Police and few officers

Home ministry is definitely not too happy at the skewed ratio of male and female personnel within the ranks of Delhi Police. In 2008, it categorically asked Delhi Police to increase the number of women police to 15% of the total force and when the suggestion failed to brought any change, repeated its directive in the middle of 2009.

At that time, senior police officers promised that change would be soon visible and more women cops will be hired. Nearly eight months later, the situation on the ground remains same with women constituting just 7% of total Delhi Police personnel.

"Last year, we began the process of hiring more women cops in earnest. But balancing the ratio is proving more difficult than we have anticipated. Though, we also have some success. Even as late as 2008, women constituted about three percent of our total workforce. In the past one-and-a-half year, we have increased this to nearly seven percent,'' said ACP Rajan Bhagat, spokesperson, Delhi Police.

Now, MHA officials say the lack of adequate number of women personnel can have an impact on security during the Commonwealth Games. "Many visitors, especially foreign tourists, prefer to consult women as they feel they are more approachable. Besides, women cops have a more pleasing personality and victims feel more confident in their presence,'' said a senior officer.

According to sources, the current strength of Delhi Police is around 79,000. In the next seven months leading up to the Commonwealth Games, another 900 are expected to join the force. "We reserved 15% of our vacancies for the women cadre after the MHA directive in mid 2008. But since our recruitment is based on need and is proportional to the vacancies available, we can reach increase the number to around 7.5% before the Games,'' added Bhagat.

According to Delhi Police data, there is no woman at the level of a special commissioner. Interestingly, there are only four women officers in the rank of deputy commissioners (DCPs) and additional deputy commissioners (ADCPs) currently as against 103 men in the same rank. Similarly, out of the 348 assistant commissioners (ACPs), only 33 are women.

Out of the total 3,274 women personnel part of active policing, 1,662 are deployed in local policing while 102 are in crime branch. The crime against women cell has 57 women, including five ACPs and six inspectors.

Sources said there are 75 women inspectors (5%) as against 1,244 male inspectors and and 302 sub-inspectors (6%) out of total 5,305. Among 6,783 assistant sub-inspectors, around 350 are women who account for five per cent, while the number of women head constables accounts is 568 (2.7 per cent) out of a total of 20,817.

In the category of constables, the situation has improved somewhat in the last one year. There are now around 4,000 women constables as compared to 1,826 in 2008. However, as far as top ranks are concerned there is only woman police officer now. Earlier there were three officers but recently additional commissioner (licensing) Sundari Nanda and DCP (southeast) Shalini Singh outside Delhi were transferred out of Delhi.

Senior police officers acknowledge that the force needs more women officers on top. "The Delhi police has no say in the recruitment of IPS officers. In fact, not only do we lack enough woman officer but we also have a general shortage of senior officer. Nowadays even ACPs are forced to look after various districts the work usually assigned to the DCPs,'' said a senior officer at the police headquarters.

In camera' event continues to be the rule

Whether it was the World Cup hockey, Commonwealth shooting championship or the upcoming International archery test event for the Commonwealth Games, the days leading to these competitions have been horrific for the media needing access to the venues.

The Yamuna Sports Complex, venue of the four-day 10-nation meet that commences on Tuesday, resembles a fortress. Entry is strictly restricted but what a pity that no spectator will be allowed for the event.

The incomplete venue has been the biggest worry for the Archery Association of India (AAI). The AAI has been begging the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to ready at least four rest rooms for the competition.

Worried about the magnitude of incomplete work at the venue, the AAI shockingly ignored most other organisational aspects, particularly the streamlining of entry to the venue.

Mess continues

On Monday, the eve of the event, it was clear that those in authority had not learnt their lessons. The mess continued with the AAI leaving everything for the eleventh hour. The security men are doing their job but the AAI and the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games have failed miserably to ensure smooth entry of participants, officials and mediapersons.

The organisers were shown in very poor light on Sunday when some visiting teams were made to wait for more than two hours. They had come for a training session. It transpired later that the security forces were asked to “sanitize” the venue after the teams had arrived.

It was no different for AAI president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who was stopped at the entrance on Monday. Malhotra could get in only after he spoke to Lt. Governor Tejendra Khanna.

The mediamen, after a long wait, were told to return on Tuesday to collect their accreditations, which effectively means, they miss the qualification rounds in recurve.

As for the competition, the field is depleted. Australia and Canada have stayed away while England, New Zealand and Malaysia have sent only their second string teams. India, thus, is expected to sweep all our team gold medals and remains firm favourite for the individual titles.

Two more complexes around Connaught Place renovated

Even as Connaught Place is still getting a facelift ahead of the Commonwealth Games, the renovation of markets around it is gradually nearing completion. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday inaugurated the renovated Yusufzai Market and Hanuman Mandir Vatika

Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief Minister, who also distributed smart cards to hawkers in the presence of New Delhi Municipal Council chairman Parimal Rai, said the old glory of Connaught Place area was being restored through a massive renovation programme.

“This will not only improve the image of the New Delhi area but also present it in better light during the Games,'' she said.

The Yusufzai Market situated on the Outer Circle of Connaught Place has 106 shops. Work on the façade improvement for this market was taken up under the Bhagidari scheme with the traders' associations. While the change of front wall profiles of the shops was carried out by individual shopkeepers at their own cost, the other main works of façade improvement have been executed by NDMC at an estimated cost of Rs.1.20 crore.

As for the redevelopment work on the precincts of the Hanuman Mandir Complex, the Chief Minister said it has been given a facelift through creation of spaces for a food court, stalls, flowers, mehandi stalls, prasad shops and an exclusive space for shoe rooms and prasad distribution.

Hanuman Vatika gets a new look

With the Commonwealth Games around the corner, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is on an overdrive to revamp the façade of its various markets.

Already, the improvement work at Janpath and Tibetan Market has been completed.

NDMC is now finally done with the completion Yusufzai Market at Connaught Place and Shri Hanuman Vatika which has 106 shops.

The work of the façade improvement for Yusufzai Market was taken up under the Bhagidari scheme with the traders’ associations. Individual shopkeepers, at their own cost, carried out the change of front wall profiles of the shops.

The other main works of façade improvement have been executed by NDMC at estimated cost of Rs 1.20 crore.

“The redevelopment work of the precincts of Hanuman Mandir Complex has been given a facelift by providing dedicated spaces for food court, flower seller stalls, mehandi stalls, prasad shops beside an exclusive space for shoe rooms and prasad distribution. At the lower plaza of the temple complex six additional shops has been constructed,” said an NDMC official.

According to NDMC, near the temple in the Choorree Bazar the work of the façade improvement and construction has been completed. Also, a plaza in front of the temple at different levels has been developed under the scheme with seating arrangement, walkways and ramps, public conveniences for ladies and gents has also been constructed.

This development work has been completed in approximately two years at an estimated cost of Rs 5.40 crore.

LED screens to promote community viewing in Delhi

To encourage ‘community viewing’ among Delhiites during the Commonwealth Games (CWG), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has installed 50 giant light-emitting diode (LED) screens at busy markets across the city, including Greater Kailash M-block, Defence Colony, Lajpat Nagar Central Market and PVR Saket, among others. The project is being taken up on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

The civic agency will earn a revenue of Rs 50 lakh per month through this project. The private firm would maintain these screens and will earn revenue through display of advertisements.

“The concept of community viewing is still quite nascent in the city. Now that Delhi is hosting the Games these screens will act as a platform where people will be able to come together at a spot and view live telecast of sports events,” said K S Mehra, MCD commissioner.

The screens have been strategically located and will also display social messages, spreading awareness about health-related issues free of cost. The screens have become operational now.

In addition, the screens will come handy in tracking stolen or robbed vehicles too.

“In case of a car jacking, the police will be able to display the registration number in real time to locate it. Such messages will be screened free of cost,” said a senior MCD official.

LED displays are brighter than standard signs and visible from a longer distance, even in direct sunlight.

The screen will also give information about the traffic density for various areas, and will guide people to lesser traffic congested routes, hence helping in reducing traffic jams by giving prior information.

Before installation of these screens, a thorough research conducted and the most suitable locations were picked up.