Things more important to be concerned about, than a logo:
• Sorting out the Public Transport route and getting on with it.
• Deciding whether we are going to have buses or light rail.
• Implementing a complete separated cycle network throughout the city.
• Providing a workable answer to paying for strengthening EQP buildings.
• Lengthening the runway, or not. And then doing it anyway.Â
• Encouraging businesses back to Wellington, so we do not stagnate.Â
• Thermal insulation upgrade to all housing stock.
• Reducing spend on roading in Wellington.
• Finding new system of rubbish and recycling collection in this windy city of ours.
• Completing deals with Sir Peter Jackson and actually getting a LOTR museum.
• Convincing Tenths Trust to develop / do something with Shelley Bay.
• Digging a second Mt Vic Tunnel, and more tunnels where needed.
• Stopping a Flyover ruining part of Wellington.Â
• Implementing Option X and saving millions.Â
• Working with engineers to save The Old Public Trust building.
• Working with financiers to get a solution to the Harcourts building.
• Working with architects to resolve Cuba St heritage precinct.
• Building an extension to Te Papa to house New Zealand’s hidden art collection.
• Saving Downstage to provide a venue for all Wellingtonians.
• Removing all the old pine trees on Tinakori Hill before they kill someone.
• Installing anti-jellyfish nets at all the beaches so that we can swim in peace.
• Completing buildings on site 9 and 10 at Kumutoto, and then closing down WWL.Â
• Implementing a system of public recycling bins throughout the city.
• Making sure that collected materials are actually recycled.
• Upgrading bus shelters so that they actually shelter bus users.Â
Once you’ve actually done all that, and only then: discuss existing logo for city council, and debate whether we need a new one.
first we had that, then we had this:
then with a bit of colour added:
just be thankful it’s not this:
or this….
“Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive David Perks said it was created to put a modern spin on the Absolutely Positively brand established in 1991. The symbol was meant as a “plus”, “positive” or “and” – not a religious cross – and it was designed to represent opportunities throughout Wellington, not just the council, he said.
“The story, values, personality and proposition that sit behind the [logo] were presented and reported upon back in early May and are, in effect, a summary of the thoughts and opinions expressed in a large number of workshops which all types of Wellingtonians participated in over last summer.”
there’s a fair bit of comment going on over at the Scoop site:
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=61433
…and of course masses of inane comments at the Stuff site for the DomPost:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/9366061/Fresh-Wellington-logo-makes-councillors-cross
like this gem:
Spratty : “Hideous!!! I’m a graphic designer of over 20 years exp. and did I say it is very, very bad! Reminds me of a new start-up church for weirdo’s… perhaps this should be the council’s new logo?! TERRIBLE!”
But more interestingly to me is this:
http://www.wellingtonnz.com/about-us/absolutely-positively-wellington
“They say you always remember your first, and we certainly remember this one. Now established in the hearts and minds of Kiwis, Absolutely Positively Wellington was the campaign that almost wasn’t.
You see it wasn’t really meant to be anything big
It all started when Wellington Newspapers Ltd gave some space to the advertising dudes at Saatchi & Saatchi. The plan was to fire things up a bit following the economically troublesome 1980s. The result was a series of eight profiles featuring Wellingtonians who had turned their lives around by getting out there and doing something. People like Stefan Lepionka, who was getting up and squeezing oranges in a converted washing machine and delivering fresh juice to hotels (Stefans, now Charlies) and Gordon May, who bought an old sewing machine and started making ties (Rickson Groove). At the bottom of each page was a simple three line logo – ‘Absolutely Positively Wellington’.
People loved it. They connected with these stories about human endeavour and they wanted more. At the opening of the new Civic Centre, $100,000 was pledged by local businesses and Saatchi talked media owners into donating around one million dollars of local time.
And the results speak for themselves
Absolutely Positively Wellington was launched in 1991 and eventually led to us being set up (an awesome outcome in itself). The campaign sold Wellingtonians on Wellington. As they believed in it and embraced the ‘Absolutely Positively’ philosophy that our city is loved for to this day, the rest of the country did too. The legacy remains, with ‘Absolutely Positively Wellington’ remaining the city’s brand, managed by Wellington City Council.”
It’s a bit sad to say this, but the Council could just replay that old TV ad, nothing much seems to have changed since then. Except the hair, the colour of the buses and Karo Drive…
Make the logo bigger
’nuff said really
Couldn’t agree more with your comments – but also have a snippet of info regarding the origin of this phrase.
I was watching “The Wizard of Oz” last month, for the first time ever (yes, yes, I know, why have I never seen it before…), and… well, here’s a bit of the script from http://www.filmsite.org/wiza2.html :
“The Munchkins obsessively insist that it must be verified that the Witch is proven to be dead – in all ways: …morally, ethically, spiritually, physically, positively, absolutely, undeniably, and reliably- dead!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxQNYPYFq1c
A stunningly brilliant segue there 60 MPa, thank you for that – evidently Quentin Tarantino has either been watching the Wizard of Oz, or is also a fan of Saatchi’s adverts for the Wellington City Council. I do agree with Julian though, that the 1991 film could be relaunched today and fit right in with the whole Cuba St retro vibe going on…
“We think we can do better”…. that’s pretty much a death sentence.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9398807/Future-uncertain-for-new-Wellington-logo
Dutch Cycle experts called in – excellent news. Shows that we might get some joined up thinking at last….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/the-wellingtonian/9451429/Dutch-cycling-experts-called-in
“The experts said the changes they would implement would include a master plan for cycling throughout the region, not doing it piece-by-piece, and a consistent roading philosophy.
“It’s good to look at a typical section of road and see how it’s used by cars, cyclists and pedestrians and come up with a consistent solution,” Mr Brussel said.
“At the moment there are lots of different solutions, which makes it difficult for all the road users to predict what the other people will be doing.”
Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said the experts had confirmed consistent policy was needed and that the changes would not be realised overnight.
“The other useful thing was the confirmation that it was good for business – good for retailers and employers, not only the people already keen on cycling,” she said.
“We have money for [the cycleway] in this year’s annual plan.”