July 30, 2024 • 8 mins
The Paris 2024 Olympic logo revealed on October 21, 2019.Logo combines Marianne (symbol of French Republic), Olympic flame, and gold medal. Initial reactions were mixed, sparking global conversation and memes.
- Design principles:
- Cultural significance (Marianne)
- Inclusivity (abstract face design)
- Multifunctionality (works in static and animated forms)
- Sustainability (simple, one-color design)
- Key takeaways:
- Engagement over universal approval
- Symbolism in every element
- Inclusive design for diverse audiences
- Multi-platform functionality
- Alignment with organizational values
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello everybody, I'm Ronith Sharmila and you're tuned into the Big Brand Theory and today
(00:04):
we are diving into the Paris 2024 Olympic logo, a design that's not just a pretty face,
but a masterclass in symbolism, cultural branding and visual storytelling.
Stick around because the secrets we're about to uncover could revolutionize how you think
about logo design and brand identity.
Alright, let's rewind a bit.
(00:31):
Olympic logos have always been a big deal, right?
They are not just slapped together by some intern with Photoshop skills.
These things are carefully crafted to represent not just the games, but the whole city, the
country and the Olympic spirit itself.
I hope you remember the London 2012 Olympics, that angular, colorful number that kinda looked
(00:54):
like, let's say Lisa Simpson or the Rio 2016 logo with its stylized figure forming the
shape of Sugarloaf Mountain.
Each of these logos told a story, sparked conversations and sometimes controversies
too.
But Paris 2024?
They decided to go in a completely different direction.
(01:15):
Instead of abstract shapes or stylized landmarks, they chose a face.
And not just any face, the face of Marianne, the personification of the French Republic.
Now if you're scratching your head thinking, Ronneth, what the heck does a French historical
figure have to do with Olympics?
(01:35):
Don't worry, that's exactly what we are going to unpack today in this episode.
I want you to understand that this logo isn't just about looking pretty on billboards and
medals.
It's a strategic branding move that ties together French identity, Olympic values and modern
design in one neat package.
(01:57):
And trust me, as marketing and branding people, there's a lot we can learn from it.
Alright, now let's decode the design.
First let's take a closer look at this logo itself.
At first glance you see a golden circle with what looks like a flame inside.
But look closer and you will see it's actually a woman's face, short baby hair.
(02:22):
This face is, as I already mentioned, is Marianne, a national symbol of France since the French
Revolution.
She represents liberty, equality and fraternity, which are the core values of the French Republic.
Now I hope that sounds familiar because those values align pretty closely with the values
(02:42):
of Olympics itself, which are ideals of excellence, friendship and respect.
But here's where it gets really clever.
The designers didn't just slap Marianne's face on there and call it a day.
They integrated multiple symbols into one cohesive design.
First, the circle represents a gold medal, as you could see.
(03:04):
And number two, the flame-like shape of the hair recalls, yes you guessed it right, the
Olympic flame.
And number three, the face's features are formed by the lips, which resemble the Eiffel
Tower.
Talk about multitasking, this logo manages to represent France, Paris, the Olympics and
(03:26):
victory all at once.
It's basically like the Swiss army knife, but for logos.
But wait, there's more, the typeface used for Paris 2024 is custom designed to echo
the art deco style that was very popular when Paris hosted the Olympics in 1924.
(03:48):
Yes exactly 100 years ago, it's a subtle nod to the city's Olympic history, wrapped in
thoroughly modern package.
Now I can almost hear you thinking, Ronit this all sounds great, but isn't it a bit
abstract?
Will people, will actually people really get all these references?
(04:11):
And that's a fair question, let's look at how this design strategy played out.
So when the logo was actually unveiled, as you can imagine it sparked immediate buzz.
Some people loved it, some were confused and others, well let's just say they had opinions.
But here's the thing, that buzz, that's exactly what a good logo should do, don't you think?
(04:31):
It got people talking, analyzing and engaging with the brand.
In the first 24 hours after the reveal, the Paris 2024 social media account saw a 70%
increase in engagement.
That's a lot of eyeballs on your brand.
And on the other end, the design world largely praised the logo for its elegance and multifaceted
symbolism.
(04:52):
Thierry Raboul, the creative director of Paris 2024, said, the aim was to create an icon
that would be meaningful for the public and as well as to stand out as a symbol of a different
kind of Olympic Games.
And that is exactly what the logo did.
And this is the first time in Olympics history that the same logo will be used for both the
(05:12):
Olympic and the Paralympic Games with only the word mark changing.
That's a powerful statement about inclusivity and unity.
But as you can see, there is always two sides to the coin and so was not everyone was on
board with this logo.
Some critics argued that the logo was too abstract or that it reinforced gender stereotypes.
(05:36):
Others joked that it looked like a dating app logo or a shampoo advertisement.
Now that I could somewhat relate to.
Here's the kicker though, even the criticism as you could see served to spread awareness
of the logo and get people engaged with the Paris 2024 brand.
As the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad publicity, am I right?
(05:57):
The logo has since been used in various marketing materials and merchandise and it's proven
to be versatile and recognizable.
It's a design that works just as well on a tiny pin as it does projected onto the sky.
Alright now as marketing and branding people, what can we learn from this incredible logo
design?
I would say there are five key takeaways.
(06:19):
Number one, don't be afraid to go against the grain.
As you could see, Paris 2024 broke from traditional Olympic logo design and it paid off in terms
of attention and engagement.
And that is exactly what you and me as marketing and branding people should do when it comes
to visual aesthetics in our business too.
(06:40):
And number two, layer your symbolism.
The more meaning you can pack into a design or a logo, the more opportunities you create
for people to connect with it.
Think about it, Paris 2024 logo is stacked with multiple layers of symbolism and that
creates multiple ways for people to engage with it.
(07:02):
Number three, consider the versatility of your design.
A good logo should work across various mediums and scales, it should be versatile.
Always keep an eye on that.
Number four, embrace your cultural identity.
Tying your brand to cultural symbols can create a deeper and more meaningful connection with
the audience because as you could think about, culture is driven by emotions and emotions
(07:26):
are the one which actually drives engagement and influences consumer issues.
Number five, be prepared for a discourse.
If your design sparks conversation or even controversy, have a clear strategy for engaging
with and responding to feedback.
Now I want you to think about your own brand.
Are you playing it too safe with your visual identity?
(07:49):
Is it any bold statement you could make that might get people talking?
Share your thoughts with me on Instagram and Twitter, which is now called as X using the
hashtag the big brand theory and hey, why not try redesigning your own logo using some
of these principles?
And I'd love to see what you come up with.
(08:10):
That's all for this episode of the big brand theory.
I'm Ronald Schermler reminding you that in the world of branding, sometimes the most
powerful logos are the ones that make you look twice.
Until next time, keep building those remarkable brands.
Hello everybody, I'm Ronith Sharmila and you're tuned into the Big Brand Theory and today
(00:04):
we are diving into the Paris 2024 Olympic logo, a design that's not just a pretty face,
but a masterclass in symbolism, cultural branding and visual storytelling.
Stick around because the secrets we're about to uncover could revolutionize how you think
about logo design and brand identity.
Alright, let's rewind a bit.
(00:31):
Olympic logos have always been a big deal, right?
They are not just slapped together by some intern with Photoshop skills.
These things are carefully crafted to represent not just the games, but the whole city, the
country and the Olympic spirit itself.
I hope you remember the London 2012 Olympics, that angular, colorful number that kinda looked
(00:54):
like, let's say Lisa Simpson or the Rio 2016 logo with its stylized figure forming the
shape of Sugarloaf Mountain.
Each of these logos told a story, sparked conversations and sometimes controversies
too.
But Paris 2024?
They decided to go in a completely different direction.
(01:15):
Instead of abstract shapes or stylized landmarks, they chose a face.
And not just any face, the face of Marianne, the personification of the French Republic.
Now if you're scratching your head thinking, Ronneth, what the heck does a French historical
figure have to do with Olympics?
(01:35):
Don't worry, that's exactly what we are going to unpack today in this episode.
I want you to understand that this logo isn't just about looking pretty on billboards and
medals.
It's a strategic branding move that ties together French identity, Olympic values and modern
design in one neat package.
(01:57):
And trust me, as marketing and branding people, there's a lot we can learn from it.
Alright, now let's decode the design.
First let's take a closer look at this logo itself.
At first glance you see a golden circle with what looks like a flame inside.
But look closer and you will see it's actually a woman's face, short baby hair.
(02:22):
This face is, as I already mentioned, is Marianne, a national symbol of France since the French
Revolution.
She represents liberty, equality and fraternity, which are the core values of the French Republic.
Now I hope that sounds familiar because those values align pretty closely with the values
(02:42):
of Olympics itself, which are ideals of excellence, friendship and respect.
But here's where it gets really clever.
The designers didn't just slap Marianne's face on there and call it a day.
They integrated multiple symbols into one cohesive design.
First, the circle represents a gold medal, as you could see.
(03:04):
And number two, the flame-like shape of the hair recalls, yes you guessed it right, the
Olympic flame.
And number three, the face's features are formed by the lips, which resemble the Eiffel
Tower.
Talk about multitasking, this logo manages to represent France, Paris, the Olympics and
(03:26):
victory all at once.
It's basically like the Swiss army knife, but for logos.
But wait, there's more, the typeface used for Paris 2024 is custom designed to echo
the art deco style that was very popular when Paris hosted the Olympics in 1924.
(03:48):
Yes exactly 100 years ago, it's a subtle nod to the city's Olympic history, wrapped in
thoroughly modern package.
Now I can almost hear you thinking, Ronit this all sounds great, but isn't it a bit
abstract?
Will people, will actually people really get all these references?
(04:11):
And that's a fair question, let's look at how this design strategy played out.
So when the logo was actually unveiled, as you can imagine it sparked immediate buzz.
Some people loved it, some were confused and others, well let's just say they had opinions.
But here's the thing, that buzz, that's exactly what a good logo should do, don't you think?
(04:31):
It got people talking, analyzing and engaging with the brand.
In the first 24 hours after the reveal, the Paris 2024 social media account saw a 70%
increase in engagement.
That's a lot of eyeballs on your brand.
And on the other end, the design world largely praised the logo for its elegance and multifaceted
symbolism.
(04:52):
Thierry Raboul, the creative director of Paris 2024, said, the aim was to create an icon
that would be meaningful for the public and as well as to stand out as a symbol of a different
kind of Olympic Games.
And that is exactly what the logo did.
And this is the first time in Olympics history that the same logo will be used for both the
(05:12):
Olympic and the Paralympic Games with only the word mark changing.
That's a powerful statement about inclusivity and unity.
But as you can see, there is always two sides to the coin and so was not everyone was on
board with this logo.
Some critics argued that the logo was too abstract or that it reinforced gender stereotypes.
(05:36):
Others joked that it looked like a dating app logo or a shampoo advertisement.
Now that I could somewhat relate to.
Here's the kicker though, even the criticism as you could see served to spread awareness
of the logo and get people engaged with the Paris 2024 brand.
As the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad publicity, am I right?
(05:57):
The logo has since been used in various marketing materials and merchandise and it's proven
to be versatile and recognizable.
It's a design that works just as well on a tiny pin as it does projected onto the sky.
Alright now as marketing and branding people, what can we learn from this incredible logo
design?
I would say there are five key takeaways.
(06:19):
Number one, don't be afraid to go against the grain.
As you could see, Paris 2024 broke from traditional Olympic logo design and it paid off in terms
of attention and engagement.
And that is exactly what you and me as marketing and branding people should do when it comes
to visual aesthetics in our business too.
(06:40):
And number two, layer your symbolism.
The more meaning you can pack into a design or a logo, the more opportunities you create
for people to connect with it.
Think about it, Paris 2024 logo is stacked with multiple layers of symbolism and that
creates multiple ways for people to engage with it.
(07:02):
Number three, consider the versatility of your design.
A good logo should work across various mediums and scales, it should be versatile.
Always keep an eye on that.
Number four, embrace your cultural identity.
Tying your brand to cultural symbols can create a deeper and more meaningful connection with
the audience because as you could think about, culture is driven by emotions and emotions
(07:26):
are the one which actually drives engagement and influences consumer issues.
Number five, be prepared for a discourse.
If your design sparks conversation or even controversy, have a clear strategy for engaging
with and responding to feedback.
Now I want you to think about your own brand.
Are you playing it too safe with your visual identity?
(07:49):
Is it any bold statement you could make that might get people talking?
Share your thoughts with me on Instagram and Twitter, which is now called as X using the
hashtag the big brand theory and hey, why not try redesigning your own logo using some
of these principles?
And I'd love to see what you come up with.
(08:10):
That's all for this episode of the big brand theory.
I'm Ronald Schermler reminding you that in the world of branding, sometimes the most
powerful logos are the ones that make you look twice.
Until next time, keep building those remarkable brands.
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