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'Don't pay Olympic logo designers a penny', says Ken Livingstone
Last updated at 07:52am on 07.06.07A video for the hugely unpopular 2012 Olympics logo which triggered at least 22 epileptic fits was a "catastrophic mistake", London Mayor Ken Livingstone has said.
Mr Livingstone, whose support for the Games is crucial to their success, pulled no punches when he made clear his disgust at the way the logo's launch was handled.
He said the firm which made the film should "not be paid a penny".
It emerged that the Olympic Committee had feared the film - featuring flashing lights and psychedelic colours - might cause seizures, and even put up warning signs at the official launch in London as a precaution.
Scroll down to see readers' alternative logos...
Within hours of the logo's launch on Monday, the Internet was flooded with hundreds of alternative designs from members of the public angry at the official choice
Yet the committee, headed by Lord Coe, put the film on the 2012 website and released it to broadcasters, causing serious epileptic fits in several viewers.
Andy Peacher-Finch, 32, from Manchester, who had a major seizure after seeing the footage on TV, said: "I'm angry this film was ever allowed to be shown and I'm disappointed that no one has so far seen fit to apologise."
Epilepsy Action said it had received reports of 22 people having fits while watching the video, with reports of others vomiting and having migraines.
The charity said a seizure could have a "major impact" on epilepsy sufferers' lives, potentially leading to them losing their driving licences.
Click enlarge for a closer look at readers' logos
Mr Livingstone, who reportedly "hates" the graffiti-style logo, said the London-based LIVE agency, which made the film, should not be paid.
"I wouldn't pay them a penny," he said.
"Who would go to a firm like that again to ask them to do that work? I mean, this is a pretty basic thing."
Live was paid an undisclosed fee to produce the minute-long video used to launch the 2012 logo, which was designed by brand consultants Wolff Olins at a cost of £400,000.
Epilepsy Action said the number of people affected by the film was "unprecedented".
A spokesman said: "Normally if there is a programme on TV with flashing lights we might get one or two reports of people suffering seizures as a result.
"So far we have received 22 such reports relating to the Olympics film."
The poster for the last London Olympic Games
The video was withdrawn on Tuesday as the 2012 committee announced an investigation into whether it had breached broadcasting guidelines which state that precautions should be taken to ensure footage does not trigger photosensitive epilepsy.
Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said it was investigating several complaints that TV channels had breached its guidelines.
The backlash against the logo itself reached new heights, with 45,000 signing an online petition calling for the "ridiculous" emblem to be scrapped.
But former Olympic gold medallist Lord Coe, who is colour-blind, stood by the "edgy" and "flexible" design, which comes in bright shades of pink, orange, green and blue.
The London Olympic Games Organising Committee, or Logoc, said ditching the design was "not an option".
It will now re-edit the launch video, removing a five-second excerpt of a diver jumping into a pool which explodes in ripples of flashing bright colours.
Logoc will consult Epilepsy Action before putting any reworked version of the film on its website.
Reader views (33)
Here's a sample of the latest views published. You can click view all to read all views that readers have sent in.
I dont know what the big fuss is about.
The new olympic logo has nothing wrong in my eyes.
It's a very modern, edgy logo that will hold its own from now, and for years to come.
The people who have designed it have to be one of the most influential and popular corporate identity design companies in the world, so they definitely know what they are doing. I am a designer myself, and I would like to see what other people think is better. Websites have been flooded with people sending in their designs of what they think is better. They are all a joke. They look old, useless, tame, boring and way too traditional. Did they use clipart to produce these? Give me a break.
Many of the people who are complaining, know nothing about design, so in my view, put up and shut up.
It is definitely a logo to be proud of, and I can guarantee it will grow on a lot of people for the years to come.
- Lee Bamforth, Sheffield, England
What an awful dated design. It says nothing at all about London or the Olympics.
- Mg, Oxford
Why are we paying for this? It's rubbish!
- B, Birmingham
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