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Londoners asked to Twitter ideas for a logo to promote the capital
Mark Prigg and Katharine Barney02.09.09
Londoners are being asked to help design a new logo for the city to rival New York's "I ♥ NY" campaign.
One of the firms bidding to design the logo, to be used globally in the run-up to the 2012 Games, called for ideas to be posted on Twitter, with hundreds of members of the public submitting artwork ideas.
Mayor Boris Johnson is spending £600,000 on the logo and a shortlist of six design firms will be drawn from more than 450 entries after tomorrow's deadline for bids.
The six will then present ideas to a "design council" next week, including London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games chairman Sebastian Coe, designer Anya Hindmarch and Olympic Delivery Authority adviser Steven Norris, before a winner is announced after the Vancouver Winter Olympics next year.
One of the firms in the running, Moving Brands, used Twitter to invite the public to take part in the creative process.
"London has several different logos at the moment. It just got confusing," said the firm's founder James Bull.
"After the debate over the 2012 logo, we realised a rebranding on this scale could be controversial. We decided to open up that process."
More than 19,000 people have visited the firm's site and hundreds have signed up for Twitter updates.
Mr Hull added: "What we are proposing is a collaborative way Londoners can shape the logo."
Mr Johnson said: "In three years, the eyes of the world will turn to London as we host the greatest sporting event in the world and it's appropriate we brand ourselves accordingly."
The Mayor's director of marketing Dan Ritterband said: "This will act as a fantastic showcase for creative talent in London."
Reader views (11)
A hoodie wearing YOB, standing under an open umbrella and holding a knife.
- Trunk, US
Let's hope that the winner will be a bit more recognisably British than the pavement-pizza Olympics logo!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
London - The worlds biggest open prison.
I could design the logo as well for 20 quid.
- Paul, Rochester UK
"LONDON! It's handy for Paris"
- Escobar-Alop-Lop, Camden County
What about a picture of a large pile of money being burnt?
- Hawkeye, Not London
It is against the law to smoke inside this building, those are on evry bloody door, even places of worship now.
- Daisy Willetts, Kensington
New Claimants this way logo.
- P Staker, London
We have loads of logos
CCTV camera signs and cameras, 'No Parking' signs,'Congestion zone' signs, Boarded up shops, Permanent demonstrations
but the two clear winners are -
Red-route and yellow lines
and
Wheel Clamps
'Did you see this Murder' sign
but teh two
- Julie, London, England
How about a picture of a duck? With the words "it's a drive-by" underneath?
- Bob, Cheam
£600,000?! What an incredible waste of money
- S M Bolone, London
Easy a picture of a CCTV camera with the words
WE R WATCHING YOU.
- Mr S.Port, London
