ICM - Leeds Design Agency

So we’ve debated, argued and mocked the 2012 London Olympic logo, but looking ahead, 2016 sees things returning to much more the ‘normal’ standard.

Personally, I find the Madrid and Tokyo brands reflective of the geography and expressive of the countries they represent, I love the multicolored hand of Madrid, it seems fun and vibrant, very indicative of the nation’s passion.

The Tokyo entrant, complete with rising-sun, indicates where the games will be held. The ribbon ‘tying’ the world together is a nice touch, if a little heavy on the cliché.

Chicago’s logo comes across a little bland, maybe a touch too obvious, the six-pointed star features in the city’s flag.

Rio – the winning location, but is it the winning brand? The Sugarloaf Mountain was chosen as the symbol, representing the natural richness of Rio de Janeiro. According to the Rio de Janeiro 2016 bid committee, the design as a whole conveys a heart shape, representing Brazilian passion and enthusiasm for sports.

The Doha (Qatar), Baku (Azerbijian) and Praha (Prague, Czech Republic) did not make it to the final four. I feel their brands may play some subliminal part in this decision-making. The seem to lack the broad appeal of Rio, Madrid and Tokyo, looking at themselves rather than the whole world.

I’m looking forward to the build-up to 2016, it will be nice to see how they apply the brand to a diverse range of communications. It will certainly be a relief from the 2012 brand!