New (Australian) Labor

The ALP has redesigned their logo – and it’s quite modern!

Interesting things to note from my perspective is that it retains key design cues from the old logo – the blue and red is still there, though the exact colours have been tweaked. They’re more muted, making it easier on the eye, although subtly. The colours reflect something more modern about it – it’s reflective of the latest trends on the web, though going (appropriately) against the garish/childish web 2.0 logos.

The shape has been squared off, but makes use of space – something that the previous logo actively worked against, incorporating logo elements with the text. Now, there’s clear separation – the Southern Cross and the Federation Star hold their own in the blue square, rather than being dominated by the text.

Also, perhaps unintentionally or perhaps intentionally, there’s a suggestion of the flag without the Union Jack – again, an element that on reflection was there in the previous logo, but not really exceptional. The Liberal Party, on the other hand, includes the flag explicitly – with the Union Jack. This may be a subtle appeal to the republican sentiment that still pervades the public.

Finally, the text is uncrowded – and explicit. No longer “ALP”, it is Australian Labor – and the Australian is subtle, too, putting the emphasis on the main name as it is relevant to most. The font is simple – I’m no expert on fontography, but it is very much in the Helvetica vein, and again harks to the web. By giving it space, the logo becomes simpler and more memorable.

The use of squares and the empty space also gives much flexibility – as demonstrated at the national conference that has just finished. The logo included the conference description without destroying the underlying brand, and it was used with the boxes side-by-side rather than stacked behind Rudd, reflecting its flexibility.

It’s a brand update in a simple and subtle way, without really needing a full reinvention, and its modern, web-like style means it holds its own in the wider arena of brands. Well done to the team behind the reinvention.

The Right to Maim and Murder

It’s something that I would have considered only a matter of time – and it did happen, tragically. And it’s not like it’s unprecedented, either.

Australia suffered something similar, nearly 10 years ago now. 35 people died in the Port Arthur massacre, and Australia, horrified that such an event could happen in this country, reacted: semi-automatic weapons, weapons which have no role outside of warfare and its horrors. If there’s one thing I’ll grant John Howard as Prime Minister, it’s that he reacted well and quickly, banning the weapons that could cause anything like the massacre again.

But the American President? He still supports the right to bear arms, and among many others focuses on the escape line: “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Right, because people have been killing people for millennia, yeah? Sure, but guns make it a helluva lot easier.

There’s no need for me to be over-zealous, as the evidence speaks for itself. Gun fatalities in the US far outnumber that of any other country, and it does ultimately come down to the 2nd Amendment, the principle entitling such deadly devices to any resident. Why must the horror be allowed to continue? What reason remains such that Americans must arm themselves to a man? The amendment enshrined in the constitution served its purpose, when militia played an active role in the defence of the country, but has lost its relevance.

If the US hopes to prevent these tragedies in future, and to reduce the gun crime on the streets, the only way is to put in place measures such that these weapons which make it so easy to kill are controlled.

I don’t want to hijack the tragedy for the debate over gun control and the gun culture of the US, but the fact is that, were the gun laws stricter, this wouldn’t have happened. If nothing changes, again, the power of the gun lobby in US politics, and the value given to it over the lives of citizens, should be quite telling.