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Imagine a utopian destination—a geographic equilibrium servicing the dualing needs of business & pleasure—conveniently near a regional airport. In this mythical location, one might fantasize about relaxing with a proverbial partner and two children at a waterpark, mall, zoo, or even an art museum. Maybe some golfing with executives followed by candid conversation…and closing a deal or two in a comfortable hotel lobby. There would be strong exotic drinks served by colorful and sexy locals in a continental atmosphere drenched in free wi-fi. This natural state of promise, abundance, and uniquely American opportunity does exist. It’s not in the Bahamas, not in Second Life, and not in Dubai. It’s in Raleigh.
Call the logo Pulse—the given name of the brand unveiled recently by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors bureau to promote the Capitol City and Wake County as a premiere leisure and meeting destination. Part destination logo, part call-to-action, the City of Oaks has adopted this abstract signifier with enough buried significance to dizzy the spirits of Barthes, Baudrillard, and Sir Walter Raleigh himself.
The following stepped-out explanations have been gleaned from press-releases and other local reports in an attempt to economically decode the formal decisions, and implicit values put forth by the Great Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. This is not a joke—it is a cluster-eff of meaning. Here’s the long-version.
12 squares=12 municipalities
Green Squares Around Red Square=City in a Park
Beveled Squares=Pixels
Pixels=Technology of Research Triangle Park
Green=Environment
Yellow-Green=New Growth
Blue=The Carolina Sky
Purple=The County’s Elegance and Sophistication
Star=Raleigh, the State Capitol
Loose style of star=”The Handmade Imaginitive Quality
of the Visual and Performing Arts in Raleigh”
Puzzling is the fact that two out-of-town firms handled the project. Cundari of Toronto handled the logo, website, attributes, and brand promise. Longwoods International did the quantitative and qualitative research and interviews. All this out-of-town help seemed to infuriate the locals, along with the price tag.
Apart from the formal similarity to, and channeling of, the celebrated Bahamas branding by Duffy & Partners, the most troubling result of visitRaleigh’s “Pulse” is that such energy has been given to the logic and PR explanation these anonymous squares. Conceptually, the squares have the potential to be geographically specific “vessels” for photos of all things uniquely Raleigh, but sadly end up containing stock(like) photos. The mark has complex colors break up over photos without serious control and management. Alarming, is the fact that missing from the program is any visual evidence of local authenticity and texture. At current, there is a lack of historical, natural, or local energy exercised in the program, in preference of safe neutrality. The abstract concept of “Pulse” lacks any energy unless of course one googles a geopolitical map of the area, or reads a press-release.
On my first trip to Raleigh, I went straight from the airport, into to a meeting at the IBM compound in Research Triangle and back to the airport. The only exciting leisure moment was a Quiznos luncheon while sitting on some soon-to-be-on-Ebay Herman Miller chairs covered in bespoke Paul Rand red, green and blue fabrics. One can only wish that Mr. Rand had been around to crack this one.
Jump to Most Recent Comment
Remy Overkempe’s comment is:
Looks cheap and when put next to the Bahamas logo it looks even cheaper.
On Aug.05.2008 at 08:25 AM
Nick Irwin’s comment is:
As a fellow North Carolinian...Raleigh is a incredibly boring town...and this cheap logo proves it charlotte is where its at...
the name of this logo..."the pulse"...is completely ironic if you visit that town!
Jason Campbell’s comment is:
Raleigh has great character, it isn't boring, I've lived in both there and Charlotte and I liked both, with the major sports franchises being in Charlotte I'll grant there is more to do there but I enjoyed living in Raleigh more and I found the girls of there to be much more... stimulating.
I wish there was more of a decent design community in Raleigh, no doubt Charlotte has one in the W column there, right now you're lucky if you bump into two or three shops that do decent work, and don't have their heads up their... I digress.
It always seemed odd to me that this was the case, given the reputation of NC States design school within the region, but the real creativity is in the few game shops that call Raleigh home.
Not a fan of this logo but at least it doesn't have a triangle in it.
On Aug.05.2008 at 09:06 AM
brandon’s comment is:
Yikes! "cluster-eff" is right! shame they didn't try to make an excuse for their typeface choices...
full disclosure - i live in and love raleigh.
keef’s comment is:
Yay! A logo created directly from an ad campaign. This is the type of thinking to hang your identity on.
On Aug.05.2008 at 09:14 AM
kristen’s comment is:
The logo mark itself doesn't bother me too much, even if it is heavily influenced by the Bahamas logo...but that photography completely kills it. If they invested so much in the branding up to this point, isn't it worth spending a little more to get professional photography? The resolution of the airplane photo doesn't even look like it's a web-quality image (especially when you look at it on the vistraleigh.com site). Ugh.
On Aug.05.2008 at 09:59 AM
Joachim’s comment is:
That looks like a very sad, sad star.
The collection of photos are awful. Especially the airplane shot. Wow.
On Aug.05.2008 at 10:29 AM
BJN’s comment is:
Logos for government clients are nearly always burdened by having to appeal to many constituencies. The shopping list explanation of the logo is probably just a reiteration of the design process that had to placate the various parties that had veto power over the design. This is clearly design *for* committee and it's just the kind of result one should expect.
On Aug.05.2008 at 11:04 AM
Daniel Campos’s comment is:
Awesome!
On Aug.05.2008 at 11:26 AM
Mingshi’s comment is:
A heaven for stock photos perhaps...?
On Aug.05.2008 at 11:34 AM
Andrei’s comment is:
The logo isn't all that awful - but the photography isn't even on the level of some of the stuff you would find off istockphoto... and that's not saying much at all.
On Aug.05.2008 at 11:35 AM
Tim Rebich’s comment is:
The most interesting aspect of this whole campaign was the move made by the city of Raleigh to utilize out of town design firms.
Use what your mama gave ya, or at least what is closer to home and has a better "pulse" (ha) on the intentions and relevance of the identity.
Raleigh, Charlotte as well as the rest of the North Carolina region does have a strong core of design culture as well as design education, and this civic identity is not a true reflection of the chops available within the Tarheel state.
::sigh::
JT’s comment is:
$313,332.00...?
As a taxpayer and a creative professional in the Raleigh area, I demand a refund.
"The font for "Raleigh" is from "a classic typeface that is legible, friendly and elegant in its simplicity and graceful curves."
are you f'n kidding me?
On Aug.05.2008 at 11:48 AM
Ryan’s comment is:
I think it just looks thrown together, honestly. They at least could have got someone from NC to do it. Having been fortunate enough to intern there for a few months, I would have recommended Anoroc , a good local agency.
But no one asked me, so I'll just keep on living here and try to avoid the logo.
On Aug.05.2008 at 11:48 AM
Ryan’s comment is:
And I apologize for the shameless name dropping.
On Aug.05.2008 at 11:52 AM
Aaron Riddle’s comment is:
There is way too much going on within the logo...and the lopsided star is very annoying. At least the logo will be remembered (although not in a positive way).
On Aug.05.2008 at 11:57 AM
public info’s comment is:
got these from their site...Raleigh folks should let them hear about it -
Jonathan Freeze, Director of Marketing
919-645-2663
jfreeze@visitraleigh.com
Ryan Smith, Director of Communications
919-645-2676
rsmith@visitraleigh.com
Karen Desollar, Graphic Design Manager
919-645-2666
kdesollar@visitraleigh.com
Eric Janssen Strohl’s comment is:
Ignoring the marginal aesthetics, I think its in poor form hiring a non-local firm to tackle a project like this. I'm sure the board of tourism wanted to really get a "fresh" logo, and apparently in their minds, the city they represent isn't up to the task.
I was educated in NC and worked in the RDU area, prior to my time in New York, and now San Francisco. I still keep up with many friends who work in NC still, and can tell you that there are several great firms capable of doing a much better job, at a fraction of the price and then putting municipal money directly back into the community.
On Aug.05.2008 at 12:00 PM
Kristina’s comment is:
Wow. As a long-time NC resident who moved to NY state and then back to NC... the clustering of the squares to me is really reminiscent of the shape of the state of New York. Or the number 4. With schmutz around it.
On Aug.05.2008 at 12:13 PM
Kim Siever’s comment is:
So they ran out of photos for the two "pixels" on the right?
On Aug.05.2008 at 12:13 PM
Darrin Crescenzi’s comment is:
Using a non-local agency is inexcusable.
And that star makes me cringe.
On Aug.05.2008 at 12:34 PM
Ben’s comment is:
Someone should let them know that pixels don't have rounded corners.
Are we seriously calling this a logo? At best its a type treatment with a bunch of squares with rounded corners. When using photography, the bottom-left squares even seemed to move farther apart--so much for a "lock-up." I can go to the file menu and choose Object > Corner Effects too, but I'm not going to claim that I've built a logo, let alone an identity.
On Aug.05.2008 at 12:37 PM
Rick’s comment is:
This could have been a lot better and more meaningful if done by someone familiar with the area.
Unfortunately the lack of knowledge by the board about their own area has caused them to make a hasty decision about an identity I don't feel is gonna do much to punch up business or visitors in the Raleigh area.
Fayetteville, NCs visitor identity (http://www.visitfayettevillenc.com/) was thought up by a Raleigh company and it looks better than this and was probably cheaper too.
On Aug.05.2008 at 12:41 PM
Von Glitschka’s comment is:
They said: "Pixels=Technology of Research Triangle Park"
More likely a low-resolution lifestyle.
On Aug.05.2008 at 12:58 PM
Ryan’s comment is:
As Interactive Director for The Republik, the agency behind the VisitFayettevilleNC.com website, I believe our website for the Fayetteville CVB is stronger because of the strength of the Fayetteville CVB brand. Fayetteville, NC is the most patriotic city in America and everything we do for them reflects that idea from the type we select to the photography. It is about true Americana Ideals in small town America.
On previous comments, Raleigh has a lot going for it and is vastly growing into a smart business and artistic city. It's proximity to Chapel Hill and Durham make it a well-balanced and young community with a lot going for it. However, I think their "cluster" approach for meaning in their identity is confusing and does not have a single minded solution for which it was created for.
On Aug.05.2008 at 01:15 PM
darrel’s comment is:
"As a taxpayer and a creative professional in the Raleigh area, I demand a refund."
I think we've been through this before, but when working with organizations of this nature (namely governments, colleges, non profits, etc.--any organization with no clear hierarchy and a large group of individuals who have say) it's not always easy to just blame the design firm. The process is more likely what failed.
On Aug.05.2008 at 02:06 PM
Wünderwoman’s comment is:
mmmm...I love the Bahamas logo.
Thanks for reminding me abut it's perfection.
Let's forget about the Raleigh logo today...and just focus on the beauty of the Bahamas masterpiece.
On Aug.05.2008 at 02:24 PM
jeph’s comment is:
Ugh. This looks like something hastily created entirely in InDesign, using photos grabbed from Google image search.
I especially dig the two yellow-green squares that inexplicably have no photos inside. What do those represent?
McLoving’s comment is:
I think the RFP needs to be shared with the public so we can understand why some agency in Canada is more capable than the numerous nationally recogized local firms. Firms who pay taxes, employee other tax payers and have chosen to locate their business and life here. This is a slap in the face to every design company that calls North Carolina home. It is a further injustice after viewing the level of work received. The creative is so ill conceived and executed that it is embarrassing. It looks more like the outcome of a contest for high school students.
On Aug.05.2008 at 04:44 PM
WillardWishesWell’s comment is:
One word - vomit.
On Aug.05.2008 at 04:56 PM
Glenn Sakamoto’s comment is:
What a turd.
On Aug.05.2008 at 07:52 PM
Adam’s comment is:
Ryan - you're right about Fayetteville's branding, it's nice to see such a good example of how a type-only logo can outdo something with so much meaningless complexity.
McLoving - I completely agree that the agency's proposal should be public knowledge. As a partner in a design firm that aspires to get such high-profile projects without personal connections, it would be helpful to see what we can do to have an equal shot at a branding opportunity when I'm certain our designed result would have been more effective.
On Aug.05.2008 at 08:44 PM
JT’s comment is:
"I think we've been through this before, but when working with organizations of this nature (namely governments, colleges, non profits, etc.--any organization with no clear hierarchy and a large group of individuals who have say) it's not always easy to just blame the design firm. The process is more likely what failed."
Believe me, I know all too well what happens within large organizations...but, read the quote below and tell me that's not the regurgitated bullet points supplied to the design firm.
"Leaning to the left of a "visitRaleigh" slogan, the squares and star are designed to represent some of Wake's prime attributes -- green represents the environment, yellow-green stands for new growth, blue calls to mind "the beautiful" Carolina sky, purple the county's "elegance and sophistication." Of course, the star in the red square represents the state Capitol, while its freehand style embodies the "handmade, imaginative quality of the visual and performing arts in Raleigh."
You could maybe excuse the design firm if only $10,000 had been spent on it, not over $300,000...but yes, everyone involved is at fault.
On Aug.05.2008 at 09:11 PM
Mark’s comment is:
ow....
bad,
the typeface doesn't work, and the squares and the star,cheap.
Peter Whitley’s comment is:
I think the whole thing is rather charming.
Sure, the unmistakable connection to the Bahamas logo aside, the mark provides a great and easy vehicle for departmental interpretation. This is a logo that ANYONE can use and not mangle too badly.
The type seems naive and clunky, but again I think this belies what Raleigh is...
...Raleigh, it's no Bahamas.
On Aug.06.2008 at 08:24 AM
darrel’s comment is:
"You could maybe excuse the design firm if only $10,000 had been spent on it, not over $300,000...but yes, everyone involved is at fault."
One could argue the uglier the logo, the more it cost.
The uglier the logo = the more inane committee meetings it took to make it ugly = the more pointless revisions that were made along the way = the more hours that had to be billed.
;o)
On Aug.06.2008 at 10:02 AM
Jean Claude vanMammal’s comment is:
im embarrassed to live here. the site is horrible, too.
Visit Raleigh
i cannot believe they outsourced this to Toronto when there are so many great firms here. uggghh.
On Aug.06.2008 at 12:55 PM
Chip O'Toole’s comment is:
BJN, you're correct, this identity program bleeds "design by (or for) committee".
I can almost FEEL the Toronto agency's pain THROUGH the logo. And I may be a sans addict, but the typography just feels garbled and dated.
On Aug.06.2008 at 02:32 PM
justen’s comment is:
Reminds me of when Roots, a Canadian apparel company design the Olympic uniforms for the U.S. Olympic team. I would have liked to know who was in charge of that decision. They should have been shot for treason.
On Aug.06.2008 at 05:43 PM
chris’s comment is:
Is that actually Raleigh's airport (RDU)?
It doesn't look like either of the existing terminals, or the new one under construction, which while not on par with Beijing, is certainly better than the big blue box.
On Aug.06.2008 at 10:54 PM
Davekos’s comment is:
the bahamas is hard to get over, isn't it? it was soooo brilliant at the time it was launched.
On Aug.07.2008 at 03:03 PM
Corey Buckner’s comment is:
Can't bring myself to say anything bad about it. I love everything about NC, just got back from Charlotte and childhood best friend lives in Fayetville. So what if it looks like they dropped flash cards on the floor and took a picture. Nope, I'm just going to pretend that that junk on the left just hasn't completely loaded into my browser yet. Yep, I will just sit here and wait until it finishes loading and then I will comment. I heart NC.
On Aug.08.2008 at 12:02 AM
ilinap’s comment is:
WTF?! Who did this? Looks like someone's kid created this in PowerPoint! As I have said before, this city is lacking a clear brand and distinction. Without a defining brand, how could the designer even know what tone and emotion to convey through the logo? Once the again, the city's marketing is more tactical than strategic. Disappointed again. HATE HATE HATE the logo.
On Aug.11.2008 at 03:39 PM
ilinap’s comment is:
WTF?! Who did this? Looks like someone's kid created this in PowerPoint! As I have said before, this city is lacking a clear brand and distinction. Without a defining brand, how could the designer even know what tone and emotion to convey through the logo? Once the again, the city's marketing is more tactical than strategic. Disappointed again. HATE HATE HATE the logo.
On Aug.11.2008 at 03:39 PM
Tofer’s comment is:
So sad to see such a wasted opportunity. I live in the area as well and while Raleigh certainly is not on the cutting edge of anything, it certainly deserves a better, more thoughtful logo treatment.
I shudder to think of what the collateral materials will look like.
Hopefully this won't continue to be a trend:
Also, not surprising: they used clip-art.
On Aug.11.2008 at 04:04 PM
rich’s comment is:
Nice to see the designers of the London 2012 logo are keeping busy...
Rich x
On Aug.12.2008 at 09:55 AM
easy’s comment is:
I think the logo is about 200% better than the city itself.. So, Congrats to whoever designed it. To make a lame city such as Raleigh look cooler than it is, is a task and a half! (p.s. I currently live here)
On Aug.12.2008 at 12:08 PM
Char’s comment is:
rich's comment was:
Nice to see the designers of the London 2012 logo are keeping busy...
Rich x
----------------------------------------
Yeah, busy getting Olympic Committee jobs, and Washington Mutual and GE as clients. I am tired of hearing people trashing a logo that hasn't been proved wrong yet. I give them props for being the first trying something unconventional... at the end, that's how people end up in Graphic Design History books, for being innovative people, because they bent the rules to their favor.
I dont work for Wolff Olins nor I am getting paid to say this, I am just not very happy to see people that are trying to bring new concepts into the field. Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity - not a threat to any body's strict design dogma. If that logo fails at the end, then we have prove that it didn't work, but for now they – and the people behind London 2012– are taking a risk. Design is like a lottery, if they don't risk you'll never win. I congratulate them for trying something nobody has had the balls to try in an Olympic Game, SOMETHING DIFFERENT. No more little flames and little guys holding hands.
To put it in the words of someone that has embraced the possibilities and the impossibilities of design, Mr. Steve Jobs – “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
Sorry, I've held myself from writing this way too many times.
On Aug.12.2008 at 05:31 PM
Rich’s comment is:
Hi Char.
Thanks for airing your views. Each to their own. The reaction to it has been mixed but from what I can tell it's has been more negative than positive. I'm sure in four years they will think of something decent to do with it but I expected more from the branding giants... Just my opinion.
I hope history proves me wrong, but as a designer i think it's a poor first show. I'm not from the school of wavy flames and guys holding hands, but I know what appeals to me and this does not.
As far as being forward focused, doesn't it look kind like something in the background of a Wham video... Oh yeah they're coming back too.
Take care
Rich
On Aug.14.2008 at 09:49 AM
Brad’s comment is:
I could enjoy a game of golf or shopping in just about any mid-sized city (wow! Raleigh's got AIRPLANES!). This branding does aboslutely nothing to compell me to vist. Where are the unique attributes?
The stock people discussing business over martinis certainly looks like fun, though.
What a freaking joke! Total design by committe.
On Aug.14.2008 at 08:14 PM
LB Slip’s comment is:
What really gets me is the stock imagery mixed with the real images of the city. I live in Raleigh, so I recognize the natural science museum and one of the restaurants. However, I also recognize some stock imagery. How hard would it have been to get some actual pictures of Raleigh? Maybe it would be difficult to catch people sipping martinis over their shared laptop (and all the magic of that photo). But surely, getting shot of someone shopping would have been easy.
On Aug.15.2008 at 02:48 PM
Char’s comment is:
You assured that it was a bad choice, but then you opened the possiblity of being proved wrong. Alrighty.
I think the whole Wham! background point is a weak argument to refute the fact that this logo can be considered an edgy and experimental concept. We keep falling in the same pattern seen in this forum, the non-sensical comparisons that have gone as far as comparing the Tasti-dlite logo to poop. A bit silly and rather dis•tasti•ful.
Wham! can't come back, Andrew Ridgeley has cancer.
Thanks.
scooter’s comment is:
I don't see anything innovative in this logo. The bahama's logo, now that was innovative and extremely well executed. This is just a poor ripoff.
On Sep.05.2008 at 05:43 PM
Vircs’s comment is:
Like a Fortis Bank logo.
On Nov.04.2008 at 05:23 AM
Vircs’s comment is:
Insert Image: 
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