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There are a handful of logos out there that most of us can agree that we don’t like and no, UPS is not one of them. PricewaterhouseCoopers definitely and I’d say Verizon. Although we can’t completely blame Landor, they created the Verizon name and most of the logo in 2000. Well, Verizon must have been happy, because after 6 years, Verizon came back and asked Landor to create a name and logo for a spinoff of their directories business. The result is Idearc.
From the Press Release:
“Idearc was selected as the new company’s name to differentiate it from other publishers in the industry. A combination of the words “idea” and “arc,” Idearc symbolizes how the company connects buyers and sellers through robust content available across multiple media.
Idearc’s logo incorporates the name with three, interconnected arcs that each tie to facets of Idearc’s strategic portfolio: Gray links with its print product design, green to its industry-leading SuperPages.com service, and blue to the future. Idearc’s name and logo were created by Landor Associates, the branding and design consultancy that also created the Verizon name and logo in 2000.”
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Christy’s comment is:
Something about the blue bar totally throws it off for me. Without the blue curve, I still wouldn't love it, but that single piece pushes it over into "ick" territory for me.
On Nov.06.2006 at 04:00 PM
Von K’s comment is:
One thing bothering me is the colored curves are each different weights and only just touching. It makes the thing seem off-balance. Maybe if there were a little overlap between those concentric curves, or something.
The type seems a little too soft, but that's probably what was requested. The "a" reminds me of the Quark logo debacle.
On Nov.06.2006 at 05:20 PM
Mike’s comment is:
Thank you UC authors, for this site. I'm geeked.
I'm facinated by the name here, Idearc.
The press release does nothing to clarify what the analogy is -- HOW the name sybolizes the buyer and seller connection -- so I'm left wondering:
Idearc connects buyers and sellers via chunky, broken pieces of... content...traveling in, uh--circles? I'm sure there is a good reason for this strategy -- someone please set me straight.
Hmmm. An arc is also an electric discharge, which makes the name choice and press release jive a little better, but the logo uses those broken circles. Strange.
OR they were going for (Noah's) Ark -- because they always send their phone books out in packs of two? I bet that's it.
Something about the blue and green headphoneish arc symbols... I keep thinking it's the Napster logo after it's been run over by a taxi.
agrayspace’s comment is:
Name = Good
Concept of form = Potential
Execution = Really bad
Color = 1995 called
Kyle Hildebrant’s comment is:
The concept is fair to good. The execution is what is very poor--especially the typography. I like the lockup, and the way the symbol interacts with the signature. The "rounded" edges on the symbol seem out of place when associated with the concept and the name.
Contrary to what has been said here so far, my biggest gripe is in the name.
Names like this, ones that take two words, the first ending with the first character of the last word and combining them, confuse consumers. People often don't know how to pronounce these words. Do we call it "idea-arc", "idee-arc", or "idarc"? Am I the only one who seems to interpret this problem?
BTW, LOVE the new site. Kudos.
VonK’s comment is:
I know what you mean about the pronounciation. Would it be stronger if they just used plain english—"Idea Arc?"
On Nov.07.2006 at 08:39 AM
Dumas Sewperpaches’s comment is:
My personal opinion is that the name and logo couldn't fit the company better. I mean, considering the company knows very little about multiple media and 'robust' content? Give me a break! Most of the 'media' is absolutely useless. I am assuming that management knows nothing about supplying quality, robust media. The name resembles 'idiot'.
On Nov.07.2006 at 09:30 AM
EnergonCube’s comment is:
Looks like Blandor has done it again! You have to give it to these folks. They've somehow convinced people they're actually good at this stuff.
Bleh.
On Nov.07.2006 at 10:34 AM
felix sockwell’s comment is:
This is an absolutely terrible name and mark.
Neither the subtitle, the type, or the mark work together as a unified thought. And the idea? There isn't one.
On Nov.07.2006 at 11:11 AM
Greg Scraper’s comment is:
What bugs me about this logo is the blatant refusal to draw relationships. If it were mine, the first arc would have lined up with the "a." the second would have started right above the end of the "c." The third wouldn't have been blue and would have ended right under the end of the A in MEDIA. Also, none if the arcs would have been rounded, to match with the angles in MEDIA, and MEDIA would have aligned right with the end of "idearc." This logo is sloppy at best, and looks like someone's first attempt that got edited by a commitee.
On Nov.07.2006 at 11:12 AM
R Berger’s comment is:
and why is the bottom of the 'e' flat?
On Nov.07.2006 at 01:25 PM
Ryan’s comment is:
Gray links with its print product design, green to its industry-leading SuperPages.com service, and blue to the future.
Wow, what a bunch of bull. I always thought the experienced professionals at Landor would be more likely to come up with clear and lucid explanations for their design decisions. I can't fathom, in any possible way, how a gray bar represents "print product design." Since the bars are similar in form, I can only believe it's the color that represents Print Product Design. But how? How does gray = that? I don't think it does. Not literally, at least.
Seems to me there was an easy solution: make a logo with 3 objects that could represent the 3 facets of the company. Figure out what those objects are, and tack on an explanation so the client will buy into it. The public, however, won't know anything from looking at that logo. They'll see some futuristic type, see the name, and that'll be it. Nobody can draw anything from this logo aside from "futuristic" and that is communicated through the logotype alone. The arcs add nothing to this, so they ought to be removed.
On Nov.07.2006 at 11:52 PM
Steve Woodruff’s comment is:
Appears to be a great way to say nothing. The pronunciation of the name is ambiguous, there is no self-evident connection to an offering or a value proposition...but at least someone made some money off of it, like the folks who came up with "Metronatural" to describe Seattle.
And, though the UPS logo is an improvement, their taglines (Worldwide Services / Synchronizing the world of commerce) are amazingly bad.
On Nov.08.2006 at 10:50 AM
Nick Z’s comment is:
This logo reminds be a bit of Josef Muller Brockman's Beethoven poster:
Only it sucks. I can kind of see the idea of the connecting arcs, but it fails a bit for me. And I don't like the type.
On Nov.08.2006 at 10:56 AM
Alex de Jánosi’s comment is:
I believe Lippincott Margulies coined the name Verizon.
On Nov.09.2006 at 07:10 PM
David Weinberger’s comment is:
Hey Alex,
The official Verizon press release (here) states Landor came up with the name. You've been at L+M for quite some time, did you work on it? Anyway, if you guys did name it, you may want to notify the Press Center at Verizon. Let me know and I'll correct it in our post. Thanks for stopping by.
Michael B.’s comment is:
Nick, thanks for posting that Josef Muller-Brockmann poster. Just when I thought I had completely forgotten what a good designer is capable of...
On Nov.09.2006 at 11:27 PM
jack’s comment is:
I'll just parrot everyone here and agree that, man, the whole arcing metaphor could've been so much better executed, and the type. Oh, the type.
I think Landor has to fire a Creative Director and team.
On Nov.11.2006 at 05:47 PM
Shelley’s comment is:
I'm w/ EnergonCube... bleh. Also agree w/ Ryan... explanation wholly unconvincing.
Name is weird in the mouth
Typeface feels like a fuzzy in the mouth
Image is just not doing it for me. Doesn't resonate with any existing tropes, and doesn't excite me to the point of curiousity.
On Nov.11.2006 at 07:03 PM
Ryan’s comment is:
What a piece.
On Nov.12.2006 at 08:17 AM
sasi’s comment is:
the ugliest "e" in branding i´ve seen
On Nov.12.2006 at 08:02 PM
B+’s comment is:
UPS ranks up there with Verizon as the worst of the worst!
On Nov.14.2006 at 01:33 PM
michael’s comment is:
i don't know, there is no touching verizon as the worst corporate identity of the past 10 years. there are others who try to compete but verizon got everything in that you need for a horrible identity. kudos!
On Nov.24.2006 at 07:18 PM
Danny Tanner’s comment is:
Just an update...
Landor didn't design the verizon logo...or even design "most of it." You can look to an ad agency just outside San Fran for that one.
DesignMaven’s comment is:
No Comment on the Identity.
Alex is Correct according to my Records.
Lippincott & Margulies Named Verizon.
Landor's Press Release may not be accurate.
Although, Maestro's website attribute Naming to Lippincott & Margulies, Landor and DeSola Group.
http://www.identityworks.com/reviews/2000/verizon.htm
According to my Records, Lippincott & Margulies solely created the name Verizon.
Or among the three (3) Consultancies Participating L+M's Name Development was selected.
Landor created the Red Check Mark along with the V E R I O N.
The DeSola Group created the Red Z and the Identity Manuals.
I'll PING a former Sr. Partner with Lippincott & Margulies whom worked on the Verizon Identity Project, to set the Record Straight.
DM
The Hostile Takeover of Corporate Identity
On Mar.08.2007 at 12:06 PM
Tony’s comment is:
Who named Verizon? The Wall Street Journal 7/6/2000:"Bruce Gordon, an executive in Bell Atlantic's marketing and advertising group, said the name was selected by a committee of Bell Atlantic and GTE representatives from a pool of more than 8,500 names. The companies said they also used three corporate-identity firms." Reuters 10/22/2000 said that "Bell Atlantic reached back to a runner-up [Verizon] that lost out in a name search when Philadelphia-based Bell Atlantic merged with NYNEX of New York three years [earlier]." Peter Dixon of L&M was cited in the NY Times 8/11/2000, "His firm actually helped think up the name Verizon but is not involved in the branding effort." My guess: L&M had Verizon on the short list in 1997 but Bell Atlantic decided to keep its name for a while and saved the list. This squares with what Margaret Youngblood told me, after Landor had been fired and "DeSola Group butchered" her work.
On Mar.08.2007 at 01:36 PM
felix’s comment is:
It would be great to actually see this butchery. These things, these bad decisions are not only good fodder, they're inspriational and can be used to teach clients and CEOs how not to engage us. Fact is, Margaret, if you're out there, have someone anonymously send me a study of how Verizon was supposed to look and I will survey the damage in my forthcoming (untitled as yet) book.
Side note/ full disclosure: I worked on the iconography for Verizon via Roger Black's circle.com. They killed everything as per usual.
On Mar.09.2007 at 01:12 PM
Former Emloyee’s comment is:
If you must know, the CEO, Cathy Harless, had the idea that using latin terminology worked for Verizon (Veritas "truth" and horizon), and she would not budge on the issue. And yes, everyone who works there notices the similarity between the name and "idiot".
On Mar.19.2007 at 11:08 PM
matt2404’s comment is:
I actually like the name Verizon (though I wonder whether that CEO lady went to Harvard). The check mark however is what wrecks it because it doesn't really relate to anything and that weird angle imbues it with an odd sense of instability.
As for this train wreck, I am seeing a rave flyer for a Japanese DJ circa 1993.
On Mar.28.2007 at 09:55 PM
Frank Lee’s comment is:
A total Blunder !!! Tells you a lot about the executive that run this new "spin off". Does the phrase "out of touch with reality" mean anything ??
On Mar.29.2007 at 05:08 PM
Chris O’s comment is:
So is the consumer supposed to know what this company does by the mark? I sure don't. I also have no idea how that word is pronounced. The whole thing seems amateurish to me. Weird typeface too, the thing is just kind of blah.
On Mar.30.2007 at 02:12 PM
Mark’s comment is:
Okay I've seen the ads for them, and the logo works pretty well in their ads, the way they pronounce the name is "ideyarc media" you have to see the ad to understand it better.
here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPqu4XAtMBc
Not a bad ad campaign IMHO, tells what they do simply.
On Jun.15.2007 at 12:30 PM
DocTheop’s comment is:
I have always HATED the Verizon branding. Particularly the awful "V" (or is it "Z") check mark for lack of a better term. There are too many typefaces in their advertising and black & red is a not-very-pleasing color combination. Lately, though, their advertising seems to have been kicked up a notch and given a bit more polish. Don't get me wrong; It's still bad just not as bad as before. At least I now know to blame Landor.
On Jun.25.2007 at 05:52 PM
nryasxkump’s comment is:
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On Jul.03.2007 at 12:36 PM
Bina K’s comment is:
First of, this is not even the actual logo designed by Landor. It was a version that was created by a web design company as a placeholder to be used on the temporary web page, which was up for only a month or two. I'm not even sure how underconsideration got a hold of this mark, but please check http://www.idearcmedia.com/ for how the actual logo looks like. The lock-up relationship and colors are clearly different.
If you actually worked in the professional field especially with high profile clients, you would know how the design process is like and how much input certain clients have over design decisions. In my opinion the purpose of design, graphic design or not, is to solve problem and what this marks does is to help with pronunciation of the name, hence, using the arcs as visual clues.
The note in original post above was not a Landor press release, please simply do not assume every single word on it is from Landor.
Check your facts and be considerate would make your points valid.
What we really do need in our design community is constructive criticism and I would like to see that happens someday...
On Nov.30.2007 at 05:47 PM
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