The Olympic Games is one of the most celebrated sports events in the planet. It attracts participants from across the entire globe who come together to compete in a wide range of activity. Given the popularity of the event and the popularity that accompanies it, hosting it is usually a dream of every country. Tokyo got the privilege to host the 2020 Olympics Games and ever since they were awarded the bid, they have been preparing earnestly to have everything ready for the global sporting event. However, their hapless preparations for the Olympics games have been hampered by allegations that the Olympics logo might have been plagiarized.

Plagiarism in logo design is such a grave concern because it puts in doubt the designer’s ability to come up with fresh and unique design concepts. Additionally, for a global fiesta like the Olympics, it is utterly embarrassing to use a logo which appears to have been plagiarized. This is why Japan had to scrap off the logo in question and look for other alternatives.

When a design is copied on this level it can lead to some extreme controversy. This kind of problem can also detract from the games as a whole. While a major design contest does sometimes have this type of controversy associated with it, it is not often that a major designer is ripped off for the use of such a high profile logo. It will certainly be interesting to see if any future legal repercussions occur as a result of this case. If a logo was protected under copyright however then it may not be applicable due to differing copyright laws between international law. This is still a major international story however, worthy of design attention.

The accusations of plagiarism of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Game logo sparked off when a Belgium designer, Olivier Debie accused the 2020 Olympics logo designer of stealing his concept. Olivier claimed that Sano (the Olympics logo designer) didn’t just take his idea but also used other images in the logo design without acquiring permission to do so. This forced the Olympics Committee to ditch the design since they didn’t want to be associated with such claims.

The controversial Olympics logo has some semblance to a logo designed for the Theatre de Liege in Belgium, by Olivier Debie. Sano as well as the Olympics Committee have accepted the presence of the similarities between the two logos but have however refuted claims of plagiarism in the design.

Though Olivier is set to move to court to start the legal process of ensuring that the logo is not used during the Olympic Games, the organizing committee has asserted that the Belgium design was not a registered trademark. Hence, Sano cannot be guilty of plagiarism. They explain that Sano’s design features a “T.” This was inspired by the fact that the games will be held in Tokyo, so it was more appropriate for the logo have a letter T in it. The other inspiration on the logo is the red circle, and this was inspired by the Japanese flag characterized by the red circle representing the sun.

But after some time, the official organizing the Olympic Games decided to unveil Sano’s initial design, claiming that its emphasis on the shape of the letter “T” had no semblance of the Belgium’s theater design. The committee was, therefore, keen to promote the use of the Sano-designed logo and make it popular ahead of the games in 2020.

But the controversies surrounding the Olympics logo designs seem not to be far from over. It has emerged that Sano’s initial design also had semblance with the late German typographer, Jan Tschichold. Additionally, the local media has alleged that Sano had used images from a certain website without being given permission to do so.

On his defense, Sano stated that the inspiration for his design had come from the emblem used when Tokyo held the first Summer Olympic Games in 1964, claiming that he had never set his eyes on the Belgium design before. But some people found this defense difficult to buy since Sano had been in the past accused of plagiarizing other people’s work. As a result, this has put his credibility to test, and he will find it an uphill task to convince everyone that the Olympics logo design is his original creation.

Now that the authenticity of the logo as well as the credibility of the designer are in serious doubt, the officials organizing the games have decided to distance themselves from the logo and have thus commissioned a new design. They hope that they will ultimately find a designer and a design that will be clean from all allegations and which they can to restore the already dented image of organizing committee.

Check out the controversy surrounding the 49ers Logo here!

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LA has revealed bid logo and slogan for the 2014 Olympic Games. The Logo, referred to as The Emblem, was designed by 72andSunny together with Bruce Mau Designs. The logo is a depiction of an angel, reaching out for the sun. This might have been inspired by the slogan used for the bid which was, “Follow the Sun”. The logo can also be seen as a depiction of an athlete trying to reach out to the sun. This would signify the athlete’s ambition to continue moving forward towards achieving their dreams.

Follow the Sun slogan may also refer to the fact that the city of Los Angeles usually experience sun shine all through the year hence it was used to demonstrate perennial optimism and the constant reinvention that the city enjoys. According to the chairman of the Los Angeles 2024, people follow the sun daily to Los Angeles in pursuit of dreams, opportunities, innovations, creativity and progress. The logo thus is well within the contest of the city as well as the aspirations of the people who come to LA on a daily basis.

The bid logo can also be seen as an invitation by the people of Los Angeles for others to come to the city and follow the sun. It captures the essence of the city of Los Angeles with their belief that out of hard work, ingenuity and creativity, it is possible to follow the sun and reach the highest levels of success. It is out of that commitment that the city made their bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games so that they can bring back the game, the players and the fans to the city that loves all of them.

Strengths of the Logo

The emblem is in essence a great design and a show of mastery as far as logo design is concerned. Other than beautifully capturing the spirits of the city and the game, the design elements have been carefully chosen to ensure that the logo strikes the right codes with the audiences. When you look at the logo, you see minimalism, simplicity and freshness.

All the symbols used have been adequately explained and they all fit well within the context of the game, the city, and the fans. It is an encouragement for the athletes to put their best feet forward and reach the highest levels of greatness they can manage to achieve.

But as expected with every other bid logo design, there are always those people who will have negative comments or those who will find faults with every logo they see. The LA 2024 bid logo hasn’t been spared from this group of people as well. Some of them find the slogan to be great but the logo to be sincerely disappointing. Others on the other hand have issues with the symbols used in the logo design. One of the online users had commented that he sees nothing but a mermaid trying to reach to the sun. According to him, there is no semblance of an athlete in the logo hence it is very inappropriate for the Olympic Games.

Many people saw a small resemblance to an athlete as well as some potential affiliations with logos that we have seen in the past from companies like Rolls Royce and their own Angel format. While the Angel Overall bears a few small resemblances it is the color scheme as well as the shape of the angel that make it completely unique.

This is of course not the only angel related logo in LA either, with the LA angels creating their own spin on the same kind of design. Although the two have entirely separate logos this is a theme that has deep history for the city of LA. This should carry the logo far for the Olympic bid as well.

One great feature about the logo is the choice of colors. It uses three main colors of pink, blue and yellow. Whereas the colors have been used intelligently without any overshadowing the other while creating a nice artistic coherence, some critics think that the colors have nothing to do with the games, the country as well as the city. In this manner, the logo appears detached not only from the games but also from the host country. But it is important to remember that the use of colors in design can at times be very subject and may have different interpretations depending on the viewers.

Irrespective of all the criticisms, the logo still remains a great one, with convincing explanations on all of the design elements used. We only hope that LA’s bid to host the games will be successful so that the whole world can troop to the sunny city of Los Angeles to follow the sun and reach their greatness.

Check out the most expensive logos ever developed here!

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Olympic games have been around for more than a century, and it has now evolved to become a tool used for promoting global peace, joy and friendship. Each logo during every Olympic games event is usually a work of art aimed at demonstrating the best that the world can offer regarding graphic design skills. It is exciting to note that the creators of every Olympics games logo have always done a magnificent job of doing just the right kind of representation to capture the spirit and the letter of the games. Here are some of the best Olympics games logos showing nothing but total mastery in design skills-:

Munich Olympics Logo – 1972

Most people don’t want to remember some of the events that took place during the 1972 Munich Olympics Games. The tragedy for Israel it was, but there are a few good things that can be remembered for this particular winter event and the logo is one of them. The 1972 Munich Olympics logo was a simple one but with a unique flair of modernity that existed in the mid 20th century. It featured a nicely designed spiral of alternate black and white geometry, which created a strong visual comparison and symbolized the shining host of the games – Munich. This logo was to be later singled out as one of the best modernism logos during its time. It therefore deserves a place as one of the best Olympics Games logos of all times.

Sydney 2000 Olympic Logo

The Sydney 2000 Olympics Games logo was a masterpiece of design as far as logos are concerned. It had only three colors, but had a strong visual impact and managed to connect effectively with the spirit of the Olympic Games. The logo featured an image of a running athlete carrying the Olympic torch. Above the athlete was a blue curve depicting the famous Sydney Opera House? The colors of the logo were red, yellow and blue with each symbolizing a particular item. For instance, the red symbolized the native of Australia; the blue represented the blue harbor while the yellow color represented the sun and the beach. With such an awesome and meaningful use of symbols and colors, it is no wonder that this is one of the best Olympic Games Logos ever designed.

Athens Olympic Games – 2004

The Athens Olympics Games logo was a milestone in the design of Olympic Games logos. It didn’t feature any strong or sophisticated design, but it was a simple representation of the fundamental cores of the game as well as the rich heritage of the Mediterranean. The logo featured an olive branch that might have been mistaken for a child’s drawing yet; it was packed with useful meanings. The olive branch represented victory and humanism while the blue color on the background represented the open mind of the Mediterranean. In a deeper sense, the logo conveyed a natural sense and pleasantry, making it one of the simple yet powerful Olympic Games logos you will ever come across.

Torino Olympic Games – 2006

The Turin Olympics Games logo in 2006 was a special one in a number of ways. It was inspired by Mole Antonelliana which happens to be the most famous landmark in Turin, Italy. Different explanations could be deduced from this logo. The first is that it represented a tall building with an icy image to represent the Olympic Games. Secondly, it could be viewed as a net aimed at gathering all the people of the world together during the winter games. From another perspective, one might take the logo to be a real dimensional mountain and not some plain graphic triangle. Whichever the case, the 2006 Olympic Games Logo illustrated a perfect application of dimension in design.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Culture is unique all around the world, and this is what was depicted by the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Logo. This was one of the greatest Olympic Games in history, and it equally had a unique logo that represented a sharp, oriental cultural environment. The inspiration of the logo was from the traditional elements that could be found only in China. These included Chinese calligraphy, Chinese seal, and the Chinese Character. These items have strong cultural signals, reminiscent of the ancient eastern civilization. We are yet to see another Olympic Games logo that will offer the creativity and dynamism seen in this particular one.

London 2012 Olympic Games

The London 2012 Olympic Games logo used the number 2012 as its basic elements but added a twist by transforming the shape of the numbers to make them look more modern and meaningful. These transformations made the numbers into abstract figures that brought about a huge visual shock to initiate the imagination of whoever saw them. This Olympic Games logo is a perfect illustration of how transformation can be used in design to achieve special effects by making people jump out of their regular thinking. The London 2012 Olympic Games logo closes our list on the best logos in the history of the Olympic Games.

Check out these other famous sports logos here!

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