The London Olympics 2012 logo was universally despised and panned. Will the logo for the Rio Olympics 2016 be better than its predecessor or join the league of horrid logos?

The London Olympics 2012 logo was made by design powerhouse Wolff Ollins. Wolff Ollins is responsible for the creation of many aesthetic and meaningful logos, like the logo of Unilever, Tata Docomo, etc. But sometimes internationally recognized design firms, with the best of intentions, creating a logo for one of the most celebrated sporting event, can go wrong. This was the case for the logo of the London Olympics 2012. It was blocky, weirdly shaped, and did not have a London feel to it. Wolff Ollins can silence many a detractor, like me, with explanations of how the logo is an extension of the games. Google tried to balance the situation with its doodles. With this regard, I feel the Rio Olympics 2016 logo steps into the arena and proves that it is a better contender.

The logo for the Rio Olympics 2016 is made by Tatíl Design of Brazil; their approach to the logo is very different. Tatíl Design wanted to create a logo that was free flowing, inspired by the beauty of Rio de Janeiro and established a feeling of togetherness. The logo created as a result of these ideals looks like three figures holding their hands together. It reminds me of children moving round and round in playful merry making; this could be a symbolic representation of the Olympics as a series of games. The logo also forms the letters of the word Rio, the host city for the Olympics 2016. The colours used for the logo are more vibrant in comparison to the previous logo and it showcases the vibrancy of Rio de Janeiro. The logo also imbibes the structure of the Sugarloaf Mountain, an important tourist attraction. Tatíl Design went through a series of logos before they landed on the correct fit; around 150 logo types were created.

The final product, at least to my layman eyes, seems a better representative of the upcoming Olympics 2016 and the festive city of Rio de Janeiro. Here’s what the creators have to say about the Rio Olympics 2016 logo:

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