Cottbus Moves in Mysterious Ways

The city of Cottbus makes feelings run high among the German graphic designers these days. On the occasion of the foundation of the «Stadtmarketing- und Tourismusverband Cottbus e.V.» (Assosiaction for City Marketing and Tourism) an offical competition was arranged within which designers were invited to submit suggestions for a logo representing the city of Cottbus in a figurative mark. In the briefing it was determined that the brand image has to be positioned between the two terms «Energie» and «Fürst Pückler» and the new logo would have to express this area of conflict in a – of course – positive interpretation.

The competition procedure itself and the intransparent selection process displeased many designers who gave vent to their anger publicly in several weblogs. In the German weblog «Fontblog», operated by FontShop, this public opinion found it's collective expression. The general criticism of the modalities of design-related contests actually led to a discussion about the possible need for a offically recognized Chamber for Graphic Designers – with over a hundred comments. This discussion in all likelihood will therefor be subject of a moderated talk within the context of the upcoming Typo Berlin 2009.

But to get back to the point: The selected logo was published yesterday and it caused a chorus of criticism again. Amusingly an online survey of regional newspaper «Lausitzer Rundschau» pointed out that over 90% of all participants don't like the logo. An army of disappointed graphic designers might possibly have contributed to the survey's result? If you are able to speak or read German you may enjoy reading the press release of the designers. I hope it won't be really necessary to write a detailled review of this unshaped, unlegible thing? Or are there real contrary opinions about it?

Finally the trust in communal authorities and especially in design-related contests arranged by them was shaken again because of the absence of transparency and any traceability how, why and by whom decisions were made. And German designers keep asking for generally accepted guidelines for design contest like this one. I really wonder if this is a typical German problem?