Hillary Clinton's campaign logo ignites trash talk on Twitter
Nothing brings the internet together like a good ol fashioned mass logo bashing
In a move that made headlines around the world this weekend, Hillary Clinton unveiled a new logo that Twitter users don't really like.
The former secretary of state and first lady also announced that, after years of speculation, she was officially running to win the Democraticnominationfor the 2016 presidential race her second run at the White House, sincelosing theticket to Barack Obama in 2008.
But let's get back to the logo, because for many onlinethis was the most important (or perhaps most funtocritique) piece of material unveiled during the social media blast that kicked off Clinton's campaign yesterday.
While seemingly quite simple, the blue and red "H" (for Hillary) seen abovehas been panned as everything from "disappointing" and"amateurish" to something that "looks like it belongs on a pair of Jncos."
Some have even suggested that it resembles New York City's twin towers during the Sept. 11 attacks.
Hillary's new logo is even worse than the first one: pic.twitter.com/KuVWESaJOt
—@crulge
That Hillary logo looks like a big red jet flying through the twin towers.
—@DanMKervick
Nearly 10,000 people on Twitter have now weighed in on theimage, according to the social analytics service Topsy many of them simply to pan it as childish (designed by a three-year-old) or rudimentary (designed using MS Paint.)
I don't mean to brag but it was actually my 4 year old who designed the Hillary logo for #Hillary2016 #HillaryClinton pic.twitter.com/xKbQyx52SQ
—@tomgreever
Savvy first move by Hillary. The biggest knock on her is she's too elitist, so she's like, "Boom, let's make the campaign logo in MS Paint."
—@levie
So what lucky 3rd grader won the Design the Hillary Clinton Campaign Logo contest? pic.twitter.com/JlgthsKP8u
—@massfubar
The most high-profile Twitter account to criticize thenew campaign logo was WikiLeaks, which told its 2.5 millionfollowers that Clinton had "stolen" its"innovative WikiLeaks Twitter logo design."
While some media outlets have reported this as an"accusation," several of the account's followers have pointed out that it was likely a tongue-in-cheek digmade in reference to a Verge article in which Rand Paul was accused of "swiping" his logo from the dating app Tinder.
@wikileaks @HillaryClinton how did no one notice this is parodying the piece saying rand stole his campaign logo because flames are both red
—@milkpiefridays
Some people are now taking it upon themselves to "fix" Clinton's logo, while otherstweetimages of logos and signsthatthey feelbeara resemblance to Clinton's. Hospital parking signs, theFedEx logo, and '90s fashion itemsare common.
Hillary Clinton's logo before photoshop pic.twitter.com/ufmQKqpoBJ
—@guy_irl
Hillary campaign logo = FedEx + The Who pic.twitter.com/TMEINpjRNd
—@klustout
i dunno why everyone's hating on Hillary's campaign logo, i like it pic.twitter.com/wMmllI3TnJ
—@alshipley
Hillary Clinton's new logo or sailor shirt: a comparative analysis pic.twitter.com/e70CZPC6sS
—@bengreenman
#BRANDING: Hillary takes a page from Cuba in creating branding Logo. IS IT EFFECTIVE? pic.twitter.com/QqHO6CMT9B
—@BrewCrewShields
Not everyone is making fun of the logo, however. Some on Twitter are backing the Clinton campaign's choice, calling the design "retro" and bold.
Two of the design experts interviewed by Business Insider about reaction to the logo agreed with the Twitter users above.
"The palette alludes to flag colors without relying on the expected stars and stripes imagery. Clever and strong," said Landor Associates creative directorRichard Westendorf, calling it"extremely progressive and modern."
"I like Hillary's logo," said Debbie Millman, chair of the Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts in New York."It flies in the face of everything we've come to expect of a campaign logo: there are no stars, no stripes, no rolling plains and mercifully there are no exclamation points. Instead we have a strong, confident, stately logo representing a strong confident, stately candidate. And there is something very appealing about a candidate who defies conventions having a logo that does so as well."
Share your own thoughts on Clinton's 2016 campaign logo (and all of the reaction to it) below.