Some of you may have noticed the recent new logo-unveiling of NBC Universal. It's been getting a lot of buzz lately, and while there's been the unanimous "It sucks!" and "It's so boring!" it's nice to read what the branding firm Wolff Olins (the creators of the logo) has to say in it's defense while distinguished designers, and creators of the NBC Peacock, Chermayeff and Geismar explain why it just doesn't work. The article, at Fast Co. Design can be read here. The case seems to be Wolff Olins delivered to the client exactly what they wanted and had in mind. But the question is brought up, is that really a good thing?

Reading the article, I found it inspiring to see a firm standing up for its creation with firm logic and belief. It's become too often lately that designers are giving in to public outcry, reverting back to the logo pre-rebrand; two coming to mind being Tropicana and Gap. Despite the fact that these were not necessarily successful logos – considered very unsuccessful by many – it's still important that designers stand behind their creations.

Wolff Olins does well to explain the reasoning behind the new corporate logo, explaining that despite all the cries about there being no familiar Peacock, that this is a primarily B2B logotype and something that customers will rarely see, while NBC programming will retain the beloved peacock symbol. The biggest strength in the new logo, as explained by Wolff Olins' Head of Design, Todd Simmons is that the new mark "Just goes with everything." And that's exactly how it will live, paired with it's networks, including USA Network, Bravo, SyFy, and others.

While the logo is all type, it's a typeface all it's own, created for the project by type designer, Michael Abbink. The typeface, as the primary design element of the logo, provides just the right amount of character, echoing the Deco-style architecture of the companies headquarters and 30 Rockefeller while being able to family well with the other logos. One common criticism is in the awkwardness of the word Universal being butted up against NBC; there's good reason in this decision as explained by NBC Universal CEO Steve Burke, as it reflects "a gesture of unity that he hopes to bring across the portfolio." These are strong arguments, and for a more detailed account of the reasoning and Chermayeff and Geismar's comments on its failure, read through the article.

What got my attention was Chermayeff's comment on the reasoning, "just to do things for political reasons or to please somebody or another is really not something we can take very seriously." Wolff Olins aren't known for just catering to client specific wants; they push boundaries with many of their brands, sometimes unsuccessful but always interesting. This leads me to think that, while on the surface the new logo may be dull, but it was designed with a specific goal in mind; not just that of the client but what the designers thought would work best.

It's an interesting debate, one that has swayed me into believing it successful despite it's conservative nature and riding the fence of boring. It's nice to see such a strong argument defending against all the criticism, shedding light on the purpose of the design and the environment which it will live.