London 2012 Olympics logo ineffective say marketers

LONDON - Almost three fifths of UK marketers have serious doubts about the effectiveness of the 2012 London Olympic logo, according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

The marketing trends survey, conducted by Ipsos Mori for the Chartered Institute of Marketing, found that 57% of marketers believe that the logo is not an effective design, including 30% who feel strongly that it is ineffective.

Only one in five believe that the 2012 logo is an effective design.

David Thorp, director of research and information at the CIM, said: "The logo should communicate clearly an appealing identity for the games, yet the UK's marketers are deeply sceptical about its ability to do so.

"With the public and marketing professionals set against it, those involved with the Olympic logo have a lot of work to do over the next four years to win them round."

When the logo, designed by Wolff Olins, was revealed in June last year it sparked an unprecedented public and media backlash with calls for it to be axed.

The controversial logo took Wolff Olins around a year to create at an estimated cost of £400,000. It replaced the previous logo, which featured the words "London 2012" intertwined with ribbons in the shape of the Thames.

Wolff Olins was appointed without London 2012 having seen any design ideas from the agency.

The CIM's online questionnaire was completed by 2,058 marketing professionals from a broad section of organisations by sector, turnover and geographic location.