Australia’s new wattle-inspired ‘Nation Brand’ logo has just been revealed, but punters reckon it looks like a new virus strain.
The design, inspired by the national flower, will be used used by government, traders and investors for a whole stack of ventures, and will seek to amalgamate Australian brand images overseas.
It’ll replace the current ‘Australian Unlimited’ logo, below.
When the updated logo was first unveiled, confusion broke out in regards to whether the logo would also replace the good ol’ ‘Australian Made’ kangaroo logo. People quickly flocked to the cybersphere to vent their frustrations about the logo a) potentially replacing the roo, and b) looking like a virus.
“I can’t believe they have changed the Australian made logo to look like this, it looks like a virus,” MP Mark Coure tweeted. “I will be writing to the Australia’s Nation Brand Advisory Council & Trade Minister @Birmo to reinstate the Kangaroo!”
Glenn Cooper, The Australian Made Campaign’s chairman, has since come forward to squash the rumours, stating that our beloved roo will remain as the nation’s product symbol.
“The iconic green and gold kangaroo logo has been clearly identifying Australian goods in export markets for more than 34 years with great success,” Cooper said. “There is no need to make a change in this space.”
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham also chimed in on the matter: “Kangaroos will continue to be a key part of Australia’s marketing and logos from our Air Force to our tourism campaigns, our national airline and our sporting teams.”
The Brand Advisory Council Recommendation explained the logo switch-up, praising the wattle for its “energy” and “dynamism”.
“The hearty resilience of the wattle has come to represent the enduring spirit of the Australian people,” the report reads. “This small, beautiful flower is an organic burst of positivity – in bright joyous gold. It speaks of warmth, expanding ideas and horizons, with the pollen laden stamens radiating a sense of energy and dynamism. It is an authentic national symbol that is elegantly and undoubtedly Australian.”
So, that’s it then. Virus, it is.
