Ever since the Olympic games, logos have been catching my eye. Some of them make total sense, but every now and then one catches me off guard and I wonder "Who had final approval and didn't see THAT?" For example, we've all been privy to a joke or nine about the Trump/Pence logo. I mean, that one kind of begs the question of intentionality. The whole campaign honestly feels like it's one second short of a bad practical joke, so the slogan...Meh.
But harder to explain the logo for a business specializing in treatment of addicted and binge eating disorders. The logo, as one drives by, appears to be a whale surfacing with water spraying from the blow hole. I have been assured by two passengers on separate drive-bys that it is in fact a woman standing at the top of a mountain, arms raised in victory, and not a mammalian size reference, but I'm not convinced. It's just so "there".
And take the school crest that was emblazoned on a sweatshirt I stood behind the other day. I kept pondering what the frilly bits were, and then I realized "I've seen that same layout in the obstetrician's office". If you are going to use a shield design, perhaps reconsider the triangular shape with two sprays of *something* that really only look like fallopian tubes to me. I can't unsee it. And in the same way that a sport's team should consider the virility and fight embodied in their mascot, (because non of us is all that intimidated by the Fighting Doormouse, or the Raging Luna Moths), we don't want to be recognizable by the reproductive line-drawing on our letterhead or marching band banner.
So here's the thing. The classic illusion of the two women. I know they are both there, but once I've seen one, I always see it first.
Now I have these misviewed logos stuck in my brain. Taking up useful space where something like my parent's mailing address could live permanently. (See, I used to know the address, but then 911 address changes came into play, and now I have to look it up. Every time. True story.) So until something else comes along to take it's place, these images roll around in my brain and I am reminded of a piece of good advice: "You only get one chance to make a good first impression."
Which brings me to this week in general. My children are going back to school and I will meet my new students. We get one chance to start on the right foot. No matter what else I do this year, the first hello is what will set the tone. No matter what my children go on to do, they get one initial chance to meet their teacher. As a parent, I get one chance to open a relationship with the classroom teacher, although many opportunities to tend and nurture it. Our first meeting determines how safe we feel asking questions and having input into their classrooms, and they into our homework habits.
This is big stuff. I can only hope that at the end of the day, none of us are left scratching our heads and wondering "What WAS that? Did it look like a surfacing whale to you?"
Much love to all of my teacher families out there. This is our Superbowl. Minus the advertising premium and the cheerleaders in perfect peppy unison. I know many of you will be up until the wee hours the night before, prepping your room and tending your anxious, jittery, brains and bellies. I know that first day outfits are being chosen and reconsidered in an effort to start out looking and feeling smart. And if you are like me, the siren song of 17cent notebooks and 50 cent crayons has lured you in more than once. Weekly. (Damn you Walmart!)
Good luck to all of you, teachers, parents, students, bus drivers, cafeteria crew. And encourage at least one person you know to go into graphic design. Because honestly? It appears they could use the help.
But harder to explain the logo for a business specializing in treatment of addicted and binge eating disorders. The logo, as one drives by, appears to be a whale surfacing with water spraying from the blow hole. I have been assured by two passengers on separate drive-bys that it is in fact a woman standing at the top of a mountain, arms raised in victory, and not a mammalian size reference, but I'm not convinced. It's just so "there".
And take the school crest that was emblazoned on a sweatshirt I stood behind the other day. I kept pondering what the frilly bits were, and then I realized "I've seen that same layout in the obstetrician's office". If you are going to use a shield design, perhaps reconsider the triangular shape with two sprays of *something* that really only look like fallopian tubes to me. I can't unsee it. And in the same way that a sport's team should consider the virility and fight embodied in their mascot, (because non of us is all that intimidated by the Fighting Doormouse, or the Raging Luna Moths), we don't want to be recognizable by the reproductive line-drawing on our letterhead or marching band banner.
So here's the thing. The classic illusion of the two women. I know they are both there, but once I've seen one, I always see it first.
Now I have these misviewed logos stuck in my brain. Taking up useful space where something like my parent's mailing address could live permanently. (See, I used to know the address, but then 911 address changes came into play, and now I have to look it up. Every time. True story.) So until something else comes along to take it's place, these images roll around in my brain and I am reminded of a piece of good advice: "You only get one chance to make a good first impression."
Which brings me to this week in general. My children are going back to school and I will meet my new students. We get one chance to start on the right foot. No matter what else I do this year, the first hello is what will set the tone. No matter what my children go on to do, they get one initial chance to meet their teacher. As a parent, I get one chance to open a relationship with the classroom teacher, although many opportunities to tend and nurture it. Our first meeting determines how safe we feel asking questions and having input into their classrooms, and they into our homework habits.
This is big stuff. I can only hope that at the end of the day, none of us are left scratching our heads and wondering "What WAS that? Did it look like a surfacing whale to you?"
Much love to all of my teacher families out there. This is our Superbowl. Minus the advertising premium and the cheerleaders in perfect peppy unison. I know many of you will be up until the wee hours the night before, prepping your room and tending your anxious, jittery, brains and bellies. I know that first day outfits are being chosen and reconsidered in an effort to start out looking and feeling smart. And if you are like me, the siren song of 17cent notebooks and 50 cent crayons has lured you in more than once. Weekly. (Damn you Walmart!)
Good luck to all of you, teachers, parents, students, bus drivers, cafeteria crew. And encourage at least one person you know to go into graphic design. Because honestly? It appears they could use the help.
