But, Do You Have a Logo?

Last summer, when floods devastated eastern Iowa, one of the first thing Iowa’s state government did was set up a commission – the “Rebuild Iowa Commission.”  The first thing this commission did? Pay to have a logo designed.

This month, the “Group of 20” most developed economies met…what is the first thing they did in preparation for this meeting? Developed a logo.

When our Dear Leader starts blowing all the money they just printed on all the "shovel ready" stimulus projects that are going to "create or save" zillions of jobs - what's going to be plastered on each of the "projects"?  A specially designed logo.

I’m reminded of that stand-up bit by Eddie Izzard – “Do you have a flag?” He basically is talking about how all of the empires through history were basically justified by the fact they have a flag and the conquered group didn't.

Great Britain lands in India, sticks its flag in the ground and declares, “We claim this land for Britain!” The Indians who are already living their say, “WHAT? You can't do that!  There are already 500,000,000 people living here!”

Unimpressed, the British reply, “BUT, do you have a FLAG?”

Confused and flagless, the Indians then find themselves part of the British Empire.  It's that simple. 

So it is with government bureaucracies and logos. Until a government agency, blue-ribbon commission or department develops an official logo, it is impossible for them to be a fully entrenched and permanent member of the bureaucracy. The latest example is Chet Culver’s “Iowa Infrastructure Investment Initiative.” Or, “I-Jobs.”  Clever. 

I-Jobs is basically Chet's attempt to be like the Dear Leader, borrow something like $750 million dollars, blow it on "infrastructure" projects and create bazillions of good paying union thug jobs employing all the illegal Mexicans willing to smuggle their way into Iowa.

(As a side, Chet Culver is lovable.  He may be a knuckle-dragging, butt-scratching, beer drinking, old substitute teacher unable to use three-syllable words who sweats a lot, but he's our governor, damnit.  The people have spoken.)

Anyway, all you have to do is throw together a PowerPoint, pay thousands to develop a logo and, SHAZAM!  You have a good idea. 

I remember an old political science professor I had once defined politics as simply, "the manipulation of symbols."  I guess the bureaucracy and it's love affair with the creation of logos is one more example of this.  A logo, like a flag, implies legitimacy and the idea that, "if they have a logo, something must be getting done, right?"  Uh, well, perhaps maybe, no.

That, or a cabal on the part of ad agencies to further tighten their grip on the logo industrial complex we are all slaves to.   

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P.S. ~ Here's the clip of the Eddy Izzard "Do you have a Flag" stand-up sketch using, of all things, legos.