The need to take ownership
This particular logo has been trolling the social media the last few days and unfortunately for all the wrong reasons.
Pakistan turns 70 and this was a great opportunity for us to show the world our true potential, of which there is absolutely no dearth in the country, in big and small ways. But instead what we do is more of the KHANAPURI [a mere formality] we are popularly known for. This logo is just another reminder of just that.
Seeing this design many pertinent and obvious questions have been raised on social media, starting with who gave the brief? Who was invited to design this logo? How was the selection carried out? Who was the selection committee? What was the process?
But more importantly what comes through to me is how we as a nation, as people give little or no importance to the arena of design in general. This logo, in my opinion, is a testament of that. This logo was not selected after careful deliberation, as we would like to believe, the reality is that no importance was given to this process. This is our psyche as people. The ‘meri company kai liye aik logo tou banado’ [make me a logo for my company] mentality, as if it is something one can concoct by waving a magic wand is very evident in this logo itself.
The question is what can we as graphic designers, working in the field and design educators do to change this mind-set? In a way the fault lies with us, we as educators and designers over the years, have considered design primarily to be an act of aesthetics and ornamentation. We have given a lot of emphasis in our courses to the teaching of design principle and elements and their use but not taking away from that aspect and its due significance, somewhere along the way we have lost the key plot. Design Thinking and the fact that design is more the way something works rather than how it looks should be inculcated in the young minds that come to us from day one. We need to start educating, formally and informally, towards the change of that mind-set. The notion that if it doesnot ‘work’ for the audience it is intended for, it is not ‘good’ design should be paramount. The term ‘design’ needs redefinition; design should be relevant; it needs to be at the heart of what we do and not just the outer layer.
This logo for me is a signal for us all to start doing right by our profession. Teaching history that goes beyond the European masters, inculcating the importance of true and genuine research in all our projects and doing what we do with empathy is what is needed. Lets take ownership for this.
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!
May the 80 years logo be a more appropriate one and may we all succeed in doing so.
