Opinion BY Armin

Memorial. Period.

Originally, in 2006, it was called the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, then in 2007 it evolved into the lengthier National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center. Now, eight years after the events of 2001, the name has changed to the simpler and more colloquial 9/11 Memorial. And the museum will be known as the 9/11 Memorial Museum, while National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center remains as the legal name of the non-profit organization. Coinciding with the opening of the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site — a space devoted to showcasing the plans and progress of the memorial and museum, as well as serving to collect stories and artifacts for future preservation — comes the release of a new identity in the long road of this venture in preparation for its opening in 2011. The identity has been designed by Landor in New York.

In an effort to make the memorial distinctive and accessible to the general public, the name was shortened to “9/11 Memorial.” With the name change came the need to create a new visual identity that reinforced the spirit of rebuilding. The new visual icon is built upon two pillars of strength and solidarity. The simplistic use of the date, 9/11, with the ‘11’ standing alone in a subdued blue against the black ‘9’ and ‘Memoria’, the icon allows the gravity and authenticity of the events that occurred on 9/11 to speak for themselves.
— Landor Press Release

Concept applications of the identity.

This is not an easy identity job, because you want to acknowledge the missing buildings without making it feel too much of a miserable reminder. The previous logo, which we covered back in 2007, achieved that through the soft depiction of the buildings’ footprints. This one, as a more public-facing identity achieves a good balance between simplicity and something that works to brand a public environment. The execution — set in Hoefler & Frere-Jones’ Verlag — is simple and bold, without much visual fanfare other then the two bright blue ones standing in for the towers. It’s not a revolutionary idea but it perfectly serves the purpose here. And it serves for a solid structure for the rest of the applications. Additional coverage, with video, at NY1.

Images from the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site.

DATE: Sep.11.2009CATEGORY: Non-Profit 98 COMMENTS

Alex Muller’s comment is:

I like the new identity quite a bit.

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:39 AM

Moeed Mohammad’s comment is:

It look's good, but something about that 9 just doesn't sit right with me. The 11 is clever, but again ... that 9 makes it feel a little flimsy.

That being said, the colors are well suited, and the applications are nice.

http://www.twitter.com/moeedmohammad

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:40 AM

Jose Nieto’s comment is:

Even though the "11 as the WTC" execution has been done to death already (can't tell you how often I see it in student portfolios), it seems like suitable short hand here, particularly in bright cyan (instead of a funereal black or gray). Direct and to the point, and yet distinctive. I think it works -- which i saying a lot, considering the subject.

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:46 AM

Chip O'Toole’s comment is:

Love the treatment of the 11, simple, to the point. The colors are appropriate, solemn and bold. Obviously you need to use either red or blue, and red = blood.

I am getting sick of Gotham though (even though this is Verlag, same thing).

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:47 AM

Fish’s comment is:

Feels very appropriate. Great execution.

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:47 AM

Marty Alchin’s comment is:

I don't know if it was intentional or not (I expect it was), but the particular blue chosen for the 11 is reminiscent of the blue used in the Tribute in Light used on the memorial site. It was scheduled to end last year, but they're picking it up again this year, and with this new identity, I can't help but think the extra instance is intended to tie into the new logo shown here, so that it's a bit more cohesive. Then, when the tribute in light is finally discontinued, it can live on, so to speak, through the promotional materials for the memorial, particularly the business card example shown here, where the 11 is shown on a black background without any accompanying text. It just seems like that little detail is an important part of the new identity.

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:53 AM

jon’s comment is:

Absolutely love it, excellent choice of colours (especially in the posters), and the subtle highlighting of the '11' is classy and not to obvious.

The new name is better, but it still sounds a little bit awkward, using the full name of the month - "September 11" - would add more weight to the name (or maybe its just because in Australia we are more likely to refer to the attacks as the "September 11" attacks, instead of the American-style date "9/11").

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:56 AM

PALE FACE’s comment is:

Straight to the point, solid, clean, respectful.

I like it!

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:59 AM

Joachim’s comment is:

I love the application, colours and the use of Verlag. Though I do see reference to the two towers with the use of 11, I can't help but see a pause symbol as well.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:08 AM

James’s comment is:

nice job. a strong identity that doesn't smash us with grief and woe but still has the seriousness that such a mark needs. The name change is a great success in my eyes, it simplifies the message and allows for the freedom to create a memorable and reasonable mark/brand.

well done Landor.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:10 AM

Kim Siever’s comment is:

I like how the 11 doubles as both two blue towers and as a single white tower against a blue sky.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:13 AM

Chad Kaufman’s comment is:

Wow. So much better than the previous version. While the delicate footprints of the previous logo reflect a somber remembrance, the new logo, bolder in presents, more appropriately represents the boldness that were the WTC towers. The black is mournful while the blue and white are reflective of the sky (or heavens) appropriate for those lost as well as the towers which seemed to pierce the sky, occupying more of the clouds than it did the ground.

As a logo it is successful, in its execution (the business card with the vertical lines planted on the bottom) is is appropriate and memorable for its context to the towers and to those lost.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:17 AM

Carly’s comment is:

I'm not sure I like the execution of the new materials, but I like the logo well enough. It is certainly going to be easier to use that the old one. I had the "pleasure" of working with the old logo in some design materials and it was a nightmare because of the transparency in the gradients.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:25 AM

Lauren B’s comment is:

This identity is powerful and solid. I love it and I especially appreciate the color choice of black + blue + white. It reinforces the strong design and feeling of remembrance, where a red/warm color would be too strong in my opinion.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:25 AM

Jason’s comment is:

I see the sky...

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:26 AM

rafael armstrong’s comment is:

Love it. As someone who's both lived and worked in The City (both pre- & post- 9/11), I feel that this is the most respectful treatment yet. As a designer, I love the cleanliness and concise simplicity of the logo and the use of color to draw emphasis without being "screamy". Excellent job.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:39 AM

benny’s comment is:

clever, yes. original, no. do they get the point across? yes.

they seemed to forget that the attack was more than the 2 towers. It was also the pentagon and flight 93 in the field. i feel that this logo, although simple, is too limited.

i like the colors, but i agree that Gotham is getting overused and quite frankly, i'm getting sick of it. it says "Obama".

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:39 AM

benny’s comment is:

I retract my statement about the other events that occurred on 9/11. I re-read the article and realized that this is JUST for the towers memorial.

All my other statements still hold true.

Sorry.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:48 AM

orangetiki’s comment is:

Benny beat me to the punch. I agree that yes it's nowhere near original ( in my mind not too clever ) but it still stands very well and communicates the point properly and clearly. And isn't that what you want in a logo?

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:50 AM

orangetiki’s comment is:

Sorry i was going to write "( in my mind not too clever but clever enough)" What I mean is that it only refers to what happened in NYC and not on the Pentagon or Flight 93.

On Sep.11.2009 at 10:55 AM

Randy Hammons’s comment is:

Really dig the identity, but that's definitely not Verlag used. Looks more similar to Gotham.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:01 AM

Aniko Hill’s comment is:

Clean, simple, and almost stark - the perfect solution for such a heavy subject.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:05 AM

Gary Holmes’s comment is:

Definitely a tough logo identity assignment- high emotions, and high expectations too.

I applaud Landor's vision for keeping logo simple, bold and succinct. Like the blue accent color (like Marty said: tribute light beams). Also kudos on shortening name to 9/11 Memorial, the earlier name was a mouthful and destined to be abbreviated to just initials. I'm sure Landor will get panned by some that logo is too simple and that a college student could have come up with the concept in 5 mins, I disagree.
@gariphic

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:06 AM

Glenn Sakamoto’s comment is:

Well done.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:07 AM

felix sockwell’s comment is:

the eagle and flag illustrations drawn/ traced into the street posters aren't emotive at all. You need to leverage a stark logo like this with and identity that reflects a broad range of empathy and emotion. But the mark and naming are an improvement.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:07 AM

Jake Beadenkopf’s comment is:

I feel like the 9 is a bit too fun, like some of theseads and such look like they could be city-wide party invitations. i feel like, something like this requires a 9 with a firmly planted foot, it looks more serious, the rest of it would look fine then. honestly though, i figured if they use blue they would use red, i was surprised that they used almost like a straight cyan, it doesn't seem fitting...

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:08 AM

Koyo’s comment is:

Simply Beautiful!

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:13 AM

Merrick’s comment is:

Nice ID, but...

Am I really the only one who notices an inconsistent kerning in the text, specially in the "EM" pair?

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:17 AM

benny’s comment is:

@Merrick: Absolutely not! I saw it too. Just didn't point it out. Sad.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:21 AM

Colin M. Ford’s comment is:

I actually feel as if this logo and execution is pretty inappropriate.

Is it really OK to use the slick, cold, modern style on something that was so tragic? I for one would like a little nuance and subtlety applied to an event that no doubt has many angles to it. Just because they made it simple and more modernist doesn't make it an "improvement" in my book. There's a time and a place for that cold, hard style, and I don't think a national memorial is one of them.

I also agree with orangetiki’s second comment, in that the logo is exclusively referencing what happened to the WTC and not what happened elsewhere. It's the National museum AT the World Trade Center, not the World Trade Center museum exclusively.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:22 AM

Aaron Ortiz’s comment is:

Although it might border on the cliché, I'd kern the 11 just a bit closer, and narrow their width to mimic the buildings exactly.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:30 AM

Major Boothroyd’s comment is:

If y'all weren't such gung-ho conservatives (in a creepy way), maybe you'd see the beauty of a MODERN logo for a NEW MODERN ERA (you know what i'm talking about).

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:40 AM

Ross’s comment is:

Absolutely brilliant. A subtle, yet powerful reminder. Well thought out and executed.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:57 AM

proverbialthought’s comment is:

Oh wow! Bad idea having that slash mark falling on the twin towers like that. Just my thought. Good, straight forward idea; but otherwise pretty boring. Just my opinion.

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:11 PM

Chris’s comment is:

I agree with Merrick’s comment, it seems like the kerning is slightly inconsistent in the "MEM" area when compared to the rest of word. Also this is not Verlag. Verlag has pointed tips on the tops of the M. In addition the sides of the capital M don't seem to run completely parallel in Verlag. I agree with other comments that it's probably Gotham.

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:12 PM

John McCollum’s comment is:

T'aint Verlag.

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:14 PM

Daniel P. Johnston’s comment is:

Nice identity work. Too bad about them using the word "simplistic" to describe it. (Also, the "l" is left out of the word "Memorial" here, but not in their version, which led me to look for some graphic difference in the "l" of the logo when I first read the review.)

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:16 PM

Andrew Sabatier’s comment is:

This identity is not only clever, it is deeply intelligent.

The more I contemplate the visual and linguistic symbols, the more I'm struck by the power of the ambition of this brand. The 11 is not only the twin towers brilliantly recalled in the simplest of marks but the two bars is a pause to remember. Not only is there a double hit of meaning but a triple whammy that makes me extremely proud of my profession.

If I had a conspiratorial turn of mind the symbolic power of this identity would fuel a feverish connection between a planned event and this brand identity, so profoundly has the significance of the new 9/11 Memorial identity been realised.

True to Landor's guiding principles this project has indeed transformed and transcended the previous identity.

Sublime...

A.

Permalink

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:18 PM

Paul;a’s comment is:

Brilliant, much better than the original version. Not only is it the most simple and direct way to represent the towers, it looks patriotic and strong...which to me, reminds me of how America came together after that tragic event.

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:44 PM

Penn’s comment is:

Definitely Gotham, not Verlag.

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:56 PM

jonathan’s comment is:

The "9/" bugs me, but what else could you do with it?
The "11" is right on though.
Solid mark. Great application.

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:58 PM

Mario’s comment is:

@ Merrick

Good eye dude. The "O" in between the the M and R is a bit off as well. But that's picking lint off of fly shit it if you ask me. Over all that is a great logo.

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:58 PM

Ben Byrne’s comment is:

Nice, simple. Not gropundbreakingly innovative but that's fine.

Agree with previous comments that this looks like Gotham and not Verlag. The capital M in Verlag has pointed top, rather than being squared off. And I'm getting tired of Gotham... but it IS a nice face.

On Sep.11.2009 at 12:59 PM

Gabe’s comment is:

The logo is beautiful and clever. Sexy, even. Am I the only one that thinks that seems terribly wrong?

I think we need to think about what we’re creating with this “9/11 Museum,” as they call it. It feels like the Disneyfication of an awful and traumatic day--one that we all should have no trouble “remembering” or “connecting with” or “experiencing” all too easily and often.

Never mind the fact that it fetishizes an event which was, to be truthful, a shattering defeat for America. Why do we give our enemies (and they do exist) such satisfaction?

One day you will see a tourist with a “9/11 Museum” gift shop bag on the subway. I'm sure it'll be beautiful.

On Sep.11.2009 at 01:05 PM

Kenny’s comment is:

With the techy black/cyan combination, I also get the icon for PAUSE in the tower iconography. Which is a nice device to pause our lives to remember 9/11 and also reminds us of the pause the entire world experienced that day.

On Sep.11.2009 at 01:14 PM

JonSel’s comment is:

I agree with Felix that the illustration applications shown aren't particularly interesting.

The part I loved about the original logo were the softly fading images of the tower footprints. I'm sure Landor looked at this, but I'd find it interesting to see those gradients in the "11", to either suggest light, or rebuilding or something that fades in and out of existence. Maybe "9/11" carries so much emotional weight already that additional meaning isn't needed in the mark, but when everyone has already seen the towers/11 symbology (it was obvious back in 2001), it could be nice to add something extra.

(And yes, I usually hate gradients in logos.)

On Sep.11.2009 at 01:36 PM

Caren Litherland’s comment is:

Modified Verlag. Not Gotham.

On Sep.11.2009 at 01:46 PM

jmk’s comment is:

i agree with jake, it's inappropriate. it's much too fun, the blue is too bright and cheery, and the nine is too playful with the angled base instead of flat base. if you didn't know what this was about, those posters look like they're advertising a 4th of july block party. the older one was classy and much more appropriate then this party logo.

On Sep.11.2009 at 01:49 PM

jmk’s comment is:

i also feel that on the voting for "On Execution", there should be an option for "Inappropriate." The logo is cool... if they were branding a fun and exciting exhibit targeting skater youth.

On Sep.11.2009 at 01:55 PM

Peter Laws’s comment is:

How I hate the term "9/11". Attacks by madmen should not be branded.

Period.

On Sep.11.2009 at 02:19 PM

Darrel’s comment is:

If you take something like the Vietnam Memorial, it's not necessarily a memorial to the war...but rather a memorial to the people that are no longer with us.

This, on the other hand, seems to be emphasizing the feverish reaction to the event.

But maybe that's the correct solution and it's more of an umbrella identity to various aspects that are being memorialized.

On Sep.11.2009 at 02:31 PM

Caren Litherland’s comment is:

Peter and Gabe, I hear you on fetishization and marketing. But there is a museum and it needs an identity. What's the alternative? One can either design one's identity or acquire one by default.

The term “9/11” seems appropriate to me. Those who were here that day will remember that in the ensuing chaos, there was no vocabulary for this event. The media were in complete disarray and were in fact just about as immediate as media can possibly be. In the days following the attack, people were referring to it in various ways: “nine one one,” “nine eleven,” “world trade center attack,” and so forth. Within a few days, through word of mouth, organically, a name for the event entered the lexicon: “nine eleven.” This wasn't branding in the way that neighborhoods get branded by developers trying to sell something (e.g., SoHo). It was a sort of branding that emerged from people gathered on street corners talking to each other, looking for a shorthand that everyone would “get” to describe this thing that had just happened.

On Sep.11.2009 at 02:46 PM

Carlo’s comment is:

On the over-marketing and branding:
I agree with the organic genesis of the term "9/11"; it's natural for people to create a shorthand for something that became so necessary to everyday communication. But after years of branding, and $5 t-shirts, baseball caps, posters, mugs, etc., the shorthand starts to feel like a cheapening of the actual event. Even as someone who lived through that day here in NYC, lately I find myself deliberately refusing to say "9/11" when talking about it. And opting for a lengthier "when the World Trade Center was attacked and destroyed". I have no problem uttering a few extra words for an event that means so much to me and others. I find that all the over-simplified branding reminds more of our instinct to objectify and commodify instead of any real emotions or honor for that date.

While I appreciate treatments like this that reendow the moment with profound simplicity, I also can't help but wince at the almost too-easy iconography of it. With nothing but the utmost respect for those attempting to honor the souls lost that day, I often wonder how it's not by accident the number "11" resembles the actual twin towers side-by-side. I wonder how much are we just reinforcing the premeditation and sickness of the attackers? They could've easily guessed our media/marketing would flock to the iconography of this like bees to honey, helping to further emblazon their act on history. Sorry to get that negative about it, but that's what the visual mark brings up for me.

On Sep.11.2009 at 03:31 PM

John’s comment is:

I don't really think it is the right logo for this cause. I don't think it really represents what really happened on 9/11 but rather it looks dishonourable.

On Sep.11.2009 at 03:45 PM

Orleans Hellmington’s comment is:

It's ok. another visual pun. I like that it is less wordy, but there was something slightly smarter about the old one designed by Lance Wyman (sans gradient).

On Sep.11.2009 at 04:05 PM

ScottyM’s comment is:

It looks far, and I do mean F.A.R. superior reversed with the white/blue on black background than it does black/blue on white background.

Which leads me to think it needs a container so it's always white/blue on a black background. Black is necessary to signify the darkness/solemness of the memorial, the blue is a beautiful reminder of light -- from the two buildings, for future generations, etc. -- the white symbolizes peace, remembrance, and so forth.

The black/blue version misses the subtlety of all that, and IMO comes off as harsh.

On Sep.11.2009 at 04:11 PM

Ricky Salsberry’s comment is:

I don't think the 'shorthand' 9/11 is disrespectful – it's indicative of our evolving language. It's not disrespect, it's the way humans communicate. Language evolves directly based on how it's communicated, and we type communication so often now that it creeps into our language. Noone should be surprised by this.

This identity feels confident, sober and respectful. I give them full marks. Excellent job on what could have likely turned into a design-by-committee-clusterfuck.

On Sep.11.2009 at 04:16 PM

Cory Osborn’s comment is:

I agree with Moeed. That 9 looks like a joke. It's tragedy turned dark comedy. However, the extended branding is great.

On Sep.11.2009 at 04:19 PM

David Boni’s comment is:

I agree with ScottyM about the mark looking much more appropriate on a black background. Also not very crazy about that 9—it looks goofy.

On Sep.11.2009 at 05:09 PM

Ray’s comment is:

I think the use of Verlag as logotype lacks character. The "9" & "R" somehow look a bit too playful. I would have liked to see it set in a more defined, structured, or even stealth looking typeface. Maybe a pipe instead of a slash inbetween the "9" and "11"? I feel like it would look more balanced.

I certainly think that the change of name is appropriate, simple and direct. But I think because of it's frankness, using black makes it lack a sense of hope. I see that the cyan is meant to bring that in, but it's like 80% black 20% cyan. Seems pretty dismal.

On Sep.11.2009 at 05:20 PM

Matt’s comment is:

I absolutely despise the poster applications of this. They are cliché and look festive. Where is the serious tone? This to me is hardly any different than ShopKo having a sale on eagle/flag t-shirts the week after the attack. It just appeals to the upper class. Branding a tragedy is so wrong in so many ways.

On Sep.11.2009 at 08:15 PM

jason’s comment is:

Nice choice to use a vertical business card design. The sky blue color is also a nice choice as it is strongly associated with the morning of 9/11/01.

On Sep.11.2009 at 09:09 PM

beeg’s comment is:

The 9 is set in Verlag, the rest is Gotham bold, so both assertions are correct.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:27 PM

Brad Blackman’s comment is:

One thing that has always stuck in my memory was how blue the sky was that day... no doubt that's where the blue comes from.

On Sep.11.2009 at 11:43 PM

Marcin’s comment is:

I think it's really good job.

Agree with you, Brad.

On Sep.12.2009 at 05:36 AM

Rodrigo Müller’s comment is:

amazingly executed. love the simplicity.

On Sep.12.2009 at 10:07 AM

Paul Huang’s comment is:

I see a flag of Israel.

On Sep.12.2009 at 10:12 AM

Mark Barilla’s comment is:

I am surprised to see so many positive comments. I agree with JMK and Collin Ford, above.

This identity is inappropriate.

It may be "Bold," "Modern" and "Intelligent," but this is a September 11th MEMORIAL, not Festival. It's harsh, and feel it's more a memorial for the buildings themselves than the lives lost on that tragic day.

At least the old identity showed a footprint of the buildings, now gone, rather than a resurrection of them housed in vernacular. It cheapens the tragedy of the event, and rather than buck the trend of reducing that day to a soundbite (9/11), it caters to it.

On Sep.12.2009 at 11:38 AM

damon’s comment is:

the idea is nice enough, not overly original per se, but appropriate. I have some beef with the execution, it feels a bit typed out and forgotten. I think it could have used a bit more of a designers touch with the relationship between the 1's (kern in), the slash (looks cheap, there is room for something nicer here) and the treatment of memorial, which I think just sits there slapped together...

I like it ok, but I think it could sing a bit more.

tightened up and it has legs...

On Sep.12.2009 at 01:26 PM

damon’s comment is:

also, this is an instance where the knock out version is vastly more powerful than the positive one..

On Sep.12.2009 at 01:27 PM

Von Glitschka’s comment is:

I agree with Felix the renaming and logo are fine. Appropriately understated IMO. But the brand imagery of the eagle and flag are glorified clip-art lacking emotion and very un-compelling aesthetically.

On Sep.12.2009 at 01:33 PM

Boško Škrbina’s comment is:

I like and respect logo. Typography is nice, also the colours, but I agree with @Merrick there is a huge mistake in the kerning "M E MO" also I'm not sure about the "/" so thin...

On Sep.12.2009 at 02:29 PM

Amanda ’s comment is:

I'm with Colin who said the following; "Is it really OK to use the slick, cold, modern style on something that was so tragic? I for one would like a little nuance and subtlety applied to an event that no doubt has many angles to it. Just because they made it simple and more modernist doesn't make it an "improvement" in my book. There's a time and a place for that cold, hard style, and I don't think a national memorial is one of them."

I like this as an identity, and using the representation of the buildings in the 11 was obvious and works- but it feels so hard, and dare I say, cold and dead. I guess this speaks to the tragedy, but not in the right way for me. I didn't love the old look, but the sensitivity in the design was something I appreciated.

On Sep.12.2009 at 09:53 PM

Jesse Woodward’s comment is:

It's seems to be a modified blend of Gotham & Verlag, the 9 is not Verlag, neither are the Ms of course. The Ms having more in common with Gotham, but they feature rounded point. The R is not Gotham, having more in common with Verlag having a rounded (not flat) top.

And nobody is ever going to agree on this being absolutely appropriate... but I like it.

On Sep.12.2009 at 11:07 PM

Chuck Spidell’s comment is:

Simplification of the name was the way to go. Especially, since that's how most people refer to the tragic event. Wonderful presentation as well.

On Sep.12.2009 at 11:53 PM

S. Ahenkora’s comment is:

@ benny: "i like the colors, but i agree that Gotham is getting overused and quite frankly, i'm getting sick of it. it says "Obama"."

None sense, Baskerville doesn't say 'Newspaper', nor does Helveltica say 'Cheap advertising/branding". The face is clean and sophisticated. And even if does say Obama, it makes an association to the US.

On Sep.13.2009 at 07:59 AM

Mary L. ’s comment is:

I feel like 9/11 commemorative soaps are the way to go. Check out the tasteless ad: http://wall-eye.com/ahs911trailer.html

On Sep.13.2009 at 07:05 PM

Lindsay’s comment is:

Memorial. Period. Any questions... of course not. Memorial. Period.

On Sep.13.2009 at 09:15 PM

Jason at FlyCasual’s comment is:

I personally feel this execution is extremely uninspired, with very little thought given to the details. In order for a simple logo to really be effective, the designer needs to obsess over the tiniest of details — the kerning, the letter spacing, the relationships of letters to the other letters, etc. — even redrawing/tweaking the letterforms themselves if necessary. The kerning in "memorial" is all over the board, the "9" doesn't rest comfortably against the rigidness of the "11"... everything just feels a bit off.

On Sep.14.2009 at 08:46 AM

Vitezslav Valka’s comment is:

I like it basically. All that is a bit controversial, but why not. The people that died there deserves that for sure, but it is hard to know that it's a result of another persons behaviour.

On Sep.15.2009 at 08:53 AM

Ian’s comment is:

Sobering and hopeful, how could any form of design truly convey something this devastating, the real value lies in the concept of community contribution to the memorial. This day brought New Yorkers together and its that light in the darkness that the curators and marketers are pulling from.

The term "9/11" is tied to the importance of the day not the telephone reference, If this tragedy struck October 21 I would argue that "10/21" would cause just as much of an emotional response. A la "you always remember where you were when ______" fill in the blank.

On Sep.15.2009 at 09:25 AM

Gage Mitchell’s comment is:

There are times for really unique and original ideas, and there are times when you just need to let it be what it is... this is the latter. The idea isn't ground breaking, but it works and in this case is very appropriate. The mark is submissive, and should be, because it can't compete with the gravity of the event itself. The blue is light and hopeful and the fonts are plane and universal. In my opinion, this is a job well done.

Some people have picked out some slight execution issues, with kerning and such, which is unfortunate, but I'm sure someone working on the project will notice it once they've had a chance to step back from it a bit, and they'll be able to fix it and eventually nobody will know the problem was ever there.

Regards,
Gage Mitchell, AIGA

:: Graphic Designer
:: GageMitchell.com

On Sep.15.2009 at 09:42 AM

Soda & Candy’s comment is:

I actually find the new one kind of upsetting and tacky in that it refers so obviously to the two towers.

I prefer the shadowy corner bits in the old logo but I guess it was a bit wordy.

On Sep.15.2009 at 01:32 PM

Joe M.’s comment is:

Cheers to the folks at Landor for the concept and understated mark (and for leaving images out of the case study) but the nihilistic presence of status quo branding applications brings this work down to a new low in my book.

I winced at the irresponsible presence of "clever" business cards and posters. While it's swell to execute sexy institutional applications for Altria, Baltimore, Charles Schwab, or Delta, this particular brief does not necessitate lazy and condescending renderings.

The gesture of those renderings is akin to pulling up the memorial site in a black Ferrari with blue stripes, lowering your white Ray-Bans, and winking at a victim.

On Sep.15.2009 at 10:19 PM

raymond’s comment is:

I'd like to see the logo for all of the iraqis and afghanis we've killed

On Sep.16.2009 at 10:09 AM

raymond’s comment is:

will we make the time to read the 202 and growing pages of this list? http://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/individuals/

On Sep.16.2009 at 10:50 AM

G. Alex’s comment is:

I got to say that the logo itself doesn't seem to match the seriousness of the event but then again it doesn't have to. good application of color though.

On Sep.16.2009 at 11:46 AM

Dano’s comment is:

Adding to Kim's comment... the blue towers double as pause symbol. Seems appropriate given the subject matter.

On Sep.16.2009 at 01:00 PM

Mr. Mufasa’s comment is:

I really prefer the older logo with it's fading tower foundations in the corner. It would have been nice to have just update and refine that one instead.

On Sep.16.2009 at 01:03 PM

Mark’s comment is:

This is very appropriate and suitable, I can definitely tell the blue eleven is a representation of the missing towers, it's also a reminder how blue the sky was that horrible day.

Good job.

On Sep.16.2009 at 06:28 PM

babu’s comment is:

Pause!

On Sep.17.2009 at 07:32 AM

Goffredo Puccetti’s comment is:

I have mixed emotions.
On one hand I do agree with the majority of the comments so far about the elegance and the cleverness of the ideas in it (the pause, the sky, the blue light beams) and the sobriety required for such a memorial.
Still, the overall feeling I am left with is of disappointment. The typography is so over-used it makes it loose any originality immediately. I love the Obama-style too but c'mon it is everywhere nowadays.
I don't know. To me is a good idea but the typography does not do justice to it.
I wasn't moved by it. On the contrary I felt I was contemplating yet another 'trendy' restaurant or business with Obama-like identity.
Just my two cents, of course, but I my feeling is that a different typography would have helped to achieve something more suitable.

On Sep.17.2009 at 08:50 AM

Jen’s comment is:

Purely technically-speaking, I do love the colors and the simplicity. I don't love the virgule-slash-thingy. I know it's the "proper" character but it just feels a bit out of proportion.

From a "what emotion do I feel when I see it" standpoint, I can't stop thinking it looks terribly self-indulgent as a finished piece. Which is probably right self-indulgent of me to say. :)

Certainly better than the original. Just throws me a bit. I might just be having a bad day.

On Sep.18.2009 at 01:51 PM

Paul Rand’s comment is:

Only one word can describe the 9/11 identity > cliché!

On Sep.20.2009 at 09:19 PM

Alessandro Mingione’s comment is:

It's perfect. Love the 11, love the simplicity, love the black background.

P.S. at first sight, i tought it was Gotham (which is also used for many of obama promotional material).

On Sep.25.2009 at 07:36 AM

Nathan Driskell’s comment is:

When I first saw it, the 9 looked a little off-kilter compared with the stability of the rest of the logo. But seeing in application makes it a little more believable. Not the most novel concept, but I agree—works perfectly for this setting.

On Sep.29.2009 at 03:04 PM

Gareth Coxon - Dot Design’s comment is:

An excellent solution, timeless, respectful and simple.
It will and deserves to be around for decades to come.

On Oct.10.2009 at 02:54 PM

winter olympics’s comment is:

The designs are simple and to the point. Love the color combinations, black is my favorite color.

On Dec.23.2009 at 01:53 AM