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So the word is that France — home to the revolution, notable poets, an even more notable short emperor, lots of cheese, the largest erector set achievement the world’s ever seen, and the world’s hottest, recently-ex-italian first lady — hosted 82 million visitors last year who aren’t spending enough euros to make the country No. 1 in tourism revenue. Enter the France rebrand.
I can’t say I recall having seen the previous version of the France tourism logo in the wild. The graphic concept had potential but it suffered a rather lackluster execution, especially in the integration of the typography. And while the intent of the new logo to symbolize Marianne in an energetic illustration in the french color palette (and at least that of 29 other sovereign-states) is moderately interesting, it suffers from a similar deficiency in execution. The line work is neither loose enough to retain energy nor standardized enough to coalesce the diverse elements. One of those elements is the typographic treatment, which while appropriately informal and playful in the tag-line “Rendez vous en france”, is overworked and over-manipulated in “france”. A previous version of the new logo (shown below), released in June of 2008, had more breast definition and was deemed too risqué — though maybe being excessively something would have been better than excessively nothing.
Previous version of the new logo… NSFW? You decide!
Jump to Most Recent Comment
Rico’s comment is:
I like the idea of the arms/shoulders worked into the "fr" and "nc" on the rejected breasted concept, but on the whole I think the script (on the final version) is a little horsey, especially the "e". Seems like they should have just scrapped the whole concept and started over when the review committee gave lady liberty a mastectomy.
On Jan.12.2009 at 11:08 PM
Paul C’s comment is:
It's a curious choice to have the breasts included in that fashion for a tourism logo...and the "f" playing into the right shoulder (or not?!) is just weird.
So, I'd say that the revised logo works better, but as Armin said...the type just doesn't quite click.
It is a bit better than the previous flag logo with Futura(is it?)...as they placed more of an effort into connecting the two elements for the new one.
Overall, it just doesn't quite make the cut...whatever this "cut" is.
On Jan.12.2009 at 11:11 PM
John Lascurettes’s comment is:
Ironic that her name is supposed to be Marianne, long for Marie – as in Antoinette. Especially since it look like her jugular has been sliced wide open with blood spurting out.
As you said, the previous execution was at least identifiable as France related while poorly executed.
On Jan.12.2009 at 11:13 PM
twoeightnine’s comment is:
I like the breasts and not just because they're breasts but because they play off of this:
http://endtimepilgrim.org/liberty.jpg
2fs’s comment is:
twoeightnine is correct: "Marianne" is a French national symbol (as depicted in the painting he links) and not incorporating her breasts (which stood for liberty) is chickenhearted. The older new logo, with the capital R outlining her right breast, was much more clever and appropriate. Sure, puritanical schoolmarms would disapprove...but we already have one America, thank you very much.
On Jan.12.2009 at 11:56 PM
chaac’s comment is:
I can think of the client restriction... "love it, but too risky. Keep what I love and get rid of the risky".
I think France, as the owner of powerful concepts such as romance, perfume, mouline rouge, c'est la vie, french kisses and menage a trois could have allowed itself to be represented by an erotic brand.
It would have been more coherent.
On Jan.12.2009 at 11:56 PM
Oak’s comment is:
Ugh. The original, for all it's simplicity represents the modern european and traditional flair of the France brand so much better then the new mark and with so much less visual effort.
On Jan.13.2009 at 12:09 AM
mm’s comment is:
It seems like they should have nixed the scribbly type when they decided the risqué logo was too much. Keeping it around while intentionally making it not work with the icon just seems silly.
On Jan.13.2009 at 12:31 AM
Ross’s comment is:
Oh the original is so much better, I don't get why they went prudish everywhere, Marianne's showed plenty of breasts elsewhere, and there's plenty of naked art in the tourist destinations. And as she is the embodiment of France, shouldn't she be revealing herself?
On Jan.13.2009 at 02:25 AM
Greg’s comment is:
Great logo from my country ! ;)
On Jan.13.2009 at 04:55 AM
FJ de Kermadec’s comment is:
You are definitely right in pointing out the old tourism logo only made rare apparitions. It usually gets shoved at the bottom of brochures with the very small print. I know of no self-respecting Frenchman who feels it represents our heritage or aesthetic ideals in any way.
The government, within France, uses a much starker logo which is seen pretty much everywhere. It is too martial for a tourism logo, but it certainly looks more polished and thought-through.
The new brand does feel lacklustre indeed, and I, too, regret the disappearance of breasts which were definitely what made it French, but, unless priorities are reconsidered, I doubt it will have much of an impact anyway.
It proudly continues the tradition of feigned breeziness official institutions love so much and it's suitably neutral. On the upside, I feel the concept is right, and we are only a couple iterations away from a really strong mark. Let us hope we will someday get to see what this logo can become in the hands of an opinionated designer!
On Jan.13.2009 at 05:06 AM
Armin’s comment is:
> but as Armin said...
I know I post a lot, but this was actually Christian.
On Jan.13.2009 at 05:48 AM
Armin’s comment is:
The old one was pretty good although I would have replaced the German Futura with anything from one the most important type foundries that just happened to be in France, Deberny & Peignot.
The new one is a little to cartoonish and as Christian said it never quite commits to any specific visual message.
On Jan.13.2009 at 05:52 AM
Mark Holtmann’s comment is:
So what's up with the star, France is the land of christmas or something?
On Jan.13.2009 at 05:52 AM
Mrs. M’s comment is:
Oh, it definitely looks French. I lived over there for five years and they love those playful, loose scripts.
I'm shocked they toned it down. Have things changed since I left? Used to be you couldn't walk two feet without seeing nudity somewhere! I remember one year for "back to school" (la rentrée), one mall had a 30-foot banner of a nude woman with strategically-placed mini-chalkboards.
Anyway....it's a nice concept, but they should have worked at it a bit more. Needs to evolve about four more steps. Perhaps lose the tagline as part of the logo itself and return and refine the original "body" script.
On Jan.13.2009 at 07:19 AM
Miles’s comment is:
The new one is all right, but man the breasted one was so much better. It was so clever, and so French. I mean, come on, it's friggin' France! Since when is France afraid of a little boob??
On Jan.13.2009 at 07:23 AM
Plamen’s comment is:
So now the official position of Maison de la France is that Marianne has no breasts?
On Jan.13.2009 at 08:09 AM
Josh’s comment is:
I like the new concept, wish they would tighten it up and use the breasted type. It could really be a great mark if pushed to it's potential, but I don't know that I'd want that burden...
On Jan.13.2009 at 08:34 AM
Kaz’s comment is:
> So what's up with the star, France is the land of christmas or something?
In french is written "rendez-vous", so they apparently decided to put a star intead of the hyphen.
About the logo, I like better the breasts one, it represents well the country and the word france fits better than in the puritan version. In the other hand you have to think that this logo is going to represent the country abroad, so it's no use if it's pretty but a lot of countries are going to ban it 'cause they think it's showing too much, and that is the opposite of what is expected for a tourism logo.
On Jan.13.2009 at 09:05 AM
Impossibly Stupid’s comment is:
As a general branding logo, it plain sucks. It has way too many elements competing for my attention. Scaled down to any degree it just becomes a blob of colors. The more busty version may have been bold and artistic, but it also resulted in mislabeling the brand as fRance (as if the all lowercase weren't bad enough).
As a tourism logo, I call for the guillotine! Tourism isn't about pushing your national symbols or national language, it is about reaching out to an international audience. You use the language of the people you want to visit, not French. You use some landmark or other distinctive cultural icon, not something foreigners would only recognize as a "Girls Gone Wild" out-take. As it stands, that logo couldn't be less appealing if they put a stamp on it that said "Now with 30% more snoot!"
On Jan.13.2009 at 09:15 AM
LB’s comment is:
Risqué or not, those breasts are cartoonishly large. Hilarious. All joking aside, it's not the concept of breasts that bother me about that version of the logo, it's the way they and her spaghetti arms are drawn. Not nearly as graceful as her face.
Relax, Marianne. Let your arms graze your body. It's okay.
On Jan.13.2009 at 09:34 AM
Goffredo Puccetti’s comment is:
My two cents:
It is interesting but as a brand it is far from being iconic or memorable or even recognizable. The rejected version had some merits. This version is quite banal, it talks to me about shopping at Galeries Lafayette and nothing more...
I don't know, maybe I have to wait to see it on different media.
Anonymous’s comment is:
I thought the original was clever - The new one is what happens after client feedback :/
That's graphic design for you, three steps forward, two steps back.
On Jan.13.2009 at 09:49 AM
dmagy’s comment is:
I must be a real prude, I did not even see the breasts until they were brought to my attention. I loved the discussion.
I agree with Impossibly Stupids comments though, none of these would inspire me to book a trip.
On Jan.13.2009 at 10:38 AM
Char’s comment is:
The old one says more about the new Europe while the new one takes you BACK TO THE 90s!!! I don't like it for France. I see the whole romance, fall-in-love-in-Paris type of deal, etc... but the mark is just very sloppy. I understand that it is a style, but it looks like a mistake rather than a stylistic purpose.
On Jan.13.2009 at 10:52 AM
blue’s comment is:
So, instead of a hidden arrow (ala FedEx) they had a hidden breast! Awesome!
And they threw it away, along with the more natural flow of the original's typeface, and replaced it with something clunkier, that doesn't work as well.
The ancient recurring tale of a cohesive, witty, artistic vision, bastardised and crippled to appease some idiot somewhere.
On Jan.13.2009 at 11:09 AM
Jonathan’s comment is:
Its quite visionary for someone to take the word "france" and turn it into a figure. The capital "R" definitely helps define the woman. It's different... but it's growing on me. A mark for a country should stand out. So, props for keeping it fresh.
On Jan.13.2009 at 11:19 AM
Lauren ’s comment is:
I must be the only one who loves it - sure the line work and type aren't perfect (and there is no excuse for them not to be really), but it has a thousand times more personality and feel than the old one.
I think the new word mark is incredibly fun and DOES describe the things I think about when thinking about France: art, beautiful people (typically women), and a willingness to be "out there" in their art. Cannes film festival posters anyone? They run the gamut from conservative to wild.
I'd love to see this little wordmark on a napkin at the airport, or stationary, or what have you.
On Jan.13.2009 at 11:22 AM
g’s comment is:
Hi man, have you seen the new New york philarmonic logo? it SUCKS, crappiest logo I've ever seen, and the implementation is lousy.
On Jan.13.2009 at 11:22 AM
Kevin’s comment is:
The new logo is very vivd, energetic, & humanistic. It shows emotion and feeling. I think that's a very good assessment for the country and for it's tourism.
Sure the type might not be the absolute best, but it's much better than the original logo. I bet the Montreal logo could learn form this
On Jan.13.2009 at 11:40 AM
Josh’s comment is:
The star could be a reference to Whitman, which would be an international connection. A loose one, but one regardless...
On Jan.13.2009 at 12:02 PM
Blake’s comment is:
No issue's with the logo here, only the headline. "Viva" isn't a French word...
On Jan.13.2009 at 12:12 PM
Diderot’s comment is:
Vive.
On Jan.13.2009 at 12:55 PM
jRod’s comment is:
the first one looks like it was taken right out of 1987.
the second one looks like it was taken from the 2000 olympics.
at least the first version of the second logo was clever.
On Jan.13.2009 at 12:59 PM
Nate’s comment is:
The "r" and "a" are certainly perky.
On Jan.13.2009 at 02:01 PM
Mark’s comment is:
sigh.
REALLY?
I'm getting about tired of this handmade sketchy cursive trend, it comes off as fake and disingenuous. The hand drawn face makes it worse. This would look better for a restaurant,besides what WAS wrong with the old logo? it looks beautiful to me.
sigh, The curving of the logo makes it worse.
On Jan.13.2009 at 07:01 PM
Mark’s comment is:
that aside, I think the original version of the new one was MUCH MUCH more clever, including the colors, the PCed version looks off ugly and incoherent.
Why can't the easily offended oversensitive idiots who freak because they seen a omg a boob!!! just shut the $%&* up! geez they like to ruin everything for us. they might as well cover up every single old painting and sculpture that contains omg nakedness!!!!!
ECH!!!!!!
sigh.
On Jan.13.2009 at 07:29 PM
Audrée’s comment is:
The first version was so much better at representing France. Just too bad.
On Jan.14.2009 at 10:48 AM
damon’s comment is:
I had a comment until I read this
"The new one is all right, but man the breasted one was so much better. It was so clever, and so French. I mean, come on, it's friggin' France! Since when is France afraid of a little boob??"
I would just like to quote it again as it's exactly what I would have said.
Jenn’s comment is:
I'm going to have to agree with damon and whoever he quoted. You would think France, of all countries, would be the okay with a bare chested logo. If "Liberty" can lead the people bare-breasted, why should she not be such while trying to lure more tourists in to the country?
As for the logo design...well...it's just sort of okay. The bare breasted one is clever but I wouldn't call it good.
On Jan.14.2009 at 05:49 PM
Jonathan Carnehl’s comment is:
I accidentally saw the old version as the re-brand and it made way more sense. The new one feels like an olympic logo from the 90's.
On Jan.15.2009 at 12:53 AM
Uri istiroti’s comment is:
I think on the Previous version of the new logo it looks like trance
On Jan.15.2009 at 10:02 AM
Kelly Hobkirk’s comment is:
One too many scribbles. What is the appeal of the tornado hair for tourism? And how does that spilled blood from under her head relate?
I consider myself a fairly sexually driven animal, however, I cannot see breasts in the 'a' or 'n'. You perverts. :)
On Jan.15.2009 at 10:28 PM
Sarah’s comment is:
I think the original one with integrated typography and body form is fantastic.
More brands need to push towards being 'excessively something' - it would definitely make it more memorable. What is so wrong with being fun, a little cheeky, yet still historically relevant?
On Jan.16.2009 at 02:56 AM
Mongoose’s comment is:
Now, what I'm going to gripe about first is not the change to eliminate boob, but the change eliminating arms. Moving the 'f R' gap and the 'n c' gap completely destroyed the notion of a torso; now her body stops at the shoulder. The 'Ra' boobs may have been a bit much, but it's possible to tone those down and still have something playful; suggestive of some 'body'.
The star to me in the logo seems out of place and rather tacked-on; the dark blue seems rather a bit too blue. I like the use of Marianne and the scribbled hair echoing the french flag; it's still much more clever than the prior version's SweeTarts gaudy half-and-half style.
The joke grade would be a 'C-' due to disboobing; I'm giving them a simple C because it is an wobbly but extant improvement.
--Mongoose
On Jan.17.2009 at 09:15 PM
designscene’s comment is:
The old one was better, it could have been re-worked a bit and improved. And frankly, I never noticed the breasts till I started reading the comments here. The type in the new one looks like it has been drawn by child, though her face is well drawn. It look too complex to be a logo. And it doesn't seem powerful enough to be the logo of a country like France. Somehow it doesn't do complete justice to the character of the nation.
On Jan.19.2009 at 04:04 AM
sloane’s comment is:
The logo/tagline are not really new..reworked versions of older logos and taglines...it's nice France is trying to step it up, but as Dr. Tantillo pointed out on his marketing blog, in his post on country branding from quite a while ago--"fact is, it will be the tourist’s experience in the country that will build tourism over the long run. . . . no number of meetings or initiatives will change a country or a culture’s fundamental brand –its character, its weather or its coastline."
MDLF also had the goal of getting the taxi drivers to be nicer..economic incentives would probably be in order...as things currently stand (and have for a while), Italy is more visited by Americans than France is.
On Jan.24.2009 at 11:55 PM
Léo’s comment is:
This logo (with breast) has been created by Joël Guenoun -> joelguenoun.com
On Feb.27.2009 at 07:16 AM
MyPorch’s comment is:
Not only does the new one have too much going on, but it looks like something that would have been screened on a white sweatshirt and worn by Tootie (Flashdance-style) on the Facts of Life.
For me, the old one has good associations with Air France and the Concorde. Not perfect, but much more sophisticated.
On Mar.30.2009 at 03:43 PM
JeffT’s comment is:
Wow, the old one had its failings, but the new one is just so busy. Can't imagine it looking good on anything but a plain white background.
On May.05.2009 at 10:58 PM
Comments in Brand New, V1.0 have been closed.
