The Harris-Walz Campaign Logo Is Not Great

On the whole I continue to think it’s a tremendous advantage for Kamala Harris to drop into the race as a fresh candidate just three months ahead of the election, but I think this branding effort is one area that shows signs of being rushed. It’s not horrible but it’s not good. It’s just meh, and in no way memorable or distinctive. I don’t see how the two typefaces pair together at all. It’s has nothing like the cohesiveness of the Biden-Harris brand from 2020 (and the first half of 2024).

Also, I think the gist of this Fast Company story, suggesting the logo is a nod to the branding from Shirley Chisholm’s groundbreaking 1972 campaign for the Democratic nomination, is nonsense. “Harris” is presented in all-caps in a compressed sans serif typeface, yes, but it’s not even vaguely the same typeface. If anything, Chisholm’s branding was better, stronger, and more timeless — I wish the Harris branding was more like Chisholm’s. And it’s not like anyone in today’s US electorate actually remembers what Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 campaign posters looked like.

★ Wednesday, 7 August 2024