New Team RadioShack Logo

[sean]

Team RadioShack just released pics of their new identity design by Shepard Fairey:

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2011/05/16/2/horner_madone_toc_shield_600.jpg

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llentcu2B11qcaagj.jpg

Too bad it's already been done in cycling circles by Benny Gold for Mash San Francisco.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0YuboCNUU8/R1h6jgjfNsI/AAAAAAAAD1k/of3k6EIpaiM/s400/mash.gif

REALLY disappointing. It's not the lightening bolt inside a shield is a common cycling design. Not to mention the Serif's on the letters are a direct bike of the Mash's Logotype. How could a dude who sells "Obey" branded fixes (shep) and a guy who make a short with Mash a couple years back (Lance), not see the resemblance? My guess is they did.

[san]

i would honestly consider that close enough to be a complete copy.

[avalonracing]

Shepard Fairey has already had a problem with copyright issues. His iconic Obama "Believe" poster was taken from a AP press photographer's shot.

What is the old quote again: "Amateurs borrow, professionals steal" ?

[1happygirl]

Shepard Fairey has already had a problem with copyright issues. His iconic Obama "Believe" poster was taken from a AP press photographer's shot.

What is the old quote again: "Amateurs borrow, professionals steal" ?

Good artists copy, great artists steal. Picasso

[bicycletricycle]

Everything is a copy of something.
No one alive can claim to have invented shields with lightening bolts.

should speedvagen apologize to ferrari?

[1happygirl]

Everything is a copy of something.
No one alive can claim to have invented shields with lightening bolts.

should speedvagen apologize to ferrari?

Oh yeah. Is there ever a truly original idea, or is everything creative just a re arrangement of already common items?

[sean]

I totally agree that everything is a copy in some sense, intentional or not. But usually the "copies" are generational or at best in different categories.

Sure, there are shields and lightening bolts, but we are talking the same era in the same category. The coincidences are too much to ignore and it's really sad if you ask me. Yeah, Shep likes to copy, but at least he puts a spin on most of what he does (trust me, not defending, not even a fan). This time, didn't even try.

[jmoore]

Mash looks good.

RS logo is terrible. I like the circle and offset R.

[sean]

This one: :)

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llgbypZGjL1qcaagj.jpg

http://mashsf.tumblr.com/post/5640485018/funny

[san]

lol. that is pretty god damn funny

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . has a team bus now?

BBD

[FlashUNC]

That just strikes me as so incredibly lazy.

Only thing that would have been lazier is if they'd simply taken the Molteni jerseys, and just put Radio Shack in the block type instead.

[ultraman6970]

They have to change the thunder by a syringe.

[san]

lol
http://thegoat.backcountry.com/files/2009/11/lance_armstrong_doping_devil.jpg

[ultraman6970]

Lol

[maximus]

I respect Shepard Fairey and his art - he is undoubtedly a very talented guy and capable of much better. That being said, I would point out that not all design decisions are made by artist themselves. Here is what I envision happening in a scenario like this:

• Someone on the brand team at Radio Shack says "We love Shepard, he did the Lance's Trek, lets get him on board for the team rebrand!" All agree.

• Shepard produces multiple logo options. He searches for inspiration in and outside the industry. He likely has options that are no where close to the MASH logo - very strong and original. He could have an option similar to the Mash logo.

• He presents them all to the stakeholders at Team Radioshack. They either fall in love with an option or they come back and ask him to blend multiple options he presented. "What if we combined that bolt with the shield one"

• Shepard slowly gets squeezed into creating something he is no longer passionate about or original - that obviously very closely resembles the MASH logo.

Anyway, long way of saying I have been there and as a creative professional, I think we can't place blame only on Shepard Fairey for this (not that anyone is). I have been in client situations where one of the main decision makers has an idea in their head (like the Mash logo) and no matter how strong and original your options are, they just want what they have seen/know.

For the artists sake, I hope that is what happened here. Regardless of how it came to be, someone (Shepard/Team/Lawyer) should have flagged this as not cool.

[avalonracing]

Even if the logo wasn't "inspired" by something else and it just happened organically it still kinda sucks.

[buck-50]

1: Shepherd Fairey has a style- most artists and designers do.

2: As cool as designing a cycling team's stuff is, it's most likely a low paying job with a whole lot of elements- generally speaking, the cooler the assignment, the lower the paycheck. And the more elements, the bigger the pain in the butt.

3: There is no job in the world worse than designing for a sports team.

4: Look at Fairey's work for god's sake- he's made a career out of using the same treatment and style for every project- That's part of the strength/power of his imagery. Is it really shocking that he'd do the same for logos? Think of him the way you think of Richard Sachs- as long as you want a lugged frame, you are in business. You want RS to design you a carbon frame?

5: Nothing will ever beat the throwback Radioshack jersey design anyway, so quit yer whinging. http://shop.mellowjohnnys.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Jersey+MJ+Red+Retro

6: but we're all OK with this because it's ironic... http://shop.mellowjohnnys.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Shirt+MJ+Moto

Design is theft. Half the time, you're stealing from yourself.

[Nooch]

probably should have just gone in the direction of "Obey Giant" to "Obey Armstrong"

People would be spray painting stencils all over the place...

Hell, "Obey Shack" would have worked too.

Edit: Besides, looking at the two logos, there's enough difference to use the Vanilla Ice argument from Ice Ice Baby vs. Under Pressure. You've got a different shape of the shield, the bolt has one more point on it. Just like the addition of one cymbal hit on the hook was Ice's argument :banana:

[torquer]

This logo just for some special edition bike paint jobs, or is the team adopting it for jerseys, team vehicles, swag etc?
And, does anyone expect RS to be around next year? (I recall they have a two-year sponsorship deal, right?) I would be surprised if they are; at best, maybe they will be able to do a Cervelo Test Team, where the most valuable/promising riders, together with the Trek bike sponsorship, get absorbed by another squad. I guess that would rule out BMC, though.

[Dekonick]

Mash looks good.

RS logo is terrible. I like the circle and offset R.

Strange things are afoot at the circle K... I mean R.

[sean]

I respect Shepard Fairey and his art - he is undoubtedly a very talented guy and capable of much better. That being said, I would point out that not all design decisions are made by artist themselves. Here is what I envision happening in a scenario like this: ....For the artists sake, I hope that is what happened here. Regardless of how it came to be, someone (Shepard/Team/Lawyer) should have flagged this as not cool.

UGH. I totally know how that goes. I've been in that position a million times. But then, sorta like your last statement, it becomes the job of the agency/firm/designer to educate the client. I'm sure Lance had some input with the RS brand team, and regardless whether Shep actually did the final logo, both of those two are more than aware of Mash and their logo.

Perhaps it came down to being tired of a rather conservative client and just giving in, either way, it was a bad judgement call.

[victoryfactory]

radio shack has just spent millions getting their circle r
design out there through the bike team.
now they change it to some weak replacement?
who the hell is steering that boat?
don't worry they will be out of bike team sponsorship
pretty soon anyway
sheeesh
VF

[false_Aest]

Fixed.

[Hawker]

This might just be me, but the first thing I thought of when I saw the logo was not that it was a lightening bolt but the that old icon that was often used to designate "electricity" in the 30-50s. Kinda like this:

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-27371623/stock-vector-battery-icon.html

Since RS is trying to reinvent themselves as more that just a place that sells batteries and cables, I think it is a bad design. Don't care for it overall and think they should stick with the R in the circle logo.

Maximus is probably correct, this ended up being a decision by committee or the wife of the CEO liked it best. :)