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Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

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Re: Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

#301
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ask any British person what 'The Met' is and they'll say 'London police' (or similar). I doubt an American museum could ever change that, embracing something so generic is limiting for identity & brand awareness IMO.

London has the Underground. Something that sounds generic actually is well known to the locals and is part of the culture, the identity, the attraction of a place. Same story here.

The equivalent (similarly generic) name is 'the tube' as sibling commenter points out, which Transport for London doesn't use as far as I'm aware, but even if they did, they don't have the same goals as far as I'm aware.

One might think it'd be similarly aiming to capture the hearts and minds of tourists, but TfL's been so aggressively pro-Oyster, then/now contactless, that afaict it's always been just about as hard as possible for tourists while still being convenient for Londoners. It makes some sort of sense, it's subsidised by the London taxpayer after all - so it is 'by Londoners for Londoners' - but I think surely it would be possible simultaneously to make it easier for and capture more money from tourists. I digress - point was I think to be that TfL doesn't really care about brand, especially not globally. Maybe I'm wrong to assume that 'the met' does.

Re: Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

#302

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone calls it the tube there but still.

As a non-local, when I hear "tube" I think toothpaste, swimming and repairing tire punctures. Mass transit may not even be in my top 5 - and that's fine. Human language ambiguity and locals have their shibboleths - we don't have to optimize for tourists.

Swimming?

Re: Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

#303

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a tourist, I prefer the full name. I never knew what "the Met" was until know. It clearly stands for Metropolitan. But Metropolitan what? Police? Works? The full name is much more accessible and less intimidating.

It's interesting because there also are The Mets. So you have the Met and the Mets, but nobody familiar with both would ever think of the other when hearing either.

That would make for a great fundraising gala. The Mets at The Met

Re: Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

#304

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting because there also are The Mets. So you have the Met and the Mets, but nobody familiar with both would ever think of the other when hearing either.

That would make for a great fundraising gala. The Mets at The Met

But where did they meet? Was it at the Met?

"The Mets met at the Met".

And what did they meet? Was it also the Met?

Re: Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

#305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would make for a great fundraising gala. The Mets at The Met

But where did they meet? Was it at the Met? "The Mets met at the Met". And what did they meet? Was it also the Met?

They met on The Met

Re: Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

#306
post #302

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a non-local, when I hear "tube" I think toothpaste, swimming and repairing tire punctures. Mass transit may not even be in my top 5 - and that's fine. Human language ambiguity and locals have their shibboleths - we don't have to optimize for tourists.

Swimming?

Another shibboleth: donut-shaped inflatable pool floaties are called "inner tubes" 'round here.

Re: Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

#308
post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ask anyone outside of Britain what "The Met" is and you'll hear about the museum. I don't think one very small country should be the primary blocker to their branding decisions.

Even in Britain, the context will clear it up straight away. Humans are, theoretically at least, very good at dealing with ambiguity. I'm hard pressed to think of a conversation where context clues wouldn't either make it abundantly clear, or prompt further questions about, which "Met" one is talking about, between a world famous art gallery and the police head quarters probably more famously known by another name. W…

Shouldn't it be Canada Yard or something?

Re: Oxford University Press’s new logo is unfathomably bad

#309
post #302

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Swimming?

Another shibboleth: donut-shaped inflatable pool floaties are called "inner tubes" 'round here.

Oh! To be honest I'm not actually sure what we call those ('pool inflatables' is all I can think of, somewhat generic) but I don't think it's tubes/inner tubes.
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