Stupid Stupid Rebranding

[MtB]

46 minutes ago, john6767 said:

The owners are of course the government, 

 

I don't think the government own anything. 'The Nation' owns the canal system. 

[steve hayes]

8 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

I have a much better idea for a new logo.  Simple and attractive.  They wouldn't even have to replace all the signs.

Just had Bluemoon repainted and had this logo next to our index number, elegant and timeless 

[Arthur Marshall]

8 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I don't think the government own anything. 'The Nation' owns the canal system. 

That would of course be the case if we were citizens. As, however, we are subjects, we along with everything else are actually owned by the Queen, and devolved down to Parliament, which in effect means the Prime Minister. 

Be afraid....

[Allan(nb Albert)]

23 hours ago, adam1uk said:

But this is the whole point. CRT’s aim in all this is to get the government to continue the £50 million a year grant, by making the case that the money produces ‘wellbeing’ worth a lot more. It’s not about getting individual walkers or runners to pay anything. 

 

It is possible to do two different things at the same time — focus on wellbeing for the general population, and do all the boaty things as well.  I haven’t seen any suggestion that spending on things like winter works or dredging will be reduced.

https://www.thefloater.org/the-floater-october-2017/crt-boasts-of-maintenance-spend-but-its-down-7-million-this-winter

[Mac of Cygnet]

Actually the new logo reminds me of the joke that was going round at the time of the Jeremy Thorpe affair, all those years ago:

 

"Join the Liberal Party and widen your circle."

[Alan de Enfield]

18 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

Actually the new logo reminds me of the joke that was going round at the time of the Jeremy Thorpe affair, all those years ago:

 

"Join the Liberal Party and widen your circle."

I remember it as "Join the Liberal Party and widen the circle of your friends".

[manxmike]

Personally I think you're all being very mean to CaRT. The re-branding is a wonderful idea for a number of reasons:

1. The old logos of a bridge with rushes and a swan with rushes were just too obviously connected with water. The new "O" is so delightfully vague that it could mean anything, smashing idea when you want to distance yourself as an organisation from what you're supposed to be doing.

2. Just think of all the wealth that is now being shared around - the logo designers, the printers replacing all the necessary publicity material, letterheads etc, the web designers who can now redo the on-line presence. The sign making companies, the clothing manufacturers, the list goes on and on. This is democracy in operation folks!

The best is that it can (and almost certainly will) be an ongoing process. As some (but not all) signs get changed more and more confusion will be allowed to create an atmosphere of total disbelief, until public pressure demands that a re-branding is needed, then the whole process can start all over again - more wealth being shared round.

This is good!

[LadyG]

Blue is the colour of water [imagining a beautiful sunny day]

[rusty69]

Just now, LadyG said:

Blue is the colour of water [imagining a beautiful sunny day]

I've never seen blue water, except the shopping centre that is. 

[LadyG]

Just now, LadyG said:

Blue is the colour of water [imagining a beautiful sunny day]

I spent all  of two minutes coming up with a positive thought. There must be others who think that the logo thingy has made a difference to their day?

Just now, rusty69 said:

I've never seen blue water, except the shopping centre that is. 

people love shopping, so that is a positive thought, keep them coming.

[manxmike]

3 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Blue is the colour of water [imagining a beautiful sunny day]

Which canal are you on? Most of the inland waterways I've seen could never be described as "blue", brown, green or grey yes, but not blue!

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, LadyG said:

 

people love shopping, so that is a positive thought, keep them coming.

I'm positive, I hate shopping! 

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, manxmike said:

Which canal are you on? Most of the inland waterways I've seen could never be described as "blue", brown, green or grey yes, but not blue!

O' I don't know, that diesel scum floating on the canal makes a lovely iridescent blue.

[LadyG]

On 24/05/2018 at 20:50, steve hayes said:

Just had Bluemoon repainted and had this logo next to our index number, elegant and timeless 

I detect negativity: I will ask admin to move your post to a more suitable thread, ty for your contribution, or you could just add a tiny blue moon to the upper right hand corner, thus aligning the earth with the moon, every day, not just once a month?

[LadyG]

5 minutes ago, manxmike said:

Which canal are you on? Most of the inland waterways I've seen could never be described as "blue", brown, green or grey yes, but not blue!

I am not actually on a canal, but when i launch my narrowboat, we will sail together, forever, on a thread of blue and silver, criss crossing England, that green and pleasant land  [plus the Llangollen]

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less	10
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven. [Rupert Brook]

13 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I'm positive I hate shopping! 

Corrected that for you.

[Athy]

13 minutes ago, LadyG said:

 

[Rupert Brooke]

 

Corrected that for you.

 

Trivia note: Brooke was born in Hillmorton.

[rusty69]

25 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I am not actually on a canal, but when  i̶ someone else launches my narrowboat, we will s̶a̶i̶l̶ motor together, forever, on a thread of b̶l̶u̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶i̶l̶v̶e̶r̶ grey and brown, criss crossing England, t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶g̶r̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶l̶e̶a̶s̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶l̶a̶n̶d̶  [plus the overcrowded Llangollen]

[Rupert Bear]

Corrected that for you.

[blackrose]

On 23/05/2018 at 18:02, zenataomm said:

I've cancelled my standing order, and wrote and told them, I didn't get an answer.

You're refusing to pay for your boat licence in protest about a logo? I'm sure you'll get an answer from CRT eventually! 

 

(That was a joke by the way, before anyone starts screaming...)

Edited May 27, 2018 by blackrose

[Tanglewood]

 

4 hours ago, manxmike said:

2. Just think of all the wealth that is now being shared around - the logo designers, the printers replacing all the necessary publicity material, letterheads etc, the web designers who can now redo the on-line presence. The sign making companies, the clothing manufacturers, the list goes on and on. This is democracy in operation folks!

The best is that it can (and almost certainly will) be an ongoing process. As some (but not all) signs get changed more and more confusion will be allowed to create an atmosphere of total disbelief, until public pressure demands that a re-branding is needed, then the whole process can start all over again - more wealth being shared round.

This is good!

Well, whether it is good or bad is matter of opinion, but it is not democracy - its capitalism.  I don't remember voting for the Officers who run CRT and i cannot believe it was the Trustees ( don't remember voting for them either).  Building in obsolescence is the key to repeat orders, so I think you might be right about the marketing bods coming up with something that is no more effective that the previous logos at getting the message across, to ensure that some PR firm gets repeat business in a few years time.

[Neil2]

There's certainly some very woolly minded thinking going on at CRT these days, aside from the obvious waste of money I'm not clear just exactly what the objective is for the canal network.  To popularise the waterways in the way CRT seem to envisage it will surely set up a lot of conflicting interests, if it isn't already. Before long, if it isn't stating the bleedin' obvious, the qualities that attract people to the waterside will have disappeared.  

 

I think CRT could learn a lot from the National Trust, who by and large seem to manage the demand for access to our heritage in such a way that it never becomes overwhelming.   They seem to attract a lot of private funding too.

[steve hayes]

9 hours ago, LadyG said:

I detect negativity: I will ask admin to move your post to a more suitable thread, ty for your contribution, or you could just add a tiny blue moon to the upper right hand corner, thus aligning the earth with the moon, every day, not just once a month?

Could be the new Cart logo ?

[cuthound]

2 hours ago, steve hayes said:

Could be the new Cart logo ?

 

Way too pretty ?

[Tanglewood]

Given that not many people approve of the new logo - there is some non-violent action that could be taken.  As most of the re-branding that happened in 2012 was achieved by using self-adhesive stickers, it would be entirely possible to peel them off............ and re-apply them in a suitable position.  Please note I am not suggesting that they are re-applied over the new logo.....

Edited May 27, 2018 by Tanglewood
to correct typos

[LadyG]

1 hour ago, Tanglewood said:

Given that not many people approve of the new logo - there is some non-violent action that could be taken.  As most of the re-branding that happened in 2012 was achieved by using self-adhesive stickers, it would be entirely possible to peel them off............ and re-apply them in a suitable position.  Please note I am not suggesting that they are re-applied over the new logo.....

Leaving aside the arty-farty explanations about the logo and its contribution to re-branding, there  will no doubt many folks [ from the nine million living near canals] who can be persuaded that the new logo will serve the purpose of raising awareness, increase volunteers, and small financial contributions by "friends", and most crucially satisfy the government demands. The main grouse seems to be obfuscation about costs. and of course the loss of much needed maintenance revenue in pursuit of something less tangible, leass measurable.

Maybe next year's visitor figures could be adjusted to ensure a steady rise, as predicted, and as required. Just ask any political adviser how this can be done.

Btw I prefer the Steamship Willy anarchic approach to the licence printout.

Edited May 27, 2018 by LadyG

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Tanglewood said:

Given that not many people approve of the new logo - there is some non-violent action that could be taken.  As most of the re-branding that happened in 2012 was achieved by using self-adhesive stickers, it would be entirely possible to peel them off............ and re-apply them in a suitable position.  Please note I am not suggesting that they are re-applied over the new logo.....

 

Meanwhile fast-forward 20 years and three more re-brandings into the future. All over the internets and pubs up and down the cut... "Remember that old car tyre logo we had back in the early 20s? Those were the days. LOVED that logo. This new one we got that is supposed to remind us of a bridge and in oh-so-trendy black and white that only cost 20% of the maintenance budget is absolutely bloody awful, the management have totally lost the plot this time..."