NYers May ❤️ Their City, But Some Sure Hate Its New Logo; Wylde Says the Spirited Comments Are a Good Thing
The new logo, a twist on an iconic one from the late 1970s to hype New York State was unveiled to much fanfare with $20 million corporate backing but triggered a twitter storm from people who did not like the new logo. Katherine Wylde of the Partnership for NYC, said “controversy on social media is what generates an audience...”
The new logo proclaiming “We ❤️ NYC” has met with a less than enthusiastic response from many New Yorkers on Twitter.
The city launched a new promotional campaign Monday, March 20th to boost tourism and the NYC global brand, taking the classic “I ❤️ NY” logo and revamping it with a new twist. However, reactions have been largely negative, at least according to the early traffic on Twitter.
“That is a horrible rebrand “we ❤️ NYC” the Typograph and heart graphic is literally trash. You are the worst thing that happened to NYC,” one Twitter user wrote in a comment under Mayor Eric Adams’ post publicizing the new logo.
Some expressed their loyalty to the original logo designed by graphic designer Milton Glaser in the 1970s.
“The old logo–a remarkable piece of graphic design, and rightful icon of an indefatigable city. New Logo–Sucks...real bad !!!” Said one Twitter user on Wednesday.
“OMG!! awful design!!” read another New Yorker’s tweet. “I mean.... a simple horizontal ‘We ❤️ NYC’ would’ve been a million times better looking!!! Talk to the hand!”
Kathryn Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City, states, “Controversy on social media is what generates an audience these days, so we are delighted that there are so many opinions about the logo! To be clear, the WE ❤ NYC mark is not replacing the original iconic brand, but complementing and building on it.”
“The original was a tourism marketing campaign for New York State that the state owns and will continue to use. Our campaign borrows on the equity of that brand, but is aimed at people who live and work in the city, or would like to. Surveys tell us are feeling pessimistic about their city and need to be reminded why they love it and how they can help improve it. Our purpose is to bring New Yorkers together, instill optimism in the city’s future, and inspire civic engagement,” she concludes.
In some ways, perhaps, the emphatic backlash against the new logo is the most New York reaction possible.
“The instant rebuke of the We ❤️ NYC logo is just another reason why I ❤️ NY,” another Twitter user tweeted the day after the launch.