The New Brand of Recovery

So this came to my attention a couple of days ago. We have a new logo to represent our current recovery "stimulus" package. The first thing I noticed was how bad it is. I instantly thought of the logo for the National Recovery Administration from the 1930's. Take a good look at both of them. From a design standpoint there is no challenge (especially when you add in the 75 year difference) the NRA logo wins hands down.

Of course we have the obvious stars, what's up with the 2 stars that are bastardized bleeding off the blue? The gears that represent work, haven't we come a little further in 75 years? And the tilted green ghost, oh wait I guess that's a plant representing "green" growth - I get it...

This stamp was created to mark every project of the "stimulus" package of 2009. I saw the question raised yesterday - how do we mark the pig odor research in Iowa - does each pig get the new stamp branded on them? And since the logo itself was a government project that I sure taxpayers payed too much for, shouldn't it have a stamp on itself? I have great concerns about where this idea of branding government money will take us as a nation.

Do a little research on the National Recovery Administration of the 1930's and you'll realize that the government used the symbol to try and halt free business. They tried to control prices and most importantly if you resisted to display the logo or wear the logo as a worker the administration actually campaigned for the public to boycott you.

We are all in this regardless of how much money each of us puts into the recovery, do we really need a clip art created logo to tell us that our government is working for us? Maybe every politician in DC should be wearing the new logo on their lapels. Maybe it would remind them they represent the public where they reside. I believe this logo will be short lived - even the NRA only lasted 2 years before being put out of business by the supreme court in 1935.