June 25, 2002

8:43 AM

I don't know about you, but I won't feel truly secure until the Office of Homeland Security has its own logo. The White House is still just using the presidential seal: boring. The Patent Office's entry has a nice retro feel to it, but some might find it too menacing. The USDA's is maybe a bit too subject-specific. What do you think: should we keep it simple, or go with something a little more strongly stated? What sort of design would make you feel secure?
posted by ook (22 comments total)

Masonic pyramid with an eye would do the trick.
posted by destro at 8:46 AM on June 25, 2002

What sort of design would make you feel secure?

HOMELAND SECURITY
OFFICE GOING OUT
OF BUSINESS SALE!

posted by straight at 8:51 AM on June 25, 2002

Drat: I missed the long shot.
posted by ook at 8:55 AM on June 25, 2002

Why would any design make someone feel more or less secure?
posted by revbrian at 8:56 AM on June 25, 2002

So long as any text in the logo is German...
posted by nofundy at 9:02 AM on June 25, 2002

How about something simple and tasteful, like a private citizen being sodomized by a bear wearing a Viking helmet? Or a monkey shaking his fist at a plate of hummus? People like monkeys.
posted by ColdChef at 9:15 AM on June 25, 2002

Anything - as long as they use 'comics cartoon' for their font. Or Eurostyle.
posted by Spoon at 9:17 AM on June 25, 2002

a nice picture of a boot stomping a human face?
posted by zoopraxiscope at 9:25 AM on June 25, 2002

I see you peeking, too creepy And please no party affiliation
PS I used the spiritual symbol, as not to offend
posted by thomcatspike at 9:39 AM on June 25, 2002

I don't know about a logo, but I think this would be an awesome poster.

I'd even hang it over my desk. 'Cause I'm a patriot.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:40 AM on June 25, 2002

In my humble opinion, one of the best government logos was the NASA logo created in 1974. They recently replaced it with their dated relic.

This article discusses the NASA change, as well as some insight to governmental logos in general.

A parody of the huge cost of dismissing an established logo within the agency.
posted by MJoachim at 9:43 AM on June 25, 2002

Sorry, revbrian; I forgot the <levity attempt="weak"> tags. My bad.

In all seriousness, while my tongue was indeed firmly in cheek while wording this post, I think a well-designed logo can tell you a great deal about how a business or agency chooses to represent itself, how it wants to be perceived, and what its goals and attitudes are -- and can sometimes be unintentionally revealing. I find it interesting that various branches of the government have chosen such wildly different ways to represent the concept of "Homeland Security" -- particularly the Patent Office's version, which gives a very unsettling view of what their idea of "security" is: an eye peeking through a keyhole. [on preview: good heavens, thomcatspike; I didn't see the animated version. Yow.]

The non-government designs, the T-shirts and bumper stickers, show us what various factions among the people feel "homeland security" means: the 'strongly stated' and 'long shot' links I gave above are, I think, representative of particular views both pro and con. Most of the humorous examples others have suggested in this thread fall under "con" I say most only because I'm reluctant to think too much about what ColdChef's hummus and Viking helmet represent... but there are plenty of patriotic examples out there.

I also hoped this would be a non-boring way to include a link to securethehomeland.com, which I felt has an interesting, if blunt, alternative perspective on the whole issue.

Perhaps in trying to be both funny and serious at the same time, I acheived neither. Sorry.
posted by ook at 9:49 AM on June 25, 2002

Whoops. Wrong patriotic example. (They're oddly similar, though, aren't they?)
posted by ook at 10:08 AM on June 25, 2002

What sort of design would make you feel secure?

Skull and crossbones. I mean, there's a reason why it's a classic.

And Ook? Don't be so hard on yourself, dude. =)
posted by ZachsMind at 10:39 AM on June 25, 2002

Skull and lightning bolts would be more appropriate.
posted by kablam at 11:15 AM on June 25, 2002

Skull and Crossbones indeed!!
posted by Kodel at 11:17 AM on June 25, 2002

posted by xiffix at 11:29 AM on June 25, 2002

that's the one!
posted by zoopraxiscope at 11:43 AM on June 25, 2002

Why would any design make someone feel more or less secure?

Because image is everything!

um, until things start blowing up...
posted by rushmc at 12:17 PM on June 25, 2002

(Why is NASA eliminating the worm logo?)
posted by five fresh fish at 2:22 PM on June 25, 2002

xiffix - It's almost perfect, I just think it's missing the little 'Bouncing Soles" loop at the top...
posted by jalexei at 3:04 PM on June 25, 2002

Geez...
posted by delmoi at 6:40 PM on June 25, 2002