New York City mayor Eric Adams has sparked outrage among New Yorkers by splurging $20m on an updated version of Milton Glasers iconic I Love NY logo.
Adams and Gov Kathy Hochul revealed the design on Monday, which was created to go alongside a campaign to ‘cut through divisiveness and negativity’ that accompanied the pandemic.
The design now reads ‘We Love NYC’ in a modern-looking sans-serif typeface, rather than the timeless typewriter font used for the original.
Its heart has been enlarged, and is colored in a way that makes it appear three-dimensional, rather than the 2D heart seen in the original.
The late Milton Glaser, who died from a stroke and renal failure on his 91st birthday in July 2020, created the original I Love NY logo for a 1977 campaign to promote tourism in the state.
It became an instant classic, and is still plastered widely across the city, with Adams now facing accusations of messing with a classic.
As part of the change, designers replaced the I with We and added a C to make it more ‘inclusive’- but New Yorkers and design aficionados have expressed their disgust at the update.
The campaign and design took more than a year to create, with roughly $20million in donations from dozens of businesses such as Amazon, Google, Macy’s, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, and TikTok will jump-start the city’s new publicity drive.
Adams and Gov Kathy Hochul revealed the design on Monday, which was created to go alongside a campaign to ‘cut through divisiveness and negativity’ that accompanied the pandemic
As part of the change, designers replaced the I with We and added a C to make it more ‘inclusive’- but dozens of residents have pushed back at the change to the beloved classic
In typical New Yorker fashion, many have hit out at the new logo compared to the old one, with one saying ‘don’t mess with perfection’.
The 1977 creation was made while the city and state were grappling with high crime, budget woes and other challenges.
It was designed in the back of a cab by Glaser, then a graphic designer at an ad agency, and was inspired by Richard Indiana’s equally-iconic LOVE sculptures.
Graham Clifford, the designer and art director behind the new logo, told the New York Times the idea was to ‘give it more of a modern twist.’
One person said: ‘If Milton Glaser wasn’t already dead, this s****y version of his iconic I Love NY logo would have killed him.’
Another added: ‘I’m afraid to say there’s nothing left that Eric Adams’ mayoral administration can f*** up, because they will inevitably find something.’
A third said: ‘If there’s going to be a riot in NYC, it’ll be over this.’
Eisner and Ringo award-winning illustrator Mitch Gerads who is known for his work at DC Comics mocked the new logo, writing: ‘Gets the job updating NYC’s branding campaign. Cracks knuckles, fires up Print Shop Deluxe on his Gateway 2000.’
Some decided to mock the campaigns plan to ‘improve’ the city, with one hitting out at the skyrocketing rent in the city by saying: ‘Making a logo that makes people want to leave NY and bring down rent is good actually.’
After the design was revealed online, thousands of people slammed the new logo as ‘really bad’.
Mayor Adams has been hit with a backlash over the $20million campaign and design that took a year to create
Others mocked Mayor Adams ‘War on Rats’ but editing the new logo to say ‘Rats Love NYC’
The 1977 creation was made while the city and state were grappling with high crime, budget woes and other challenges
Councilmember Justin Brannan of Brooklyn compared the new logo to the Holland Tunnel’s 2018 holiday signage that was widely considered a design fail
Ben Stephens, a freelance copywriter, offered a critique in design terms, writing on Twitter that the iconic power of Glaser’s design ‘comes from its simplicity, its boldness, the foursquare arrangement of its elements.’
He then added: ‘The original looks like the voice of a city. The new one looks like the voice of an investment bank or possibly a healthcare provider.’
Canadian actress Allana Harkin agreed that it was wrong to change the logo, adding: ‘I think the city that currently owns the most iconic branding in the entire world should not rebrand.’
Others mocked Mayor Adams ‘War on Rats’ but edited the new logo to say ‘Rats Love NYC’.
Matthew Quint, who is the director of the Center on Global Brand Leadership at the Columbia University business school added: ‘My prediction, and prediction is folly, is social media will make fun — ‘why did you need to change one of the most iconic logos in the world.
‘The new campaign needs to make clear why this is different, why it’s we-oriented.’
Councilmember Justin Brannan of Brooklyn compared the new logo to the Holland Tunnel’s 2018 holiday signage that was widely considered a design fail.
While attending the launch on Monday, Mayor Adams said: ‘No one will ever beat New Yorkers down. We’re saying, ‘Don’t say, ‘Woe is me.’ ‘Say, ‘Why not me?’.
‘Go volunteer. Participate. Be part of the rebirth that we’re seeing in the city and state.
‘NYPD is making it safer every day; decreases in homicide, decreasing shootings, crime is going down, our economy is recovering. Don’t believe the hype. Believe in New York City.
‘We took the ‘I’ out of ‘I Love New York,’ and we brought the ‘we.’ We’re in this together.’
He hopes the campaign will promote the city’s global brand in upcoming months by highlighting community cleanups, volunteerism, local businesses, and subway performers.
In typical New Yorker fashion many have hit out at the new logo compared to the old one, with one saying ‘don’t mess with perfection’
Initially colleagues of Glaser (pictured) said that they were not supportive of his logo, but he pushed ahead after beachgoers in Bermuda loved the idea
Eisner and Ringo award-winning illustrator Mitch Gerads who is known for his work at DC Comics mocked the new logo
Gov Hochul added: ”I Love New York’ was a message to the rest of the world. ‘We Love New York City’ is a message to all of you,’ Hochul said. ‘The people who have stayed here, who never gave up, who do believe that New York city’s greatest days do lie ahead.’
Initially colleagues of Glaser said that they were not supportive of his logo, but he pushed ahead after beachgoers in Bermuda loved the idea.
DailyMail.com reached out to Glaser’s studio to ask their thoughts on the new design, but did not immediately received a response.
Steve Swartz, president and CEO of Hearst Corporation, said he hopes that the newly unveiled WeNYC campaign would have a bandwagon effect on fellow business leaders and the city as a whole.
He said: ‘Many other businesses and building owners will be bringing this message to neighborhoods in every borough and spread it across the city and the globe. This is only the beginning.’
