CDU: A party and its logo relaunch

Redesigning a logo is always a tricky matter. As a brand designer, you feel like you can't please everyone. But: It is not the goal of a designer to please everyone!

Causing controversy, standing out from the crowd and taking a stand - that's what professional branding has to do. A logo design doesn't have to please everyone , but it has to give people a certain feeling.

IS THE BRANDING COLOR COPIED FROM AUSTRIA'S ÖVP?

Based in Austria, the CDU turquoise reminded us very much of a dull version of the ÖVP turquoise. The ÖVP is basically the Austrian sister party of the CDU . Under the once celebrated political star Sebastian Kurz , the ÖVP was given a new, more dynamic image; with new branding and the signal color turquoise.

Copyright: CDU

It is noticeable that the CDU, with its new turquoise, wants to copy the success of the ÖVP's relaunch at the time and is relying on the same colour (albeit in a somewhat duller version).

Whether this is a smart move in times of allegations of perjury against Sebastian Kurz remains to be seen.

ARE WE ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE OR ON THE SKIP HILL?

As a non-Austrian, the bar chart in the German flag colors probably catches your eye. It is reminiscent of stock market speculation and rising prices.

On the other hand, the bars also resemble a ski jump that is arranged in reverse. Intentional? Coincidence? The idea was probably to let the momentum flow into the capital letter "C" in "CDU".

Well, you can interpret a lot into a logo. However, our first impression is a watered-down compromise of different elements. Italic party letters do not exactly represent stability and power, which is certainly what the CDU wants to convey.

It looks as if too many cooks have spoiled the broth. As if everyone has thrown their own spices into the soup pot and the end result is something that is supposed to look like an upswing but is lagging behind in its value imparting.

UNIQUE OR COPY IN LOGO DESIGN?

It is common knowledge that a logo design should be unique and recognizable. However, the CDU's new logo design does not have any significant recognition value.

The similarity to an everyday bar chart, the logo of the Bridge Street Development Corporation or OVB Vermögensberatung is too great.

Our blog article “When a lawyer comes instead of new customers” covers how problematic this can be.

In our branding process with the HCG method, a plagiarism check is always included. This means that it is not the lawyer who comes, but new customers.