OGC unveils new logo to red faces

By Aislinn Simpson

Last Updated: 7:38PM BST 29/04/2008

It cost £14,000 to create, but clearly no-one at the smart London design outfit that came up with the new logo for HM Treasury thought to turn it on its side.

The logo, for the Office of Government Commerce, was intended to signify a bold commitment to the body’s aim of “improving value for money by driving up standards and capability in procurement”.

Instead, it has generated howls of mirth and what is likely to be a barrage of teasing emails from mandarins in other departments.

According to insiders, the graphic was already proudly etched on mousemats and pens before it was unveiled for employees, who spotted the clanger within seconds.

Staff have apparently now stripped their office of souvenirs bearing the logo, which could appear on eBay within days.

A spokesman for OGC said: “It is true that it caused a few titters among some staff when viewed on its side, but on consideration we concluded that the effect was generic to the particular combination of the letters OGC - and it is not inappropriate to an organisation that’s looking to have a firm grip on Government spend.”

The OGC was created in the early days of the Blair Government when the premier brought in Peter Gershon from GEC Marconi to improve spending efficiency.

His Gershon Report recommended the creation of the OGC and he became its chief executive for its first four years.

OGC now has a staff of 564 with a head office in Norwich and other branches in London, Leeds and Edinburgh. Brand expert Michael Hamilton said while the logo’s double-entendre was probably not deliberate, it could prove an added bonus for OGC.

“They’re going to get more column inches than they could ever have expected before. If I were them, I would be pretty pleased.”

OGC logo as its supposed to be displayed:

And what is setting off the jokes:

In a certain light, it could look kinda sorta somewhat like the Michelin Man having a wang. Maybe.

For me, the real scandal is that they typed out the initials of the organization in a differnt font and then charged them 14,000 GBP's for it.

In a certain light, it could look kinda sorta somewhat like the Michelin Man having a wang. Maybe.

I any light it is definitely that. The Michelin Man has lost weight, is right handed and bow legged.

The biggest wank of the lot is the amount of money some dingbat paid out for this logo.

CB

Certainly looks like the classic right hand Jack !

Boggles the mind.

Probably took them 3 minutes to type the letters in a doc, and play with the fonts/colours.

Then they probably sat on their asses (or golf courses) for 2 weeks before handing in the design and collecting their 14,000 GBP pay cheque !

Maybe a good thing this wasn't the Office of Consumer Commerce !

In my past life as an Apple techie, I used to visit design studios everyday, most of them were full of hapless wannabe artists with no talent, you would swear that most of their work was the equivalent of tossing some chicken bones in the air and seeing what pattern they made on landing.

I used to visit some very good studios too.... and the difference in the quality of work and design concept was astounding.

There was always one big difference between the two.... the good ones had sketch pads, brushes and pens, the bad ones only had computers.

Much as I love my Mac, and it can do some amazing things, it doesn't turn me into a designer. I have done some logo work for people who were too cheap to employ the services of a real designer, but that's what they got, cheap and cheerful ..... I'm yet to come up with something that looks like a bow legged man tossing off.... not only should the creator of the original image be shot (mainly for saying that he probably slaved over it for weeks, when in fact he just dicked about with some type in a coffee break, excuse the pun) but, every single hand it passed through to get to the production stage deserves a hefty rap on the knuckles...... and probably a job better suited to their talents.

But if you want to see a real rip-off in action...... BP went to BP and then to a sunflower, and that cost a heck of a lot more than 14K .... much much more .... that's real sales marketing talent.

But if you want to see a real rip-off in action...... BP went to BP and then to a sunflower, and that cost a heck of a lot more than 14K .... much much more .... that's real sales marketing talent.

What about the 'Lottery' that went to 'Lotto', now some great minds went into that and Heaven knows how much that cost?

Moss

hillarious

What about the London Olympics logo? Seriously expensive, seriously crap!

I should get into the Logo business, I am a crappy artist but willing to try

I should get into the Logo business, I am a crappy artist but willing to try

If you're crap, you'd surely make a fortune!

So what is it? And Beardog, I am a lady, I am afraid I have no idea what "right hand jack" means.

Sorry, I am just a babe in the woods guys.

I haven't heard the term "right hand jack" but I believe it is a rather crude way to express that the logo resembles a right handed man feeding the chooks.

So what is it? And Beardog, I am a lady, I am afraid I have no idea what "right hand jack" means.

Sorry, I am just a babe in the woods guys.

SBK as per your request and in deference to the fact that you are a true lady of culture unlike some of the more base elemental guys here I shall endeavour to explain.

Placed vertically the three letter appears to be (from the top) a circle which represents a person's head. The second letter "G" has the appearance of the torso with an erect penis. The third letter appears to be two legs.

Place together it appears to be a representation of a man masturbating or to use local parlance "having a wank", "choking to chook", "shaking hands with his better half" or some similar such term.

I hope this elucidates the conundrum

CB

If you get hold of your conundrum and elucidate it, you will eventually go blind.

So what is it? And Beardog, I am a lady, I am afraid I have no idea what "right hand jack" means.

Sorry, I am just a babe in the woods guys.

SBK as per your request and in deference to the fact that you are a true lady of culture unlike some of the more base elemental guys here I shall endeavour to explain.

Placed vertically the three letter appears to be (from the top) a circle which represents a person's head. The second letter "G" has the appearance of the torso with an erect penis. The third letter appears to be two legs.

Place together it appears to be a representation of a man masturbating or to use local parlance "having a wank", "choking to chook", "shaking hands with his better half" or some similar such term.

I hope this elucidates the conundrum

CB

Well, thats quite a stretch .... of the imagination that is

Well, thats quite a stretch .... of the imagination that is...

I think you will find it falls into place with most men quite quickly.

I wonder if the design team used an old health warning about the effects of self-'abuse' and rickets?

I think Cuban is on to something here. " Going Blind " is an often used euphemism for all manner of ailments. Our dear pal Old Croc has been having a number of problems which could be placed at the door of over-elucidation. someone should tell him to stop.

If that's called dirty mind , I reckon now; I need to Clorox-wash my mind to get it that "clean"

sbk, I can't believe you didn't get it? Are you pulling our, er, legs?

Sorry Suegha, I am just a nice girl at heart.

Truth be told, I showed my husband too and he didn't get it either. Just call us Mr and Mrs Clean

I guess I'd better be totally honest here then. I only have sisters and my exposure to men has either been as friends (who wouldn't discuss these things with me) or with past boyfriends and current husband who, obviously, have no need choke the chicken when I am around

Actually, I don't think it represents a guy choking his chicken/polishing the pope/slapping the salami/rubbin' the rhubarb/etc.

It more likely represents the average first-time tourist about .045 seconds after he hits Walking Street.

Or the "older" more experienced semi-resident expat shortly after ingesting his black market blue pill.

Or a "pre-op" ladyboy upon seeing the first wave of Cobra Gold sailors rolling into town.

(Or me, after about 6 weeks here, when even the "crack of dawn" gets me excited)

Dirty chuckles from Swissland....

.

Perhaps somebody can explain the following to sbk & myself :-

Bright minds at

Auckland NZ

Yellow Pages.

Selling BBQs in funeral section.

Dirty chuckles from Swissland....

Well me Dear "Patsycat" I did see one

Walking the Street

Kan Win

.

Perhaps somebody can explain the following to sbk & myself :-

And this one perhaps...

this is walking street

please dont send me on holiday

That's very funny!