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Urban Agenda | What is in a logo? Mysuru and Bengaluru hope to give us the answer

Apr 02, 2024 07:33 AM IST

These two Indian cities alone have logos, though many others have sobriquets. Done right, it can offer a unifying symbol to bring people together

In December, Mysuru released its logo with the tagline “Our Heritage. Your Destination,” becoming the second city in the country to have its logo after Bengaluru, which introduced its logo in 2018. Mysuru plans to use the logo in official correspondence, public spaces, and promotional activities related to tourism. The logo and tagline were selected from a contest conducted by the department of tourism and the district administration, which saw nearly 150 entries from as many participants.

Mysuru Logo(Sourced) PREMIUM
Mysuru Logo(Sourced)

"The idea is to create a brand Mysuru. There is more to Mysuru than just the palaces. We want to promote the city's tourism, art, culture, and heritage on a wider international stage," says MK Savitha, joint director, Karnataka Tourism. "The logo will soon be visible at the city’s railway station, bus stands, markets, prominent public places, and major events."

The new Mysuru logo contains seven elements, including a betel leaf, jasmine flowers, Mysuru palace, Mysuru silk, and elephants, representing various aspects of the city, its history and culture. "It captures the essence of the city," says Savitha.

Bengaluru logo('PHOTO JUNCTION / Shutterstock')
Bengaluru logo('PHOTO JUNCTION / Shutterstock')

What is a city logo all about?

The two south Indian cities are certainly not the first to have their own logo — many mega-cities across the globe, such as New York, Melbourne, Amsterdam, and Singapore have their own logos.

The practise dates back to the rise of industrialization and urbanisation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, cities in Europe and the US began to adopt official seals or emblems, often featuring intricate designs with elements like mythological figures, city landmarks, local flora and fauna, to mark official documents and buildings.

The idea of a city logo, as we know it today, gained popularity in the mid-20th century, especially with the advent of corporate branding. An increasing number of cities started to recognize the importance of visual identity in promoting tourism, economic development, and civic pride and hired professional designers to create their logos.

“A city's logo powerfully represents its brand, culture, and what it stands for," says Kapil Pandey, founder of Noida-based VDIS, a company specialising in signage and wayfinding systems. "The right kind of visual identity can help boost not just tourism and culture, but overall economy by attracting industries and investors to a city."

City emblems and logos represent a city's identity, reflecting its history, culture, and values in a single symbol.

New York City's "I Love NY", created by graphic designer Milton Glaser in 1977 is one of the most iconic city logos. It was developed as part of a strategy to revitalise the image of both the state and the city, particularly after New York City's near-bankruptcy two years before. The idea was to boost economic recovery by promoting tourism and creating a sense of pride and solidarity among New Yorkers.

Similarly, Amsterdam’s "I Amsterdam"—with "I am" in red and "sterdam" in white is one of the most recognizable logos and has created a unique identity for the city all over the world

In India, while several cities have earned interesting sobriquets over the years, such as "The City of Joy" (Kolkata) and "City of Dreams" (Mumbai), "The City of Lakes (Udaipur), "The Detroit of India" (Chennai), none had their logos or emblems before Bengaluru, which is known as the "The Silicon Valley of India".

"In an increasingly interconnected and competitive world, a city logo is a powerful tool for shaping perceptions. It serves as reminders of the rich history and cultural legacy of these cities, helping to instil a sense of belonging and civic pride among residents," says M Venkateswara Rao, co-founder of Nammur, the company that designed the Bengaluru city logo. The logo was selected in 2017 from around 1,350 entries received through crowd-sourcing.

The rolling font used in the logo, which has the tagline "Be U," was purposely created to incorporate the first two letters and the last letter of Bengaluru in red. This emphasises the tagline "Be U." Besides, the last three English letters 'uru' are designed to look similar to the Kannada script, incorporating the city's cultural heritage.

"The logo captures the spirit of 'Be You,' representing the welcoming nature of a culturally rich and cosmopolitan city where individuals, no matter where they are from, can be themselves," says Rao.

Initially, the city was slow to embrace the logo, but its usage is steadily increasing, he says. Currently, the logo is displayed at the Vidhan Sabha, Cubbon Park, and the airport, where merchandise such as T-shirts, fridge magnets, tablecloths etc featuring the logo can be purchased.

Rao regrets the fact that cities in India have not focused on creating a strong visual identity and believes that logos can greatly enhance the image and identity of Indian cities that, despite being culturally rich and diverse, are often underrated. "They can help cities position themselves as vibrant hubs of culture, innovation, and opportunity on the global stage," says Rao.

Indeed, Bengaluru, with its rich history, culture, art, cuisine, and technology, seeks to represent all of this in its logo.

Urban designer Akash Hingorani says there is an interplay between urban design elements such as architecture, public spaces, and infrastructure and a city's overall image and identity. He suggests that a city's logo should reflect its physical environment, and urban planning choices may aim to echo or complement the logo's visual style to establish a strong, unified brand image. "Iconic landmarks and attractive public spaces can be integrated into the logo's imagery, ensuring alignment between the city's physical environment and its branding to reinforce its identity," says Akash Hingorani, principal architect at Oasis Designs, an architecture firm based in Delhi.

Pandey says that his concern is that when trying to tell the story of a city through a logo, there is a risk of oversimplification, stereotyping, and the exclusion of certain aspects of the culture and tradition of a city. "But yes, if done correctly, a city logo can serve as a unifying symbol that brings people together and creates a sense of belonging ."

Manoj Sharma is part of the HT Urban Affairs team, which brings to you each week a story about where we live and how it affects the way we live

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