Canada’s 150th Anniversary Winning Logo Designed By University Student

The official logo for Canada’s 150th Anniversary of Confederation has been chosen, inviting a flurry of miscellaneous reactions from all quarters. The logo,which will be featured on the products and services from the Government of Canada for the mega event in 2017, is suddenly a matter of intense debate. ArianaCuvin, a student of the University of Waterloo, is the person behind the creation. She is a 19-year-old, second-year Global Business and Digital Arts student. It was her masterpiece which won the Canada 150 Logo Design Contest, trouncing 300 entries in the fray.

The new logo features a number of colored diamonds placed together so as to create a shape of a maple leaf, meant to represent the provinces of the confederation. The rest of the nine diamonds symbolize the three territories and the six other provinces. The logo is truly magnificent, hailed as a symbol of togetherness, harmony and peace by Cuvin, who is an immigrant from Hong Kong to Canada.

“The repeated shape is meant to create a sense of unity and the 13 shapes forming the leaf represents our togetherness as a country. In the colored iterations, the center four diamonds are similar in color,” said Cuvin while throwing light on her creation.

The Criticism

Ariana is filled with excitement and rejoicing at her victory, which made her win a whooping $5000 prize. She is planning to fund her studies and pay her tuition feesby the amount. Everything is hunky-dory except a few criticizing words that took the entire episode to a wrong side. The sweetness of the moment turned a little bitter when the controversies started pouring in. The contest has drawn flak from the Canadian Graphic Designers and the National Certification Body for Graphic and Communication Designers.

Ariana is distressed by the ongoing controversy over the decision of the Federal Department of Canadian Heritage to accept the entries of only those students who are commemorating the  Canada’s 150th Anniversary of Confederation in 2017. In addition, some have even raised fingers over the process, saying that such competitions exploit the young talent.

Here Are Some Reactions From The Critics:

•    “The GDC continues to feel disgust that the government not only did not fairly compensate those who provided graphic options, but also that the so-called winner has just given up their rights of ownership of this mark,” said President Adrian Jean in an open letter that appeared on the group’s official website.
•    “It meets the minimum criteria of a usable logo,” Mark Busse, Partner and Managing Director – Vancouver Design Firm.
•    “To my eye, it looks like student work,” said Matthew Warburton, Design Manager – University of British Columbia’s communications and marketing department.
•    “It is a strong and simple design that should hold up well in all applications,” – David Bromley, Coordinator – Algonquin College’s Graphic Design Program.
•    “It is the equivalent of being an unpaid intern. Given the importance of the event it is sad that the Canadian government did not select a professional company to design the solution and all the companion elements,” Kevin Mar, Principal – Blue Planet Design.

Ariana’s Reaction

“I understand why people are upset. It does kind of suck for a professional, this big project being given to a student. I know there’s been a backlash,’’ she replied to the controversy that erupted over her winning the competition. She was speaking on the phone.

Ariana, who wish to build a great career in Logo Designing industry,was seemingly disturbed and added:

‘People are upset about it. Sorry. There’s a client, they chose what they liked, and it happened to be my design.’