Eagles and Branches and Latin, Oh My!

Bad case of insomnia this evening (technically morning, now…but I digress).

I see that the announcement of Obama’s running mate should be announced later today. I am curious whether or not they will continue with the new logo once the announcement is made, or if it will go through another change. The second logo (launched in June) is startlingly similar to the actual seal of the President. CNN’s story breaks it down:

“The seal includes the same bald eagle as the actual presidential seal clutching an olive branch and arrows in its talons, but instead of a shield covering the center of the eagle’s body, the Obama version displays the campaign’s trademark “O.” Unlike the Presidential seal, which includes the words “Seal of the President of the United States” around the circumference, “Obama for America” and “www.barackobama.com” grace the top and bottom of Obama’s.

Finally, just above the eagle, in Latin, are the words – “vero possumus” – which translates to “yes we can,” the oft-heard chant at Obama rallies.”

Take a look at the comparison of the two logos – love him or hate him, from a marketing standpoint, it really was a genius move. While it did spark some momentary headlines and a bit of buzz, this was really no more than a blip on the political race radar. Admittedly, there are more important issues to focus on, but I was intrigued by the change, from a purely marketing perspective. Waxing psychological on the presumptive Democratic nominee’s logo is not exactly show-stopping news…alas, Wolf Blitzer, your job is still safe. For now…

Still, this logo reminded me of all of the textbook examples of subliminal advertising that they showed us in college. Who knows, maybe someday this logo will be used as an example (either of effective marketing, or as a monumental mistake). Only time will tell.