The organizers of the international Eurovision Song Contest that will take place in Kyiv starting on May 9 have unveiled this year’s logo and slogan.
Celebrating Diversity
Since the moment Ukrainian singer Jamala won the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden in May, bringing Ukraine the right to host the Eurovision 2017, the public’s attention has been focused on preparations to host the event.
The theme is respect for European values: tolerance, diversity and individuality, reflected in this year’s slogan “Celebrate Diversity.” The idea of celebrating diversity continues last year’s Eurovision theme, “Come Together.”
“It is all inclusive and all about countries around Europe, and beyond, joining together to celebrate our common ground and our unique differences as well as some great music,” Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest Jon Ola Sand said.
Eurovision’s logo is a creative interpretation of the traditional Ukrainian female necklace, namysto, made of different beads to reflect the topic of diversity. In Ukrainian culture, namysto served both as jewelry and amulet.
“The logo cleverly combines traditional and modern elements, reflecting Ukrainian society and the main leitmotif of Eurovision 2017 in Kyiv,” executive producer for the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine Victoria Romanova said.
Not everyone’s happy
The choice of the logo caused ambiguous feelings among Ukrainians. Some Facebook users mocked the logo comparing it with a sausage ring, a croissant or even with the trademark hairdo of ex-Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko, a braid that went around her head.
Others said that couldn’t recognize a Ukrainian namysto in the logo. Some didn’t like the colors.
“It’s awful. It’s interesting to find out if this abstraction has any meaning,” Ukrainian Victoria Boyko wrote on Jan. 31 on the Eurovision Ukraine official Facebook page.
Another user, Victoria Stan, also did not like the logo.
“You can’t be serious. It looks like crap,” she wrote, while another user mentioned that the red color was “too aggressive.”
But there are many who liked the logo, too.
Rakhmon M. Boltaev wrote that “it has the excellent design with a deep meaning. The logo is creative and interactive. It will go down the history as the best one.”
Ukrainian designers also praised it.
“The idea with the beads is an interesting alternative to a kitschy folk style, but it addition to that it is on the edge of ethnic and modernity,” Vladyslav Volochay, creative director and partner of Sabai Creative Hub, said in an interview to the Ukrainian fashion magazine Pink on Jan. 31.
How it was done
Ukraine’s two creative agencies Republique and Banda united to produce this year’s slogan and design. It took them two weeks to come up with four versions of the Eurovision logo and slogan.
“We presented them for the contest. Among them was Namysto version that won,” said Ivan Symonovsky, the art director with Republique agency.
The design of the Eurovision’s logo, brand book and souvenir production cost Hr 420,000. According to the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, 11 Ukrainian creative agencies took part in the competition for Eurovision’s logo.
Still the way the logo and slogan were approved was deemed controversial. The public procurement system ProZorro which was used for the bidding, lists only one bidder: a firm called Re Design Group, leaving it unclear how Republique and Banda relate to it.
Republique’s Denis Gerasko told the Kyiv Post that the Re Design Group is the legal entity of Republique agency, adding that Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine which ordered the design should provide further explanations. The Public Broadcasting Company could not be immediately reached for comment.
Eurovision 2017 semi-finals will be held on May 9 and May 11 in Kyiv. The final will take place on May 13 at the International Exhibition Center. The tickets aren’t on sale yet.
