Zagreb’s new visual identity sparks controversy

Selected through a public competition by the Croatian Designers' Association, the City of Zagreb's new visual identity has evoked some harsh criticism, with many unhappy that it does not bear the city's coat of arms.

Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević took a defensive position at Tuesday’s press conference in city hall, arguing that the new logo is sleek, simple and modern: "Design always sparks debate and those debates will continue. However, the key thing here is the disinformation that this graphic solution, which is conceptual and will be further developed, is a replacement for the coat of arms of the city of Zagreb. That is not true."

However, city councilor Mislav Herman of the HDZ made it clear that Tomašević was consciously trying to erase the national capital’s defining symbols: "If I didn't know he was serious, I would think it was an early April fools. In my opinion the new visual destroys any sense of the traditional visual perception of the city. Eliminating the city's primary symbol, the stone gate, is completely off the mark."

It should be noted that the winning design is the creation of Boris Malešević, a creative director and designer, and marketing expert who has worked on political campaigns for primarily left-wing political parties and politicians, but also the likes of the HDZ and the SDSS (Independent Democratic Serb Party). He was awarded €15 000 for the winning design.

Source: HRT