Australia’s national brand has been given an overhaul after a previous logo was ridiculed for looking too much like coronavirus.
The new national logo, which features three boomerangs in the shape of a kangaroo, was unveiled on Friday by Trade Minister Dan Tehan and National Brand Advisory Council’s Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest.
It’s a departure from the widely mocked 2020 logo, which featured Australia’s national flower – the golden wattle – as the centrepiece of the branding.
After it’s resemblance to a Covid cell was savaged online, the National Brand Advisory went back to the drawing board.
However, Mr Tehan declared “not one cent” was spent on the logo redesign.
“Ten million was allocated to designing the national brand and 10 million – a little less – has been spent,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“Before there was a design and it didn’t fit with what happened with the pandemic.
“So everyone has worked extra hard to make sure that we’re coming on budget in coming up with what I think is a wonderful design.”
xjmtzywDr Forrest – who appeared at the press conference on a beach via video link – conceded while the previous design was “uniquely Australian” it did resemble images of the coronavirus.
“Yeah, it did kind of look like Covid,” he said.
“We had a bit of budget left and we said, ‘Minister let’s not throw in the towel. We’re as keen as mustard still’.
“The minister said ‘let’s go for it. Let’s view this as a setback for an even greater opportunity’. And that’s what we’ve done.”
Mr Tehan declared the new branding would only benefit Australia.
“What it will lead to is more jobs here in Australia, more investment here in Australia, more tourists, more international students,” the minister said.
“It will generate growth, it will generate export income and it will lift the profile of our nation globally and benefit all Australians.”
The National Brand Advisory Council, which comprises figures from across business, media and the arts, was tasked with coming up with a consistent branding following a 2017 white paper.
It was co-created with Indigenous design studio Balarinji and will replace the Australian Unlimited logo that featured two boomerangs depicting the shape of Australia.
It’s not to be confused with the Australia Made logo, which features a gold kangaroo inside of a green triangle, which will still be used.
“The iconic green-and-gold kangaroo logo has been clearly identifying Australian goods in export markets for more than 35 years with great success,” Australian Made’s Ben Lazzaro said.
“It is by far Australia’s most recognised and trusted country-of-origin product symbol and is central to the export strategies of Aussie exporters taking their goods abroad. No change has been made in this space.”
