About
Why Fonts Matter author and graphic designer Sarah Hyndman embarked on a year of remaking the Olympic rings logo out of everyday objects to celebrate the countdown to the start of the Olympics in London. It was a small, lighthearted idea that paid quiet homage to the power of an iconic logo. In it’s last month alone the blog was viewed almost 30,000 times in more than 120 countries.
“The day it was announced that the London 2012 Olympics were exactly a year away, I noticed that some things on my desk looked like an Olympic rings logo and so I photographed them. The next day I did the same with some doilies, and then the glasses I was washing up. Soon enough an obsession was born.”
Sarah explains that her highlight was when Barnes Primary School created the images that hosted the blog for a month, tying in with the announcement that the 2012 game’s motto is ‘inspire a generation’. “The children asked me questions which I responded to by filming my answers for them. They put a lot of thought and enthusiasm into the project and their logos came complete with clever captions which really made me up my game. I love the photo where’ they’re lying on the ground smiling and waving in the formation of the five rings (day 233).”
Having extensively plundered the every day objects around her, Sarah turned to taking inspiration from events such as Wimbledon, key dates such as Valentines (the day after features broken Loveheart sweets with the caption “it’s complicated”), and taking on tweeted challenges such as Mandy’s request for a logo relating to National Transplant Week (the result is on day 350). The blog has received contributions from people who have, like Sarah, started to see Olympic rings in their everyday lives demonstrating the pervasiveness of the 100 year old icon.
“…a quirky and amusing collection of alternatives to the Olympic Rings in the now-cult blog” Blueprint Magazine “She sees logos” The New York Times “simple but striking idea” The Londonist “…the Olympics combined with that great sense of British irony” Treehugger “What a silly site!!!” comment on blog
The Olympic Logo a Day blog has been written about in the New York Times, Blueprint magazine, Design Week, The Drum, Follow the Colours Brazil, Logo Design Love, Londonist, Creative Boom, Eye magazine, Dezeen, Handpicked London, Everything London, GQ, Jessica Ennis’ official website, Treehugger and the ‘alternative Olympic posters’ became the ‘top news story’ on Twitter in the week they were released…
Please note this is a personal, not-for-profit art project. The images cannot be sold, used to promote anything or for commercial gain.
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Sarah Hyndman is the author of Why Fonts Matter, published by Virgin Books (Penguin/Random House), January 2016. Find out more …
“Fun” “Brilliant” “Inspiring” “Eye-candy” “Enlightening” Amazon reviews
“A fascinating insight into how type can influence our feelings, our senses, and even our taste” Professor Charles Spence, University of Oxford
“This book will make you think and make you laugh”
Watch Sarah Hyndman’s TEDx talk ‘Wake Up and Smell the Fonts’:
olympic logo a day 