Design Experts: Mayoral Candidates' Logos 'Abysmal' - Not Connecting With Voters

Design experts are not too convinced by the majority of the 2013 mayoral candidates' logos. Both, the Democrats and Republicans, logos rely on clichéd symbols, tired fonts and a sloppy appeal to voters, according to a panel of design and branding experts consulted by DNAinfo.com. 

"I think they’re abysmal," said Debbie Millman, president of the design division at the School of Visual Arts.  

"There doesn’t appear to be much thought put into what is actually displayed here," said Ben Ostrower, the principal and creative director of Brooklyn-based Wide Eye Creative. "Many of the designs are way too simple and conventional to make any sort of impression," he explained. “It's not up to the standards of what you’d expect in a mayoral race that has national attention." 

Campaign logos, have the power to subtly influence the way voters perceive a candidate. The size of a candidate's name, the typeface, color and spacing are all important, the experts told DNAinfo. 

Here are a summary of the reviews and some of the critics: 

Christine Quinn: 

"Quinn's logo comes off as much more feminine, but the finished product felt "a little weak." 

Bill Thompson: 

"Simple and Straightforward look, but doesn't gain any strength. Misses an opportunity to gain the voters attention." 

Bill de Blasio: 

"Displays strength and confidence, but doesn't light the world on fire. A little bit all over the place, literally and figuratively." 

John Liu: 

"It's just boring. It's non-descript. it has nothing engaging about it. Looks like every political logo from the past 12 years. He's very clearly an Insider." 

Joe Lhota: "It's simple, clean and self explanatory. Yet feels to some narrow minded and very conservative." 

John Catsimatidis: 

"Kind of heartwarming, and a celebratory of being a New Yorker, but the use of an American flag is inappropriate. Terrible and weirdly oppressive." 

Tom Allon: 

"Beautiful font, but doesn't have much personality behind it. Doesn't say anymore than: Tom Allon exists and is running for mayor." 

George McDonald: 

"Well executed. Common sense and clever. It's a rip off of Obama's and McCain's 2008 campaigns. But it's falling back to every political logo convention of the last six years. Seems a little bit disappointing." 

Sal Albanese: 

"Makes him look like a very nice guy, but doesn't say anything about the candidate. Sloppy the moment. Not at all distinctive."