São Paulo having a logo for the 2014 World Cup. Is that needed?

São Paulo has just set up a new logo for being one out of the 12 cities for the 2014 World Cup. Too many are the critics I have heard around, both about its look and its raison d’être.

I’d rather not talk about its look, though I haven’t liked it either. I think it doesn’t get the city spirit, nor the soccer’s. What to say about putting city and soccer together? Too far from that.

Let’s say about why to adopt a brand for a situation like that.

Usually we see brands for cities that are still competing for hosting a certain occasion, just like Rio and London for the Olympics. Cities under campaign end up briefing their Olympic spirit thru a brand. It’s about the brand on the “earlier moment” role, I mean, before being chosen, the city shows itself up as a candidate.

What we also see is the “later moment” role: as soon as it has been chosen and recognized, the place resorts to a brand to spread the good energy of holding a sportive competition.

What’s not that usual, though, is what quite happened here: a brand for one out of many cities holding a Cup.

Generally we see a brand for the Cup country instead of a Cup city! But after I was rehabbed by the trauma of the logo’s visual, I thought very good the idea of a city having its. Probably I wouldn’t have done something so selfish: as there’re 12 cities for just one Cup, we could do something for the 12 of them, respecting each one characteristics, of course, but all under the same visual structure – which by the way could come up from or inspired by the country’s official logo.

Some say there’s no need for this logo to exist or that it will end up provoking competition with the other cities. I think there can no be competition as the 12 have already been chosen. A Cup’s city competition only happens based on the games in each of them. A Japanese will be likely to see the Japan’s team game – and then s/he will be in the same city the game will be held.

Instead of competition, I see a good idea of a logo communicating to its citizens. A place having to make many changes and reformations will have constructions happening all around and then a worse traffic and other disturbances. Involving its inhabitants for a proposal bigger than the city itself is a pleasant attitude from the authorities.

The logo can also contribute for making the citizen get in the vibe – both to shorten the reforms’ disturbances and to give the sensation the World Cup will soon happen right here, very close to them, in this city, after such a long time awaiting. The positive climate born from that all makes the city get in a vibe that is beneficial, in huge extent, to any person. Even the non-fans of soccer can learn to enjoy, since now, the party climate.

A logo like that ends up making this all… It anticipates the great event’s party climate. The doubt relies on what to do with this climate. The party for the party won’t result anything but a circus previously begun. Instead, making all the necessary things for the city to be able to host the event with a properly infrastructure shows we are doing a good usage of a logo that can actively position all this effort in name of a megaparty on the upcoming.

It’s like when everybody is excited preparing the room for the tonight’s party. Let’s set the table, decorate it with the sweets, spread the air balls, and distribute fripperies. The logo, in the city, is able to bring in this energy that mobilizes the public opinion so that everything can succeed.

For the tourist, this logo found in leaflet or any other piece will say that the city counts on a basic infrastructure – which is something that any tourist feels comfortable in knowing of. So the logo is a way of attracting tourists – and so more money, that can be invested in the reforms for the Cup…

At last, but not at least, the logo has a message even for the authorities. A city that is happy for hosting the Cup and spread the happiness thru a logo can’t just show the logo; it is supposed to make all the efforts it needs to sustain this position. With the logo, the authorities feel committed to making everything right before the deadline and so leave the city quite ready to go for it.

The logo gives a good energy to whoever lives in the city and a good impression to whom doesn’t. It touches the self-esteem, and everything that touches the self-esteem is usually good. It’s not by chance that every single US state has its logo.

It’s not about a logo to harm other cities; it’s about a logo to help itself.

I really think a good idea to have a host-city logo. Rather than criticizing, the other cities should do theirs!