April 29, 2009

Mistaken identities?

Posted by Michael Baxter

The local paper, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, raised more than a few eyebrows this week with the unveiling of its new print design. By 2 p.m. on day 1 of the new design, the paper’s online message board had received 200+ comments. The prevailing sentiment: Awful.

We’ll hold our harrumphs and hosannas on the design until our eyes adjust to the new font size, trimmer page width and other elements. But there’s one aspect of the new AJC look that continues to baffle us: The online presentation of its logo.

Simply put, the paper appears to be using three variations of letterforms in its logo on ajc.com. The standard bearer is the home page version – presented in serif, lower-case form. But there’s also a slimmed-down, alt-font version in the AJC Media Solutions section – and a bolder, sans serif iteration in the photo galleries and elsewhere on the site.

We suppose the AJC could have some kind of rationale for showing its logo in varying light. What it is, we can’t fathom.

So we suspect it’s an oversight. If that’s the case, then it’s an oversight that portends deeper problems. Inconsistency is the cardinal sin of brand identity. Where you find it, you also find negligence and neglect – hardly the hallmarks anyone wants to see at the paper of record for a city of 4 million people.

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