Austin’s new city logo is getting roasted online.
For a city known for its ‘weirdness,’ many are pointing out how strikingly sterile the logo is.
One person commented that it looks like the logo for a local credit union.
Another said it looks like a homeless tent.
Another said it’s basically the Chat GPT version of the Dallas logo.
“I think it’s undeniable that they look alike,” said Dallas City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn.
Mendelsohn is among many who see similarities between the new Austin logo and the longtime City of Dallas logo, which was adopted in 1972.
An archived NBC 5 script from back then described the Dallas logo as a “Simple, stylized letter” for a city known nationally as Big-D.
“The Dallas city logo is actually one of the best city logos in America,” said Mendelsohn.
Similarities between the two logos include the fonts and the overall earthy impression.
But the colors are especially being called into question. NBC 5 found the color codes for the logos, and while they are both shades of green and blue, they are not the same colors.
It isn’t just the logo that looks familiar to people in Dallas.
Many will recognize the person who announced Austin’s new logo this week: Former Dallas City Manager turned Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax.
“While this effort began before I arrived as city manager, it is a project I was glad to champion,” Broadnax said at a press conference in Austin on Thursday.
NBC 5 reached out to the City of Austin about the backlash, and in a statement, said, “Our new brand was shaped by feedback from a diverse cross-section of community members and City employees.”
Pentagram, the Austin company which created the logo, told NBC 5, “The City of Austin logo was inspired by the unique feeling of Austin—its diverse perspectives, dynamic energy, vibrant people, and beautiful landscapes. The flowing lines in the “Austin A” echo our connection to one another and the movement of our rivers, hills, and skies. The colors represent the City’s iconic greenbelts and violet crown sunsets.”
Partner DJ Stout, an Austin resident, said he isn’t surprised by the public reaction. He said it’s important for logos to be simple so they can hold up on a digital format.
As a UT graduate, Mendelsohn said, “There’s something really special about Austin. I’m not sure the logo captures it.”
Chris Aarons, a UT marketing professor, said developing a logo everyone likes is difficult.
“As long as it’s clean and memorable and simple and eye-catching, it does its job,” said Aarons.
The logo’s design came with a $200,000 price tag and is part of Austin’s $1.1 million dollar rebrand.