The Academy Awards are the the most celebrated and illustrious prizes in the movie world. From the first show in 1929, actors, directors and others who work in the film industry have been rewarded for their achievements with the famous gold statuettes.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences itself was founded in 1927 by important figures in US motion pictures including Louis B. Mayer, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Harold Lloyd, Mary Pickford and Cecil B. DeMille.
The Academy rebrand has been co-ordinated by Los Angeles agency 180LA as part of the preparation for the forthcoming Academy Museum, due to open in 2017.
The logo is a beautifully simple reworking of the original idea, but with direction of the light source shifting from behind to above. This allows the shape to represent an uppercase A, shifting the emphasis from just the award, to the Academy itself as an organisation.
There is little to show the new identity in use up to now, other than the official Academy website. It will, however, be seen in it’s full glory at the 86th awards in March 2014.
The Academy and 180LA also released this microsite to show the inspiration behind the new logo.
“This design gives the Academy a presence in its own logo for the first time and underscores our efforts to support creative arts and sciences year-round”
Academy Chief Marketing Officer, Christina Kounelias.
Love this logo.
A perfect example of less being more.
I have seen some ridiculous criticisms on other blogs but I suppose that is way it goes with a major rebrand, everyone wading in without considering the meaning or the process.