"The Party of 'No'" says "Yes we can" to Obama's web site design
July 2nd, 2009 by Ray in The Bin | Tags: fail, obama, politics | 4 Comments
Bangor Daily News has an article out right now about how Republican Les Otten, exploring the possibility of running for governor of Maine in 2010, has ripped off Barack Obama’s “O” logo. However, what they fail to point is the fact that Otten’s entire website is a rip-off.
The website not only has the same layout (navigation placement aside), but the font colors, font sizes, placement of content, and content borders are almost 100% the same.
To really get the full impact of how horribly ripped off this site/logo is, let me show you some screen shots–you be the judge.
www.barackobama.com as of July 1st, 2009
www.lesotten.com as of July 1st, 2009
What’s worse is the blatant logo ripoff. I have compiled a progression from Obama’s logo to Otten’s, increasing Otten’s logo by 25% opacity until it was 100% opaque. I also blew up the image so you could see it in more detail. I apologize for the pixelation.
Obama/Otten logo overlay as of July 1st, 2009
After studying the logos on top of each other you notice a few things:
- The “O”s both have starbursts around them, Obama’s has 40 “arms,” Otten’s has 50
- The distance from the outer edge of the “O” to the beginning of the whitespace within is the same. The difference is that Otten’s has the stem that encircles his “O” making his border appear thicker.
- The stripes are in the same quadrant of the circle and have the same perspective–from left to right.
If you saw Otten’s logo independent of his web site/campaign, you might assume this was Obama 2.0, the launch of a new PR push within the Obama administration. It’s no coincidence that Obama’s campaign won a couple of advertising awards from Cannes Lion, those guys knew what they were doing–you see the “O”, you think “Obama.”
According to the Bangor Daily News, Edith Smith, Otten’s spokeswoman, explained that the web site design firm “used standard industry templates and colors found on political Web sites nationwide.”
Here’s a random list of other politicians’ sites that meet Smith’s “industry standards” without reusing Obama’s layout and logo. In fact, I can’t seem to find another site that does.
Check this out, a comparison of political logos
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-lQ7I9OMnns/SkzhBfX_e1I/AAAAAAAAAI0/yortsd-z9Ug/s1600-h/otten_logo.jpg
Sarah-
Your “comparison of political logos” is laughable. Nice try, but you totally missed the mark. Otten did not simply use an “O” with colors similar to that of Obama’s “O,” he stole the design. The red and white “field” of stripes and blue arch on Obama’s logo are obviously meant to evoke the flag. Otten’s does the same with the colors reversed and waves it a bit for good measure. Sure, he adds a mountain and leaf to update the design, but you’ve got to be out of your mind not to see how the original design remains. Otten is a hack to do this.
If he had done what is suggested by your link and simply used the same shape and colors, his logo wouldn’t just build on the design elements of Obama’s, it would be ORIGINAL. Clearly, it is not. Obama’s logo and Pepsi’s are the same in this sense- they both are circular with the same colors- but the effect is very different.
As for the bumper sticker section of the page from your link: you earn a big “fail” for thinking they look the same! These are all great examples of how using the same shape and colors can yield different results if the “designer” doesn’t just steal someone else’s concept.
Furthermore, it’s not just the logo that’s in question, it’s Otten’s entire website that is built to look like Obama’s. But, I’m sure you think that all websites that use blue, red, and white look this similar, so I won’t bother going into more detail.
Bottom line: Otten’s attempt to cash in on Obama’s political success and current popularity is pathetic, and I predict it backfires with his base.
The otten website was \"designed\" by Insyst new media http://www.insyt.biz, I think its safe to say they have just proven that they are prepared to steal other designers work. Looking at their work I can see why they have done this as it is to a very poor standard.
There are some companies that cheapen the web industry by creating very average websites . Insyst New Media is one of them.
Les Otten is a self made man and wants to run for Governor of the Great State Of Maine. He can’t be any worse than the clowns that have been sucking the state dry with useless legislation. Loud motorcycles, loud wind turbines and loud whining from the retirees that replace the smart young clooege kids that leave the state because there is no money to be made in Maine. How about Peter Vigue of Cianbro. Satrted as a laborer and worked his way up. Thats what Les did @ Sunday River. Lay off the pooor guy and get a life.