Wenlock & Mandeville

Well that explains a lot!

I wondered why my World Cup Willie post was getting so may hits yesterday. Today Wenlock and Mandeville were unveiled to an unsuspecting public. The mascots for the 2012 Olympics! Ive got to say it made my heart sink. Perhaps over time Ill warm to them, but Im not convinced. Here was an opportunity to produce something special, but instead we get some shoddy, silver Gogos, or worse still, one eyed mobile phones? To be frank one even looks like hes soiled his pants.

I appreciate that the brief may have been difficult: to embrace multi cultured Britain, not to offend, and to produce something modern, but they just look cheap! They lack charisma, and look like theyll have a shelf life of two minutes. The result, no doubt, of design by committee!

Michael Morpugos story may have some substance behind it, as do the characters names, but will anyone delve beyond the childish facade?

We actively sought out Cobi, Mariscals mascot for the Barcelona Olympics. We were enchanted by the five Olympic figures from Bejing, but poor old Wenlock & Mandeville look in danger of being remembered for all the wrong reasons.

I suppose at least everyones talking about design today.