Collateral Damage

What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?

Menu

Skip to content
  • Home
  • About Me/Contact

Tag Archives: CIA

Bad logos endemic to war on terror

Posted on October 29, 2007 by Constantine von Hoffman

The war on terror gets ugly, Part 2

Last week I made fun of the CIA for its terrible anti-terror graphic. And rightfully so. However, in the interests of fairness, let me say that the pro-terror groups aren’t going to win any design competitions either.

Al Qaeda generally uses two symbols … a badge and a flag.

Qaeda logo

The badge has all the key brand qualities in it — death, God, the Holy Book and a finger in the universal symbol of “we’re #1” — BUT it is way, way too busy. Graphic clean up on aisle 666, please.

The flag.

flag

Qaeda’s flag really has nothing that makes it distinctive. This could be any Arabic phrase on a black background. For all I know this is an ad for a McDonald’s in Baghdad. If you’re a multi-national — of any sort — your logos have to be easily identifiable to foreigners or the illiterate (or, in my case, foreigners who are illiterate).

Compare Qaeda’s badge and flag with the logo of the United Liberation Front of Asom:

ASOM

Like the Al Qaeda symbols, the ULFA logo also contains text in a language that is totally unknown to me but the overall effect is clear and easily recognized from a distance. (Image via IronicSans which has a great article on trends in the logos of terrorist organizations) It’s clean and the use of the crossed doa gives it a visual hook that an ignoramus like myself can quickly recognize. Remember, while its important for your emblems to appeal to your base, it also has to be easily ID’d by outsiders. It’s not just enough to kill people and destroy things, you’ve got to market it!

add to del.icio.usDigg itStumble It!Add to Blinkslistadd to furladd to ma.gnoliaadd to simpyseed the vineTailRank

Advertisement

Share this:

  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...
Posted in al qaeda, Asom, Church marketing, Death as marketing opportunity, God as marketing, Marketing, Marketing blunders, terrorist, The Comedy of Terrors, War On Terror, War On Terror The Board Game | Tagged al qaeda, Assam, CIA, humor, logo, Marketing, Satire, Terrorism | Leave a comment

CIA gets ugly in war on terror

Posted on October 24, 2007 by Constantine von Hoffman

When all else fails, bring out the bad graphics.

Matthew Yglesias found the following on the CIA’s website:

CIA terror logo

I still prefer the board game.

(Thanks to Skott Klebe for the tip!)

add to del.icio.usDigg itStumble It!Add to Blinkslistadd to furladd to ma.gnoliaadd to simpyseed the vineTailRank

Share this:

  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...
Posted in CIA, Death as marketing opportunity, Marketing, War On Terror, War On Terror The Board Game | Tagged Atlantic Monthly, CIA, logo, Marketing, Matthew Yglesias, Skott Klebe, War On Terror | 1 Comment

?

Collateral Damage is a blog about life its own self with a side dish of what have you. It is written by Constantine von Hoffman, a befuddled veteran journalist.

"Cry havoc and release the penguins of irony!"

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 134 other subscribers

Twitter Updates

  • RT @steve_locke: For someone who hates drag performers, MTG decided to dress like a tired Mae West impersonator for the #SOTU23 #SOTU 5 hours ago
  • RT @pattonoswalt: OOOF. @JoeEurell1 with the brutality. https://t.co/uUivZD45H3 16 hours ago
  • It's getting weirder in the People's Republic of Ron DeSantis. fark.com/go/12744730 17 hours ago
  • HAPPY BIRTHDAY to JOHN WATERS! #HERO https://t.co/F2CGa2Foim 17 hours ago
  • If there's a global ranking of total badasses, this woman might be at the top of the list fark.com/go/12744884 17 hours ago
Follow @Curseyoukhan

Follow ME!

AddThis Feed Button

I heart FeedBurner

On Twitter: CurseYouKhan

Recent Comments

felicity o'meara on Mom’s Last Gift: Donatin…
Mom’s Last Gif… on 2/6/15: The last time I spoke…
White cross, black c… on Reflections on the American…
Minnie Mouse on Disney changing It’s A S…
Jim Forbes on 2/6/15: The last time I spoke…

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Archives

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Collateral Damage
    • Join 134 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Collateral Damage
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
%d bloggers like this: