Tuesday, November 27, 2007
The World Needs More Canada
...the mascot is likely to be an animal with symbolic importance to the region, like a Thunderbird, Orca, Grizzly Bear, polygamist from Bountiful or Vietnam draft-dodging pothead from Nelson."
The 2010 Winter Olympic mascots were unveiled today. They are Miga, Quatchi, Sumi, and
# posted by andy grabia @ 1:15 pm 
Comments:
Miga -- a snowboarding sea-bear inspired by the First Nations' legends of the Pacific Northwest.
I feel ripped off -- I spent hours in school being learned about First Nationa' legends, and my teachers never mentioned snowboarding ONCE.
Quatchi is definitely the Smytty of Olympic mascots:
Because of his large size, he can be a little clumsy. But no one can question his passion. He knows that if he works hard and always does his best, he might one day achieve his dream. Quatchi is always encouraging his friends to join him on journeys across Canada. He is also often recruiting others to play hockey — or at least to take shots at him!
How could you have mentioned all those Canadian singers for the opening ceremonies and forget the resurrected Burton Cummings? Or Geddy Lee?
When I opened those descriptions just now, my approximate reaction (out loud, in an atrium full of people) was "What the fuck is that? Are you kidding?" Like...come on. They couldn't afford the rights to Bonhomme Carnivale, like you suggested? Or are they saving him for the next time Montreal hosts?
wow. they couldn't decide on a simple mascot. so they picked three, two of which are a genetic splicing experiment gone horribly wrong and the third a mythical creature best known for selling kokanee. maybe the sasquatch will eat the other to before the olympics thereby simplying it all for us.
heed: That was exactly my reaction. Couldn't narrow it down, so they Franken-spliced their way around the decision. Typical committee. Would it have been so hard to select two or three of: thunderbird, bear, orca and sasquatch? At least then people would have a shot at recognizing them. These things are a joke. "What If They Made It" belongs on Conan O'Brien, not as Olympic mascots.
Guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Vancouver clearly can't decide which direction to take in terms of design, so they cram everything into one. Or three in this case. The Canucks jersey was merely "Exhibit A".
Vancouver clearly can't decide which direction to take in terms of design, so they cram everything into one.
One thing that is consistent is the co-opting and subsequent watering-down of First Nations symbols and archetypes.
But they are still better than Hedy and Howdy.
But they are still better than Hedy and Howdy.
The hell they are! Hidy and Howdy were fantastic mascots.
Cute, punny, western themed. What's not to love?
I also think the Calgary Olympic snowflake composed entirely of small 'c's for Calgary and big 'C's for Canada was fantastic.
Cute, punny, western themed. What's not to love?
Start with the "western themed" part and move on to the fact they were fucking polar bears (which makes about as much sense as an inukshuk in Vancouver).
I'm sure they were fine, really. I just have a reflexive hate for all things Calgary.
Hmmm.... Considering that most Olympic mascots are directed at little kid, I think they've something appropriate. Cute, Canadian in its diversity/origin and obviously dressed for winter. I'm sold on it.
Re: "decision by committee." Early this year the 2010 Olympics folks circulated a call for submissions for these mascots--they requested fully fleshed-out work from hundreds of Canadian designers and illustrators (myself included). I have a feeling that'd provide a pool of ideas large enough that excessive committee "steering" wouldn't be needed.
Here's the firm that was selected:
www.meomi.com
I'd say the mascots are typical of what they do.
Yrs.,
R.
Thanks for the helpful link to your employer's website. Now we know who to blame for these abortions.
More "Vancouver", if you ask me:
starpulse.com/Television/South_Park/gallery/1037532/
littlefury: Were the 1988 Games not in Canada? Were they not the Winter Games? Given those aspects, please explain how polar bears were inappropriate? Especially in comparison the ridiculous Vancouver mascot selections.
Apply the same questions to the inukshuk, and it's obvious I have no problem with it either. Besides, it's a great symbol. Somehow that was achieved without splicing 14 different things together.
Anonymous R: My problem is the slicing and dicing of a variety of symbols to create a couple mutant mascots. There's no reason they couldn't make a thunderbird, or an orca, or a bear (Spirit or otherwise) that would appeal to kids.
Sacamano's defence of the Calgary Olympics should be a read flag for everyone out there. That's just wrong.
Little-known fact: Hidy and Howdy were *supposed to be* snowboarding sea bears, but got toned down after focus groups.
Cute, Canadian in its diversity/origin and obviously dressed for winter.
That's precisely why they are so funny. They just scream cliche. Hence my prediction on this two years ago. Now, a bold decision would have been a trio of heroin addict mascots going on strike. That's ballsy. That's the Vancouver I know.
Little-known fact: Hidy and Howdy were *supposed to be* snowboarding sea bears, but got toned down after focus groups.
See? Matt gets it!
Now, a bold decision would have been a trio of heroin addict mascots going on strike. That's ballsy. That's the Vancouver I know.
in order to strike, you need to have a job to begin with. most of the vanouverites (aka "flakes") i know spend all their time scheming up ways of making money, funny thing is, none of them have even tossed around the hair-brained scheme known as "getting a job".
Rod,
I think good character design is about avoiding certain kinds of cliches while retaining some kind of relevance. Going forward while looking back, I guess.
So, Meomi mined a culture relevant to the location (west coast Haida) and within it found inspiration in some legends that whitey hadn't heard before.
Andy: we should petition VANOC to go abstract expressionist.
Yrs.,
R
I don't have a problem with selecting things that whitey hasn't heard of before. Geez, how the hell did we get down this road?
Point is, pick something rather than squashing so many things into a single mascot. Sumi is the perfect example. Sumi could have been three mascots all on its own. Roll the story of all three together, and you still have Sumi's story, with all the native influences. As it is, Sumi is too many animals rolled into one.
Somebody was trying way too hard to satisfy too many viewpoints. Just pick something, rather than everything.
Rod,
don't worry--I wasn't suggesting you were intolerant or square. You and the different approaches to the mascot are AOK in my books.
Yrs.,
R.
Can we just go back to making fun of the overabundance of Canadian cliches that are in no way related to the day-to-day existence of 99% of Canadians, please?
Bunch of hosers...
Can we just go back to making fun of the overabundance of Canadian cliches that are in no way related to the day-to-day existence of 99% of Canadians, please?
So what would be a good mascot that related to the "day to day existence of Canadians?" Miga, the hybrid driving trophy wife? Quatchi, the lululemon wearing yoga bear?
I think the reason we always resort to cliche symbols of Canadian is because the alternatives are far worse.
Hey Andy, take off, eh. Just grab a tuque before leaving the igloo...it's a little cold out there to be dog-sledding. Even for a canoe head.
"that are in no way related to the day-to-day existence of 99% of Canadians"
Have you been to Vancouver-lately? You don't need to squint your eyes hard to make the connection between hello kitty and the designs for these mascots.
I'm not being racist. I'm from vancouver and my gf and all her friends luv the design. Honger pride. You'll see these mascots plastered on 99% of richmond, bc.
You forgot Mukmuk, the mythical marmot sidekick!
(Marmots are so mythical back home that they routinely waddle into traffic on the Trans-Canada.)
Here he is!
Honestly, if you get a chance, take a look at the comments on this story on The Globe's site — some pretty hilarious stuff.
Grey Wall is right...
These designs are guaranteed to make boatloads of money with Asian visitors and the Vancouver organizers know this. You can't get methadone without some cash in your pocket!
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Miga -- a snowboarding sea-bear inspired by the First Nations' legends of the Pacific Northwest.
I feel ripped off -- I spent hours in school being learned about First Nationa' legends, and my teachers never mentioned snowboarding ONCE.
# posted by 
: November 27, 2007 1:32 pm
: November 27, 2007 1:32 pm Quatchi is definitely the Smytty of Olympic mascots:
Because of his large size, he can be a little clumsy. But no one can question his passion. He knows that if he works hard and always does his best, he might one day achieve his dream. Quatchi is always encouraging his friends to join him on journeys across Canada. He is also often recruiting others to play hockey — or at least to take shots at him!
How could you have mentioned all those Canadian singers for the opening ceremonies and forget the resurrected Burton Cummings? Or Geddy Lee?
When I opened those descriptions just now, my approximate reaction (out loud, in an atrium full of people) was "What the fuck is that? Are you kidding?" Like...come on. They couldn't afford the rights to Bonhomme Carnivale, like you suggested? Or are they saving him for the next time Montreal hosts?
wow. they couldn't decide on a simple mascot. so they picked three, two of which are a genetic splicing experiment gone horribly wrong and the third a mythical creature best known for selling kokanee. maybe the sasquatch will eat the other to before the olympics thereby simplying it all for us.
heed: That was exactly my reaction. Couldn't narrow it down, so they Franken-spliced their way around the decision. Typical committee. Would it have been so hard to select two or three of: thunderbird, bear, orca and sasquatch? At least then people would have a shot at recognizing them. These things are a joke. "What If They Made It" belongs on Conan O'Brien, not as Olympic mascots.
Guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Vancouver clearly can't decide which direction to take in terms of design, so they cram everything into one. Or three in this case. The Canucks jersey was merely "Exhibit A".
# posted by : November 27, 2007 2:18 pm
: November 27, 2007 2:18 pm Vancouver clearly can't decide which direction to take in terms of design, so they cram everything into one.
One thing that is consistent is the co-opting and subsequent watering-down of First Nations symbols and archetypes.
But they are still better than Hedy and Howdy.
But they are still better than Hedy and Howdy.
The hell they are! Hidy and Howdy were fantastic mascots.
Cute, punny, western themed. What's not to love?
I also think the Calgary Olympic snowflake composed entirely of small 'c's for Calgary and big 'C's for Canada was fantastic.
Cute, punny, western themed. What's not to love?
Start with the "western themed" part and move on to the fact they were fucking polar bears (which makes about as much sense as an inukshuk in Vancouver).
I'm sure they were fine, really. I just have a reflexive hate for all things Calgary.
Hmmm.... Considering that most Olympic mascots are directed at little kid, I think they've something appropriate. Cute, Canadian in its diversity/origin and obviously dressed for winter. I'm sold on it.
Re: "decision by committee." Early this year the 2010 Olympics folks circulated a call for submissions for these mascots--they requested fully fleshed-out work from hundreds of Canadian designers and illustrators (myself included). I have a feeling that'd provide a pool of ideas large enough that excessive committee "steering" wouldn't be needed.
Here's the firm that was selected:
www.meomi.com
I'd say the mascots are typical of what they do.
Yrs.,
R.
# posted by : November 27, 2007 3:40 pm
: November 27, 2007 3:40 pm Thanks for the helpful link to your employer's website. Now we know who to blame for these abortions.
More "Vancouver", if you ask me:
starpulse.com/Television/South_Park/gallery/1037532/
littlefury: Were the 1988 Games not in Canada? Were they not the Winter Games? Given those aspects, please explain how polar bears were inappropriate? Especially in comparison the ridiculous Vancouver mascot selections.
Apply the same questions to the inukshuk, and it's obvious I have no problem with it either. Besides, it's a great symbol. Somehow that was achieved without splicing 14 different things together.
Anonymous R: My problem is the slicing and dicing of a variety of symbols to create a couple mutant mascots. There's no reason they couldn't make a thunderbird, or an orca, or a bear (Spirit or otherwise) that would appeal to kids.
# posted by : November 27, 2007 3:54 pm
: November 27, 2007 3:54 pm Sacamano's defence of the Calgary Olympics should be a read flag for everyone out there. That's just wrong.
Little-known fact: Hidy and Howdy were *supposed to be* snowboarding sea bears, but got toned down after focus groups.
# posted by : November 27, 2007 4:15 pm
: November 27, 2007 4:15 pm Cute, Canadian in its diversity/origin and obviously dressed for winter.
That's precisely why they are so funny. They just scream cliche. Hence my prediction on this two years ago. Now, a bold decision would have been a trio of heroin addict mascots going on strike. That's ballsy. That's the Vancouver I know.
Little-known fact: Hidy and Howdy were *supposed to be* snowboarding sea bears, but got toned down after focus groups.
See? Matt gets it!
Now, a bold decision would have been a trio of heroin addict mascots going on strike. That's ballsy. That's the Vancouver I know.
in order to strike, you need to have a job to begin with. most of the vanouverites (aka "flakes") i know spend all their time scheming up ways of making money, funny thing is, none of them have even tossed around the hair-brained scheme known as "getting a job".
Rod,
I think good character design is about avoiding certain kinds of cliches while retaining some kind of relevance. Going forward while looking back, I guess.
So, Meomi mined a culture relevant to the location (west coast Haida) and within it found inspiration in some legends that whitey hadn't heard before.
Andy: we should petition VANOC to go abstract expressionist.
Yrs.,
R
# posted by : November 27, 2007 4:47 pm
: November 27, 2007 4:47 pm I don't have a problem with selecting things that whitey hasn't heard of before. Geez, how the hell did we get down this road?
Point is, pick something rather than squashing so many things into a single mascot. Sumi is the perfect example. Sumi could have been three mascots all on its own. Roll the story of all three together, and you still have Sumi's story, with all the native influences. As it is, Sumi is too many animals rolled into one.
Somebody was trying way too hard to satisfy too many viewpoints. Just pick something, rather than everything.
# posted by : November 27, 2007 5:15 pm
: November 27, 2007 5:15 pm Rod,
don't worry--I wasn't suggesting you were intolerant or square. You and the different approaches to the mascot are AOK in my books.
Yrs.,
R.
# posted by : November 27, 2007 5:26 pm
: November 27, 2007 5:26 pm Can we just go back to making fun of the overabundance of Canadian cliches that are in no way related to the day-to-day existence of 99% of Canadians, please?
Bunch of hosers...
Can we just go back to making fun of the overabundance of Canadian cliches that are in no way related to the day-to-day existence of 99% of Canadians, please?
So what would be a good mascot that related to the "day to day existence of Canadians?" Miga, the hybrid driving trophy wife? Quatchi, the lululemon wearing yoga bear?
I think the reason we always resort to cliche symbols of Canadian is because the alternatives are far worse.
Hey Andy, take off, eh. Just grab a tuque before leaving the igloo...it's a little cold out there to be dog-sledding. Even for a canoe head.
# posted by : November 27, 2007 6:25 pm
: November 27, 2007 6:25 pm "that are in no way related to the day-to-day existence of 99% of Canadians"
Have you been to Vancouver-lately? You don't need to squint your eyes hard to make the connection between hello kitty and the designs for these mascots.
I'm not being racist. I'm from vancouver and my gf and all her friends luv the design. Honger pride. You'll see these mascots plastered on 99% of richmond, bc.
# posted by : November 27, 2007 7:52 pm
: November 27, 2007 7:52 pm You forgot Mukmuk, the mythical marmot sidekick!
(Marmots are so mythical back home that they routinely waddle into traffic on the Trans-Canada.)
Here he is!
Honestly, if you get a chance, take a look at the comments on this story on The Globe's site — some pretty hilarious stuff.
Grey Wall is right...
These designs are guaranteed to make boatloads of money with Asian visitors and the Vancouver organizers know this. You can't get methadone without some cash in your pocket!
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