I’m clearly behind the eight ball on this one, but I’ve only just discovered why a bunch of arts organisations have progressively been asking me to replace government logos on various web sites I look after for them.

Turns out in 2003 the Federal Government decided to ban logos for its 100 or so departments and agencies. So no longer would they have their own individual branding, but instead have a single common government brand.

Here’s some good commentary on the notion. How bizarre. Let’s remove the last vistage of art and design in government, and ban departments from using creative, visual communication to project their values to the community.

Instead it’s all been replaced with the ultimate in blandness.