Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games: XXVI Olympic Summer Games 1996

Published in Global Brand Identity Design Collection

In the summer of 1996, the city of Atlanta hosted the Centennial Olympic Games. More than four years prior to the games, ACOG had set out to create a symbol that would both identify the games of the XXVI Olympiad and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic movement. The symbol would be used to identify all publicity, promotions, activities, and retail merchandising surrounding the Atlanta event. It would also be used by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and more than 100 worldwide Olympic committees to celebrate the centennial.

Challenge

Landor’s task was to create a unique symbol that would be immediately recognizable, appropriate for a prestigious worldwide event, and adaptable to a vast number of applications, including stationery, print, advertising, signs, posters, banners, television, apparel, and other merchandise. The symbol would have to be enthusiastically embraced not only by ACOG but by the national news media, the city of Atlanta, and the IOC.

Solution

The “Atlanta Centennial Torch” was developed from 500 sketches submitted by designers throughout the Landor global office network. The torch embodied a classical Greek column incorporating the five Olympic rings supported by the numeral 100. The flame rising from the torch evolved into a perfect star symbolizing athletic aspiration and achievement. In many applications, gold replaced the five-color Olympic rings to mark the centennial. The symbol had its global launch at the closing ceremonies of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.