From tacky tourist trap to design museum darling, discover the juicy story behind the “I heart NY” logo’s rise to fame and its recent facelift.
To many, the ‘I heart NY’ has been equivalent to summer vacations in the big apple – a harmless souvenir that everybody that visited New York in the early 2010s seemed to bring back home with them. In high school, owning ‘I ♥ NY’ merch was the epitome of cool. It’s appeal soon died down, becoming what Gen-Z now classify as ‘cheugy’, or simply extremely touristic, but little do people know about the story behind what to many, has always seemed like a clever marketing campaign.
The ‘I Heart NYC’ Logo
Milton Glaser’s “I ♥ NY” logo is undoubtedly one of the most iconic designs in the history of graphic design. Created in 1977 as part of a campaign launched amidst an urban crisis in New York City, the logo has since become synonymous with the big apple, and has been replicated as souvenir merchandise for a bunch of other major metropolis. The design has been adapted for a variety of purposes, and has become a symbol of love and pride for millions of people around the world.
The inspiration for the logo came to Glaser while he was in the back of a taxi cab on his way to a meeting. He scribbled the design on the back of an envelope, and it was later refined and polished into the final graphics that we know today. The logo featured a simple, bold heart shape with the letters “NY” inside with a typeface of a custom designed sans-serif font aiming to be modern and timeless.
The logo was created during a particularly difficult time for New York City. In the 1970s, the city was struggling with a high crime rate, a declining economy, and a negative reputation in the media. The “I ♥ NY” campaign was designed to promote tourism and encourage visitors to see the city in a more positive light. Glaser’s logo was a key component of the campaign, and it quickly became the most recognizable element of the entire effort.
In addition to its commercial success, the logo has also been celebrated in the design community and has won numerous awards, including a spot in the Design Museum’s “50 Designs that Changed the World” exhibit. Glaser himself has become a legend in the industry, and his work has influenced countless designers around the world.
Despite its widespread popularity, the “I heart NYC” logo has not been without its controversies. In 2009, the state of New York filed a lawsuit against a company that was selling “I ♥ NY” merchandise without permission. The company argued that the logo had become a part of the public domain, and that anyone should be allowed to use it. The case was eventually settled out of court, but it raised important questions about the ownership and use of iconic designs.
The New Design
Now, 46 years after its creation, the iconic logo is a thing of the past. The re-vamp comes as a New York City council initiative aiming to encourage optimism and positivity post-pandemic, and features a change in typeface, as well as more dimension to its heart shaped graphic. It has also changed from the more individualistic ‘I heart NYC’ to ‘We heart NYC’, yet another hint at the city’s efforts of underlying elements of the collective.
Change doesn’t always come easy and so was the case for the new logo, designed by graphic designer Graham Clifford. It suffered backlash from Adobe’s executive Vice Presidents, claiming it lacked lacked “anything that feels timeless or iconic”. Others have criciticed the logo’s inconsistent spacing or its blandness.
Indeed, the success of a logo depends on a variety of factors, such as the context in which it is used, the target audience, and how well it resonates with people. It is possible that the new “We heart NYC” logo may face resistance from those who are attached to the original design, but it may also appeal to a new generation of New Yorkers who are looking for a fresh perspective on the city’s identity. Ultimately, only time will tell how the public will embrace the new logo and whether it will become as iconic as its predecessor. One thing is for sure, though: the “I heart NY” logo will always have a special place in the hearts of many people around the world.
Overall, the redesign of the “I heart NY” logo reflects the changing times and the city’s efforts to adapt and move forward. Whether it will be as successful as the original remains to be seen, but it is a reminder that even the most iconic designs can benefit from a refresh from time to time. It also raises important questions about the ownership and use of iconic designs, as the “I heart NYC” logo has become more than just a marketing tool but a cultural symbol that represents the city and its people.
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