Why Portugal's controversial logo reversal is sad news for graphic design

Government of Portugal logo
(Image credit: Government of Portugal)

We're strong advocates for the importance of logo design, but we have to wonder if it should be a national government's top priority when taking office. Alas, one of the first measures announced by Portugal's new prime minister Luís Montenegro is to reverse the government's supposedly 'woke' logo redesign of last year, adding yet another layer of controversy to the saga.

Sure, some people disliked Eduardo Aires's short-lived design for various reasons. For some, it was too simplistic, taking the minimalist logo trend too far. For others, it was an affront to tradition because it dropped longstanding national symbols. Some may have misunderstood the purpose of the design and believed it to be replacing the national flag. And some just thought a logo redesign of any kind was a waste of public money. The latter argument is certainly the case now, considering that the logo's being withdrawn after less than a year.

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Joe Foley

Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.

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