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Society for Political Change
Answered by Edvard Smiltēns, Party’s Board Member
How would you describe your party’s logo?
Currently the logo includes the name of the party and its dominant colour is white. Although it may seem that white is not a colour, and everyone else chooses bright colours, white can be interpreted as the colour of hope and cleansing, and in this way it relates to the aims of the party. The colour red is used as an accent; it is the most active colour and symbolises action and progress. In this way we wish to demonstrate this idea of hope and light. Compared with other party logos, the font that has been used is finer and more practical; it indicates the intelligence and competence of the party members.
Have you consciously avoided having a symbol in your logo?
We have discussed this a lot. Although our vision is clear, we are still searching for a graphic symbol that would express it. A concrete thing or object would be much easier to show than an aim or a principle, which is an incredibly complicated visualisation. We are not in a hurry to make a decision, because we consider this to be a serious step. If we eventually come out with a graphic symbol, I doubt that it will be easy to change later on. I think that political parties need to be conservative with regard to symbols, unless the party’s direction changes drastically. The various options for a logo are initially discussed by the Board and afterwards they are presented to party members. This relates to the concept of ideas coming from society itself, in this case – from that part of society who are members of the party. The graphic execution of the idea is implemented by advertising agencies, also offering their vision.
How did you decide which advertising agencies to approach?
We considered their previous work. The most active and professional agencies are well known by marketing and public relations specialists.
If you were working with talented graphic designers then why do you think you didn’t find the real solution?
I think that in life it rarely happens the way that people sometimes describe love – everything clicks, and you lose your mind! Talking about the logo, rarely do you find something that you see and understand immediately – yes, this is just what I need! Unfortunately this is the reality, and all things are usually created in a gradual way, thinking about them and improving them over time. Serious things are not created in a second, or if they are, this is incredible luck.
How important is the logo for the success of the party?
My subjective opinion is that the logo, of course, represents the idea and is very important when the party is presenting itself, because it reinforces the aims and ambitions of the party and communicates this information in a graphic form. However, I myself as an average citizen, before I became involved in politics, did not analyse these logos and I simply viewed them as a sign of recognition.
For Human Rights in United Latvia
Answered by Jurijs Petropavlovskis, party member and Director of the Media Programme of the pre-election campaign
Why have you used specifically this colour combination in your logo?
Firstly, the colour combinations that are used by other parties are not possible for us. Not prohibited, but rather they are not possible, because it is not worth paying for and working towards the promotion of colours that are foreign to us. Secondly, For Human Rights in United Latvia (Latvian: Par cilvēktiesībām vienotā Latvijā – PCTVL) is an ethnic party, which represents the interests and culture of the Russian speaking population. There are countless colour combinations that can be found in Russian folk costumes, although it seems that a blue sarafan (traditional Russian dress) with red embroidery and a white pearl contour and the so called kokoshnik (traditional Russian head-dress) create an image which possibly could be seen as the ideal of Russian identity – that is why red and blue on a white background corresponds with the essence of our party. That is also the colour combination of the Russian flag. Thirdly, red is a symbol of dynamism, activity and courage, which goes well with the leftist policies of our party in the social sphere.
How was the bee symbol chosen?
That was totally accidental. In Russian it is not convenient to pronounce our party’s acronym, and the press just gave us this name, thinking that it will be easier to present us in this way. At that time many people, including Mr. Jurkans and also comrade Rubiks were very, very against it, because the statutes of the party did not include anything about that. Everyone was thinking about what it would sound like in Latvian and what it would mean in Latvian, but eventually it ended up being “about bees”. It is fate, the alignment of the stars. In a paradoxical way the architecture and lifestyle of bee colonies relate to our core values. These values are collectivism and the spirit of solidarity – all for one and one for all.
Which artist created this symbol?
I don’t want to mention the artist’s name, because that person is very reserved and I am not sure if he would want to advertise that he has created the bee symbol. Politics is politics. The bee is just one element in the logo which I created myself; I have graduated from the Jānis Rozentāls Art High School and the Art Academy of Latvia.
The logo is regularly updated. Why?
As a marketing specialist I am never influenced by that which I like personally, because this would be unprofessional. People like the cute bee, a good creature that flies, carries honey, lives economically and that is also the image that the members of the party themselves find pleasing – it is the way they see and perceive themselves. However, cuteness is not competitive in modern society, so the logo has changed, turning into a more aggressive and dynamic version. It is no accident that I used the font Futura Bold – the logo has to radiate strength and conviction, because if you aren’t convinced about yourself, how can you convince others? Voters don’t choose people who doubt themselves, who are not strong.
Civic Union (CU)
Answered by Sandra Kalniete, the Chairman of the Board of the Party
How did you create your party’s logo?
CU is a national party, therefore we wished for the logo to include the carmine red colour of the Latvian flag, but we didn’t want any of the cumbersome solutions which would make it intrusive. We also shied away from using the word “Latvia” in the title of the party, considering it to be unethical to use or appropriate the name of Latvia to the identification of one particular political power. Thinking about that which could embody the national idea, a number of ideas appeared. Of course, most of them were fairly standard or banal – like a flag in the wind, oak leaves with a flag in the background etc. Someone suggested using the stars of the Freedom Monument, because they have a specific shape and they greatly differ from the five-pointed red Soviet stars. These stars, which symbolise Latvia’s historical regions, stand for the unity of the nation and the people. Starts are also present in the flag and other symbols of the European Union – the symbol of twelve stars. When choosing the font, we decided to use the same typeface that has been used in the lettering “For Fatherland and Freedom” on the Freedom Monument. The visual of the logo was created by artist Līga Vilnīte. Now we have begun to think how to include this simple and unpretentious logo into a style manual. Artists who are working on the visuals are young, and this, of course, is our preference (smiling), but they have absolutely no feel for conservative values. They are constantly trying to tell us that it is old-fashioned. The first sketches we received proved that the designers didn’t understand that we are not a business or some short-term partnership, but a political party which does not change its logo. The designers had used the most unimaginable, luminescent colours – bright green, bright yellow, approximately the same palette that is currently fashionable in design. Besides, we cannot use visual solutions that are not supported by people in the party. That is one of the problems, because in the party we have the older generation, and young people, who have just become of age. So we have to find a middle road, so that it doesn’t look like we are hopelessly old-fashioned, or anaemic beyond remedy.
How important is a logo for the success of the party?
I think that nothing is solved with a logo alone. In Latvian conditions, when we still have a post-totalitarian consciousness, the most important are the faces that stand behind a logo. Of course, the logo together with other elements of style is very important in terms of party recognition,.
Given your experience in the field of art, is it easier for you to work with designers?
I think it is definitely easier, because firstly, I don’t confuse literature with art; I have a much more abstract understanding than those who try to express the visual as something that can be conveyed by words. I think it is very difficult to work with a person who can’t tell you precisely what they want.
Are you lacking information about Latvian designers?
There is always someone who needs information when you work with large groups of people: the people who created this party have not just begun their lives, amongst them there are many, including myself, who have contacts in advertising agencies or amongst artists. Of course, I could ring Ilmārs Blumbergs or Laimonis Šēnbergs, who are artists of my generation, but their style is so familiar to the public that it would be like creating a stamp. The solution had to be neutral. It really isn’t difficult to find a designer today. In the same way that a new political party has to introduce themselves to the society, new and capable designers must make themselves known. There will always be someone who is more capable than others, but if they are not good at public relations, their road will be a lot more difficult. That’s life.
LPP/LC
Answered by Edgars Vaikulis, the Party’s Press Secretary
What is the history of your party’s logo?
With the formation of The First Party of Latvia in 2002, the initial logo was something that could now be called amateurish. When Ēriks Stendzenieks became involved, who is still our good friend and collaborative partner, he said that we shouldn’t waste any more resources on that party logo, when running for the 8th Parliamentary elections that were being held at that time. He offered his own vision, which included a symbol of creation and growth – a sprout. Initially that symbol did not seem appropriate to the party leader Ainārs Šlesers, but, trusting Ēriks Stendzenieks as a specialist, it was approved and used during the whole existence of the party. I think that the symbolism of the logo in conjunction with the purple colour and the name of the party were established in the consciousness of the people so firmly, that it appears that the word combination “First Party” has remained alive, even though the party has transformed. The logo of “The Way of Latvia” party was created in the early 1990s, and it remained practically unchanged until the end of its existence (as was explained by the former memeber Kārlis Leiškalns, the author of the visual part of the logo was Georgs Smelters – A.B.). A new identity was necessary in 2007, with the creation of a new political power which was not yet a party back then, but an alliance of six parties, and again Ēriks Stendzenieks gave his contribution. Stendzenieks considered it necessary to include everything that had been associated with the First Party of Latvia and The Way of Latvia in the new logo. Taking into account the certainty that the colour purple had become stabilised in the consciousnesses of the voters, political allies and competitors, it was clear that this colour should not be abandoned, while The Way of Latvia was one of the oldest parties in the nation, and we also could not afford to lose their historical baggage. A stylised symbol of a sprout has been used as a unifying symbol, which symbolises growth, the beginning of something new and at the same time a continuation of what has been before. The colour purple also includes a reference to Christianity, which is seen as the colour of hope, the colour of fasting, while the colour of The Way of Latvia logo, which has been retained in the logo, is derived from the colour of the Latvian flag. With the conclusion of the process of formation and transformation of the party, we have arrived at a possibly unpretentious solution.
Why do you present yourself as unpretentious?
There are things that happen on their own. Of course, the change of a logo must be accompanied by careful analysis and discussion. However, as we have now presented ourselves, and everyone knows about this process of merging, I think that the sign of identification cannot be too intrusive. At the moment people are more articulate than a symbol or some other associative element: powerful personalities. The artist possibly sees things differently, but for a politician the most important thing is politics itself and its implementation. For example, if Ivars Godmanis had to distribute press releases, it is possible that he would write “LPP/LC” in any colour – blue, purple or red – because he would undoubtedly be indifferent to the colours. As I myself have worked closely with Ēriks Stendzenieks, I would put in the effort to make sure the press release was correctly set out, so that it included the symbolism of the party. These, of course, are differing approaches. Ēriks Stendzenieks said “You won’t get far with this thing!” about the initial LPP logo.
Union of Greens and Farmers
Answered by Aivars Berķis, the Party’s Municipal Government Election Coordinator
How big a role does the history of the Latvian Farmers’ Union play when creating its current identity?
The party was renewed in 1990, with the participation of original members of the Latvian Farmers’ Union from 1917. We took over the statutes from that era, the programme, also badges and other regalia. We didn’t think hard about the logo, we have kept it practically unchanged. I haven’t been successful in finding its author. It has been slightly stylised over time. The logo contains an ear of grain, a three-leaf clover and an open book. The ear of grain is a symbol of fertility, prosperity and plenty. The clover represents attachment, compassion and selflessness. It is a leaf that grows closest to the earth, which testifies its trust in the earth. This sign is used by every nation of farmers. The scout movement also uses the clover, but with four leaves – which has the meaning of the lucky leaf. The book symbolises wisdom and knowledge. In the previous times everyone was much more interested in these things, and knew about them. Flags were also in fashion, and we have a proud sample, which no other party has – made of heavy fabric, with embroidery and fringes. When the activity of the Farmers’ Union was halted in 1934, these flags were donated to and stored at the Museum of History. We have ordered a precise copy: this is our history. In honour of the 80th anniversary of our party we had a special badge of honour made – made of silver, with a gold-plated ear of grain.
Does your constituency know you by your logo?
Yes, they know the logo, without a doubt. An idea appeared, that the party had to create a different name, because people associate the words “Farmers’ Union” only with farmers, and as a result of much discussion the words “centrist party” were added, to indicate our place in the spectrum of political parties. This name is officially registered, but in reality it is very difficult to introduce a new brand, and I think that we have not yet been successful. Since we participated in the elections and worked in the Parliament together with Latvian Green Party, I have felt that the concepts are starting to merge, and now people tend to say “the green farmers”. We use both logos, because the parties exist separately (as was explained by Viesturs Silenieks, Co-Chairman of the Latvian Green Party, members of the party are responsible for the idea and visual rendering of the logo – A.B.)
How important is the logo for the success of the party?
I think that it is quite important, because in many situations people make decisions based on emotions, rather than judgements. It is not possible to remember the party’s entire programme and all the explanations, but sometimes we like that which we can’t explain, and that’s it!
New Era (JL)
Answered by Ēriks Škapars, the General Secretary of the Party
A closed design competition was organised in 2002 to create the logo of the party. 17 artists were invited to participate, who were allowed to enter an unlimited number of works. Not only the leader of the party, Einārs Repše, and the Board took part in the evaluation, but also invited experts, amongst them art historian Ramona Umblija and Laimonis Šēnbergs. Three solutions were presented for the final, their authors – Holgers Elers, Sanita Kreidere-Krīgere and Sandra Belsone. Versions of the logo were improved, taking into account the recommendations of the committee, and later, surveying the results, Sandra Belsone’s version was chosen as the best.
Are you satisfied with the logo?
I think that over time the logo has proved its longevity, it is also relevant today, in the same way as it was relevant six years ago when the party was established. It is dynamic, directed towards movement and development. Bows and arrows, in my mind, have been in the human consciousness for tens of thousands of years. Of course, it is a weapon, but simultaneously it is also a tool, used for providing food. I expect that there may be divided feelings regarding this symbol, but, undeniably, it is one of the symbols that is impressed on the human psyche very, very deeply. When someone sees the logo, it is clear immediately – there will be no jokes here (smiling). I haven’t been very closely associated with the process of creating the logo, but I know that the dark blue colour was chosen as an alternative to grey, because it is more dynamic and active. Grey is grey and I think that it doesn’t express anything. Admittedly policemen, people who work on the road or drivers during hunting are dressed in bright clothes that attract attention. They are usually bright red or luminescent green. However, at times such colour schemes could bear resemblance of a parrot, where the brightness is not followed by the mind or action.
What is your opinion – is the potential of graphic design appreciated in Latvia?
We are still a nation of peasants, who hold nature close, and we prefer something that is direct and simple to understand. Speaking about design elements, perhaps the average Latvian doesn’t completely understand them, although it seems to me that we are slowly being educated.
“For Fatherland and Freedom”
Answered by Dzintars Rasnačs, Party Secretary for the 9th Parliament
How did you party’s logo come about?
The authors of the logo were two people – Jānis Jākobsons, whose contribution to the creation of our political organisation was enormous (he has since passed away), and the current Deputy Mayor of Riga, Andris Grīnbergs. They were both from the Academy of Science, the organization which was one of the most active participants in the national awakening. When the party was formed in 1993, they decided to use an ancient Indian sign in the logo, which is known in Latvia as the cross of the pagan goddess Laima. It is also woven into the popular Lielvārde belt, where it is embellished with a special ornament. The idea gained a concrete visual form when the two initiators visited artist Ilmārs Blumbergs – all three of them came to an agreement, and Ilmārs Blumbergs drew a sketch of the logo. It symbolises a rotating sun and signifies fertility, creation, a long life, blessings and luck. It is also a symbol of Latvian identity in the sense that ancient Latvians used this sign in many and various configurations. It appears everywhere – in folk costumes, mittens and scarves. Originally we used two differently coloured backgrounds – sky blue and silvery grey. And on these backgrounds the sign came forward more strongly, it looked almost spatial. The yellow background was introduced later, in the late 1990s. It was recommended by advertising experts, because the yellow background placed more emphasis on personalities – our action people, who were joining the election campaign at that time. Today, yellow is the party’s brand colour, although I am sure that advertising experts who have a deeper understanding of the uses of colour in campaigns could give other explanations.
How does the evaluation of visual solutions take place in your party?
Currently political parties work according to completely different principles than they did in the 1990s. Back then we based our work on enthusiasm. After consultation with specialists in particular fields and related fields, we did everything by ourselves. Today everything is done by advertising agencies, who consult with the parties, but this does not mean that they always do that which pleases politicians, because they will never be specialists in this field. Campaigns and the use of logos have become more professional, although the enthusiasm and dilettantism of the early years, when I was also the leader of a number of campaigns, had its own enjoyable aura.
Have you ever encountered inappropriate interpretations of this sign?
The sign that we have used does not provoke any negative emotions or associations with the swastika, because it is pointing in the opposite direction and is embellished with an additional ornamental decoration, however using this sign in an international context is more complex. For example, if I walked around in a t-shirt with our party’s logo in Germany, not everyone would understand, because the majority of the population is uneducated in this area. In Europe there were even suggestions to ban many of these ancient Indian symbols, not just the swastika. I think that the sign cannot be blamed if it is worn inappropriately, and the banning of ancient Indian symbolism could be interpreted as a lack of intelligence and knowledge. In Germany there were serious debates about this, and as a result scientists and organisations that are the experts of this field proved the unfounded reasoning behind this negative attitude.
The People’s Party
Answered by Kārlis Leiškalns, party member, Member of the 9th Parliament
How did the party’s logo come about? Who is its author?
The only person I could name as the author of the idea for the symbol, and possibly also the author of the sketch, is Andris Šķēle. The story, as I know it, is this: he received a lot of different designs from various artists, but none of them satisfied him. The idea was in the mind of God himself – that is, the leader. In this case it was the idea of Andris Šķēle, and within it he incorporated the philosophy of the party, which holds the family or two parents at the centre, who can create and bring up three children, until the children themselves are strong enough to continue the family line further. Here one can also see Christian values, “come, all ye faithful” – three children, who are protected by their parents with the help of their arms or in other ways, too. There is a lot of philosophy put into the symbol, similar to Mozart’s “Magic Flute”, from which all Masons have derived some meanings. I think it is possible that Andris Šķēle also drew the symbol himself. Sitting down in the evenings, possibly using some of the sketches that had been submitted, he created that which seemed the best to him. Artists are rarely interested in political parties. In my view, the People’s Party is the party whose members use their symbol the most in every day life, for example, everyone proudly wears a badge with the party’s logo. Of course, each badge is a testimony to group belonging, and, as the People’s Party is fairly hierarchical, it is rather important to convey that “I belong to the powers that are”, or “I belong to those who have the right ideas”. Personally, I am like a free spirit, my belonging to the group is less important than my individual freedom, therefore I don’t encumber myself with use of the symbol and badge – I don’t wear it, but, of course, I understand that it is necessary for others to do so.
You logo is the thing that everyone notices; everyone remembers the orange colour...
The orange colour is not an invention of the People’s Party; all so-called people’s parties attract attention to themselves in this way. In this case the colour is not a symbol; it is the same as a parrot having red feathers or a monkey having a large bottom. We are aware of the relationship between men and women, and political parties cannot escape these, they behave exactly the same way as people behave: how women behave, how men behave. For political parties, attention and love is much more important than for other social groups. Let’s say that silence or a good fishing rod is important for fishermen, yet they also create social groups. But the main aim of political parties is to attract attention, so conservative parties also have to find a way in which to express themselves. And when the symbol has been chosen, it has to be carried through their whole time of existence – on days when something goes wrong, and on days when everything is ok, because it becomes a tradition and a value, the same as grandma’s engagement ring that is passed on to her granddaughter.
Are more contemporary accents needed for the involvement of the younger generation?
The younger generation, with red lips and short skirts, make the same mistakes as the older generation, although the traditions that are maintained from generation to generation are unchanging rituals.
How important is a logo to the success of the party?
If the activities of the party itself are successful, if it gains power for itself at convenient times and its decisions are reflected positively in society, then in one instance people can look at this symbol as symbolising a strong family, while at that same time, in another situation, someone can turn against this symbol and see it as an unfulfilled promise. For example, “The Way of Latvia” symbol could be seen both as a sign with the colours of the Latvian flag, and as a closed shape, which leads you to a dead end. Therefore each symbol can be interpreted both for good and for evil; it is dependent on the situation and the size of the social group which associates itself with the party. You can colour what you like with symbols, you still can’t catch it!
Union of Political Parties “Harmony Centre”
Answered by Nils Ušakovs, the Chairman of the Board, and his assistant Svetlana Savicka
How did you decide which advertising agency or artist you were going to work with?
N. U.: In 2006 we organised a small tender, in which about ten authors participated – both amateurs and professionals. The tender, of course, was not real – it was advertised amongst my friend and close colleagues. As a result we received many different variations – there were interesting ones and, to put it mildly, completely boring, for example, with some kind of birds. In the very beginning I liked one author’s idea: we worked on that for some time and eventually got our logo – “the person”, that’s what we called it. A person at the centre of everything – that is the basis of our ideology – the State has to work for the good of each resident irrespective of their material welfare, place of residence, age, sex or ethnicity. I cannot tell you the name of the author, because he is a fairly well-known Latvian artist and he doesn’t want his name to be associated with any one particular political power. In 2008 we made some minor adjustments – now we use the red colour used by the European Social Democrats, because the Harmony Centre is a social democratic political union. We also introduced a more “modern” font, which is easy to use in printed advertising materials.
I have heard that parties avoid making changes to their logos.
S. S.: I think that’s not the right approach, because parties and politicians have to develop and grow, and must have a flexible attitude to the problems in the country. We are not afraid to change our logo a little, because we want to remain relevant to the current situation – economic, political and so on. We use our logo always and everywhere, we see it as our trade mark. I think it is important, because people see your logo and associate you with a specific organisation. The logo is included in all the informational materials; we have had some merchandise with the party logo – pens, reflectors, stickers and other things.
Did you consciously avoid using ethnically based symbols in your logo?
N. U.: It is precisely because we have a person in the centre of attention, irrespective of their nationality or native language; we do not use and will not use symbols that can be interpreted from an ethnic standpoint.
In your opinion, are there differences in Latvian and Russian visual perceptions, their taste?
N. U.: Today, taking into account globalisation – no.