
The three design principles I will be discussing in review of the 2020 Green Party Presidential candidate’s (Howie Hawkins) logo are as follows: color, font, and content.
First, the colors are muted versions of green that are pleasing to the eye, sparingly used, and appropriate for identifying the Green Party. Since only two shades of green are used, the logo is appealing rather than confusing, and interesting rather to monotonous. It would be very difficult for anyone to misconstrue the logo as for any other political party.
Second, the two fonts used are similar enough to remain streamlined while establishing a hierarchy of importance. For instance, the actual logo is the largest size while the descriptions decrease in size and boldness as the eye travels downward.
Third, the bolded “H” is of eerie resemblance to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Democratic campaign logo that was widely mocked for its lack of substance. In contrast to Clinton’s logo, the “H” is more appropriate in this context because the letter stands for both of Hawkins’s initials; also, the addition of a bold “’20” adds more character to the design. As a stand-alone logo, the design appears as more of an advertisement for water than a presidential candidate, unfortunately. It kind of makes sense due to his strong stance on environmental issues but can be comedically distracting. The “Black Power” fist within the zero also identifies Hawkins’s respect for social justice issues.
