Well a congratulations is in order for the City of Rio. Now the real work begins.

Since returning from London, and reading continued news on the upcoming London Games – as well as close-minded blogs on their dislike of the 2012 logo. I’ve been very interested to see what will be the next evolution of the 2016 Olympic logo will look like.

Real Life Branding has pulled together some of the more recent Olympic logos – showing you what they originally looked like when the featured city was vying to be selected as the host city. Adjacent to each is the final brandmark used for each city’s Olympic Games.

Since all but the most recent 2012 logo was designed as part of a general design competition – there were really no rules or design objectives that were put in place – other than represent the country in some manner.  When I say rules, I’m speaking of branding guidelines. Something that would have a more concrete purpose to fulfill rather than to just look pretty.

Since I have an architectural background – I would liken this to having a client give me a piece of property and tell me to “design something.” What does that mean? Whereas if that client had given me a 40-acre parcel in Napa Valley and told me that they loved to entertain, typically 8 to 18 guests – that would tend to set up some boundaries.  Imagine this same property and the client said that he and his wife liked the quiet views of the valley and reading books.  Would those not be two very different homes?

It’s been quite humorous to have read blog postings of various designers who criticized the 2012 logo – knowing that they’ve never read the brand brief. As well as having never traveled to London to understand what the culture of the city is like. For this aspect, I’m truly looking forward to the London Games – giving London the opportunity to show off their new brandmark in its best light.

So my biggest curiosity for the moment is to see how the city of Rio will treat this new task at hand? Will they return to the mediocrity of the past Olympic brandmarks?  Or will they forge ahead, continuing the new vocabulary that people like Frank Gehry have given to architecture, and Wolff Olins has given to branding of the 2012 Games?

We’re always please to hear good news about our clients. Most recently Cabot Vineyards earned a 90-point score from Robert Parker on their Kimberly’s Syrah.

Here’s the full article:

ORLEANS — Cabot Vineyards has caught the attention of Robert Parker, world-renowned wine critic and editor of The Wine Advocate. Parker awarded a score of 90, for an “outstanding or special effort,” to Cabot’s 2006 Kimberly’s Syrah.

Winemaker John Cabot said he was surprised and pleased by the favorable review.

“Our wines are the first wines grown and produced in Humboldt County to be reviewed by Parker,” Cabot said. “The county’s potential to produce great wines is finally getting discovered on a larger scale.”

TIME Magazine calls Parker the most influential voice in the wine industry worldwide. Parker samples 10,000 wines a year for The Wine Advocate, an international magazine in circulation for more than 30 years. In his tasting notes, Parker wrote: “ The Kimberly’s Syrah exhibits plenty of earth, cassis, roasted herb, and crushed berry characteristics in an elegant, layered, medium to full-bodied, attractive, soft style.”

According to Parker’s scoring system for The Wine Advocate, “90-100 is equivalent to an ‘A’ grade and is given only for an outstanding or special effort. Wines in this category are the very best produced of their type.” Located in Orleans along the Klamath River valley, Cabot Vineyards is the northernmost vineyard and winery in California. It is owned by John and Kimberly Cabot, Humboldt State graduates who started as organic farmers selling their produce at farmers’ markets. They started making wine in 2001 and won their first gold medal by 2002.

“The 2006 Kimberly’s Syrah is made from organic Syrah grapes grown in Orleans that we planted in 2003,” Cabot said. “ The vineyard is very rocky and the grapes are small and concentrated. We also coferment organic Viognier with the Syrah, which aids in stabilizing the abundant color in Syrah. It’s amazing that a white grape can help make Syrah more colorful. The Viognier also boosts the aromatics in the wine with its tropical and floral nose.”

The 2006 Kimberly’s Syrah and other award-winning varietals are available in area markets, wine sho ps, restaurants and online at http:// www.cabotvineyards. com. Seven new wines are set for release next spring.

Cabot Vineyards can be reached at 530-469-3397.