A newly unveiled logo by the Tourism Department of the Spanish region of Castilla y León has sparked a wave of criticism on social media and beyond.
The design stands out primarily for its simplicity. The tourism department is responsible for its creation, which incurred no external costs. It features a very childishly executed composition of the official emblem of the Junta of Castilla y León: two stars, a tree, and the text “Turismo de Naturaleza” (Nature Tourism). The emblem is intended for businesses in the nature tourism sector. Due to its simplicity, it appears unprofessional and has generated significant debate. It was especially criticised on platforms like X (formerly Twitter).
Ahora enserio.
¿Qué significa esto?
¿Quieren que Castilla y León vuelva a salir en medios por lo chapucera que es tratando la imagen de sus marcas oficiales?Sea un borrador, haya costado 0€ externos… su sola presencia en la versión 2.3 del Proyecto de Decreto es desoladora https://t.co/ShF6arWAEq pic.twitter.com/ZlbtUncIYi
— ArquitecturaVA (@ArqVA) January 10, 2024
Confusion and mockery
Users on social media expressed their displeasure with the design. Moreover, some suggested it resembled children’s drawings. An notable reaction came from the X ArquitecturaVA account, which criticised the design, questioning whether this is the image Castilla y León wishes to project.
History repeats itself
Reactions indicate that this situation is reminiscent of a previous controversy. In September, the vice president of the same region introduced a logo that was later suspended. The design was alleged to have been plagiarised, leading to contractual disputes with the company YRG Comunicación & Emociones.
Provisional version
Despite the criticism, the region’s Tourism Department emphasises that the current logo is only a provisional version and subject to change. Furthermore, the design has incurred no costs so far, as it was created by an in-house employee. The design was included in a draft decree regulating nature tourism activities in the region. The specifications for the logo are also detailed in the decree, including the use of materials such as wood or metal and colours such as orange, green, and blue.
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