Wanted: Logo for Super City

Aucklanders are being given the opportunity to design a logo for the new Super City.

"This should be something that is designed, owned and supported by the people of Auckland," says Mark Ford, executive chairman of the agency tasked with rolling eight councils into the Super City by November next year.

Mr Ford said the Auckland Transition Agency plans to do a stocktake of councils' existing logos and early next year ask anyone who thinks they can do better to get involved.

"I favour the idea of a public competition with everyone, from school children to professionals, submitting their designs," he said.

The agency is required to come up with a logo for the Super Auckland Council for electoral purposes.

Auckland has a knack of designing logos that turn sour.

In 2001, adman Mike Hutcheson proposed a new slogan/logo for Auckland, Auckland "A" as part of the Auckland Festival. The idea was rapidly panned.

Auckland City chief executive David Rankin got into strife when he imposed a more "metaphorical" wavy blue logo on the new council immediately after the 2007 local body elections. A council source said the rebranding exercise cost $1 million. The council put the cost at $329,000.

In September last year, the business arm of the Auckland Regional Council came up with a lava-coloured letter A frayed at the edges to provide a broader promotional image than City of Sails. It cost $174,000.