The Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency chose by open competition a project for the Polish logo which is to present the country at the Shanghai EXPO 2010. The Lowe Activation Agency is the author of the winning logo project and of the whole visual structure for the Polish participation in the event.

12 projects took part in the contest. All of them were consulted with two experts of Chinese origin, currently academic teachers at the Warsaw University, who assessed the projects in terms of the design’s clarity and intelligibility to the Chinese viewer. From among other criteria that were taken into account in the process of the logo selection artistic value, the clarity of the project’s message and the overall integrity with the Polish pavilion project played vital role.

The winning logo has got a simple form. The shape immediately brings to mind a high-rise edifice, a building that alludes to modernity and a robust growth. At the same time, however, the eye-ctaching traditional cut-out pattern of the design constitutes a fairly direct reference to the values of past traditions. What is worth emphasising is the fact that the logo does maintain and even stresses the aesthetic integrity with the project of the Polish pavilion for EXPO 2010.

Every element of the overall pattern used in the logo has its meaning and evokes connotations which are simultaneously refer to Poland and are understandable to a Chinese viewer. First of all, the motif of human figures aims at evoking the motto of the Polish approach to the 2010 EXPO theme i.e. “People create city”. The treble cleft stands for the rich Polish music traditions especially in the context of Fryderyk Chopin’s artistic work. A pen’s nib, which can also be found among major elements, reminds of the literary achievements and the Polish scholars’ academic oeuvre attained throughout centuries of the Polish universities’ academic activity. An eagle, the Polish national emblem, turns out to attract positive associations due to the eagle being a symbol of prosperity and effective management in Chinese mythology. What is important, not only do the used symbols bear reference to emblems easily understood by Chinese nationals but have an equally important meaning in both traditions. Interestingly, even the red colour results to be the luckiest colour in the Chinese folklore and stands for joy, happiness, prosperity, fame and wealth.

Yet the visual system representing the Polish presence at EXPO 2010 consists, apart from the logo, also in business cards, headed paper, invitations, envelopes, files, leaflets, posters, informative door plates for the Commissioner General of the Polish Section of EXPO 2010 as well as elements essential for the adjustment of the Polish EXPO 2010 website’s graphics (http://www.expo2010.com.pl)

From now on all informative and promotional materials used in the frame of Polish EXPO 2010 preparations and the exhibition as such will be embellished with the new logo and will comply with the new visual system.