Now we come to the gold standard. From a pure design standpoint, I’ve always found this to be a little infantile. But the fact is, it’s a classic: plowed fields of grain, under the sunrise of a new tomorrow… all in the shpe of the “O.” “O” for Obama, of course. But also “O” for The One. The circle. Complete and self-contained. Sunrise and prosperity within the circle of life, and outside it nothing but barren emptiness. In terms of what it evokes it is a masterpiece, and the way the Obama team used it, and continues to use it, is absolutely brilliant.

Notice how all of the traditional American iconography – the eagle, the stars, the flag, the motto: “e PLURIBUS UNUM – all are slowly fading...

Now we come to the gold standard. From a pure design standpoint, I’ve always found this to be a little infantile. But the fact is, it’s a classic: plowed fields of grain, under the sunrise of a new tomorrow… all in the shpe of the “O.” “O” for Obama, of course. But also “O” for The One. The circle. Complete and self-contained. Sunrise and prosperity within the circle of life, and outside it nothing but barren emptiness. In terms of what it evokes it is a masterpiece, and the way the Obama team used it, and continues to use it, is absolutely brilliant.

Notice how all of the traditional American iconography – the eagle, the stars, the flag, the motto: “e PLURIBUS UNUM – all are slowly fading out into a diffuse, heavenly glow, receding into the mists of memory, leaving only the glowing sun, the “O” pulling your eye into the future. And there are some very subtle and disturbing things here, as well. The American eagle isn’t perched, to remain here forever, but rather seems to be on the verge of flying away. The flag is falling. The stars are dissipating into the void. Our national motto: E PLURIBUS UNUM – “Out of many, One” is virtually unreadable.. . more like letters stamped in soft sand.

The only thing that is sharp and well-defined is the circle, the One, the “O.” That is what is permanent and immovable. Everything else is fading away. You think this is an accident? Think again.