Munich 1972 Summer Olympics

Following on from the previous post on the Mexico 1968 Summer Olympics Radio Times feature here are some more images from that era. The ’72 Olympics are considered ground breaking in their approach to design,  typography and merchandise.

Extracts from munich72.org:

The design work was led by Otl Aicher who sought to project the lightness of the Bavarian landscape and the character of southern Germany. Aicher’s team developed a range of material which is probably best remembered for the innovative and exemplary series of posters; and a range of pictorial symbols which subsequently has been adopted and extended worldwide with considerable commercial success, thanks to Aicher’s close collaboration with the German lighting manufacturer ERCO.

The colour palette was one of the most significant aspects of the identity. It was based upon the heraldic colours of Bavaria, light blue and white (as used by BMW and the Hofbräuhaus brewery). Aicher chose these, together with the light green of the Bavarian alpine landscape, as the principal elements to provide a light palette (which required bespoke ink formulations). The lightness of colour was reflected in the adoption of a light typeface (Univers 55). The colours in the German national flag were expressly excluded.

This is an Illustrated London News Special Publication produced in conjunction with Young World Productions Ltd on behalf of the British Olympic Association. Many thanks for Jan Roscoe for allowing us to photograph this memorabilia. She competed in Munich ’72 and Montreal ’76 as a 400m runner for Great Britain.

More images can be seen on our Flickr.

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