Westchester County roasted for new logo resembling dating app Hinge
Westchester County residents are swiping left when it comes to their local government’s new logo — griping it’s a turn-off because it looks like the trademark for the dating app Hinge.
There is a squiggly line that goes through the “H” letter in the Hinge logo — as it does for the redesigned Westchester one, critics note.
“Quite frankly, this is embarrassing. It’s a shame that money was wasted for this design,” Iris Schlesinger wrote on the county’s Facebook page.
The new logo was unveiled as a parting gift by Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who is vacating the office after getting elected to Congress.
County spokeswoman Catherine Cioffi refused to say how much public money was spent on the panned redesign.
The project also included two other new logos featuring “WCNY” — which a hater ripped as looking “like an early 90s radio station logo.”
“Great choice,” Alan Cole wrote. “WCNY is the PBS TV/radio station I listen to. Mostly classical music on the radio but a good Bluegrass show from 9 to midnight on Sundays.”
Of the “Westchester County” design, Rosanna Perretta Spadini quipped, “This is so bad that it’s made me care about something I didn’t think I cared about.”
Ken Frawley cracked, “How much did you pay the person to come up with that description for a squiggly line?”
Graphic designer Marcy Rauch said, “It’s a poor logo that’s outdated before it’s out of the gate. Sigh.”
As for the “WCNY” logo, Fiona Russo noted that “WC” is the code for “toilet in a bunch of countries, so WC NY?”
The group North Salem Republicans wrote, “The old one looks so much better. What a waste of taxpayer dollars.”
The county worked with the Alexandria, Va.-based ad firm Joy Riot to craft the logos.
“Maybe because the agency is out of Virgina and not even local to us?” Rich Lamendola suggested of the issues. “Trying to make sense of it and coming up empty-handed.”
Jessica Silverman wrote, “This will end up like the mustard-colored license plate …changed in a few years.
“Taxpayer money wasted is right. Such a shame,” Silverman said.
Latimer defended the “bold new logo,” with his office saying the rebranding initiative coincided with a mandate requiring the county government to transition its webpage from a “.com” domain to a “.gov,” rendering the old logo, which prominently featured the county’s website address, obsolete.
“The residents of Westchester County are linked. This connection is symbolized by the hook that seamlessly joins the C and H in our logo,” Latimer said in a statement. “We’re linked by rail, road, and air. By culture. And most importantly, by choice.”
The colors of the new logo were chosen to reflect the county’s rich history and diverse character — “Columbia Blue” for history, “Dark Green” for the environment and “Indigo Dye” for the county’s waterways, Latimer said.
Westchester spokeswoman Cioffi brushed off the criticism.
“Anytime there is change, you can expect some negative reactions,” the rep said Sunday. “When a decision involves style, people will always have varying opinions. While we have received a very positive response overall, those with negative thoughts tend to be more vocal on social media.’
“At this time, we remain committed to moving forward, confident in the thoughtful process that led to this decision,” she said. “This project involved numerous rounds of public input and design reviews.
“Engaging with the public was not just important—it was essential to creating a new brand that resonates with our community. After thorough review and voting, this logo was selected. We are proud of it, as it embodies many elements that make Westchester County unique.”
Cioffi added that the rebranding marks an “exciting new chapter for Westchester County, and we look forward to sharing it with everyone.”
Latimer, who has served as county executive for 7 years, defeated Rep. Jamaal Bowman in the Democratic primary for the 16th House district covering much of Westchester and portions of The Bronx in June. He easily won the general election last week and will be sworn in Friday.
