Why did a tiny logo change cost GOV.UK so much?
GOV.UK — The UK government’s digital service reportedly spent around £532,000 to move a dot in its logo. Spending over half a million nudging a few pixels is a lot to stomach.
Several media outlets, including LBC, PublicTechnology, and DesignWeek, reported the figure. But so far, there’s no public document or a contract breakdown to verify where the money went.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has also declined to release its internal research or drafts, even when requested under the Freedom of Information (FOI) law.
“The UK Government has refused to release any research or work-in-progress designs related to the recent brand refresh of GOV.UK.” — Design Week.
Half a million quid is the equivalent of a house — or two. It could even feed thousands of families for a year, based on dividing £500,000 by the average monthly grocery cost per household. But instead, we get a logo with a subtle new look.
With the UK government already under pressure to fix a struggling economy, the public needs a rational justification for a…