Army raked by critics online after unveiling new army logo

The Canadian military learned some valuable lessons Friday: art is in the eye of the beholder and it pays to be precise, even on social media.

The military faced a huge backlash online after unveiling a new logo for the military on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

The post led many to believe that the agency’s official emblem was being changed.

The Ministry of National Defense proactively issued a statement expressing regret for the confusion and clarifying that the traditional emblem will remain the same.

“The Canadian Armed Forces has not changed its official logo,” DND’s senior communications advisor Alex Tétreault said in a media statement.

“We remain proud of our official emblem – which remains two crossed swords, three maple leaves and a royal crown.”

The new logo, launched with a slick video, shows the camera rolling through a mesh of camouflage mesh, where brown and beige pixels reform under a brown maple leaf into a jagged puzzle on one side with a hanging, elongated extension on the other. .

The reaction on social media was immediate and largely negative. Many people said they didn’t know what to think and wondered what it represented; others denounced the rebranding, believing it changed the traditional emblem.

It didn’t take long for the memes to arrive either. One depicted a man beneath a maple leaf hugging the buttocks of an eager moose.

DND emphasized that the new logo is not for everyday use.

“The icon launched today is a complementary design that will be used in the lower left corner of certain communications products and in animations for videos,” Tétreault said.

“This icon complements our official logo – and is intended to coincide with the launch of a new camouflage pattern: the Canadian Disruptive Pattern Multi-Terrain (CADPAT MT).”

The army is in the process of updating its camouflage uniforms.

The Defense Department statement further explains the intent and rationale for the color pattern, but does not say what the shape is supposed to represent.

Some social media posts describe the logo in artistic terms as “provocative.” Others described it as a Lego moose, as well as “sloppy” and “ugly.”

The rebranding was an internal exercise, the department said.

“The icon was developed without additional money or intervention from external companies,” said Tétreault. “Developed by DND’s in-house graphic design team, this icon comes at no cost to taxpayers.”