Lets Play A Game,

see if you as a UK taxpayer can spot the difference in the two logo's below,

the old one, the new one,

the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was being forced to draw up a hit list of embassies and consulates around the globe it will close to save money, Foreign Secretary David Miliband ordered the stationery make over above, a glossy brochure which accompanies the re brand claims that the new identity – featuring the Royal Crest and a new typeface for the words ‘Foreign & Commonwealth Office’ – will ‘subtly represent the ‘‘Power to influence”’,

the new FCO brand came into effect last month with all embassies and other posts around the world issued with a ‘brand tool kit’ including a lists of do’s and don’ts on how to use the new logo, now wait for this a 80-page pamphlet accompanies the kit, yes 80 pages of print to show embassiies how to use the logo,

the image consultants also designed a simplified version of the crest for use on the FCO website – removing the Royal motto ‘Dieu et mon droit’ – ‘God and my right’ – and the motto of the Order of the Garter ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense’ – loosely translated as ‘Evil be to him who evil thinks’, according to the FCO, its new brand represents six words: ‘Empowering, Insightful, Principled, Persuasive, Strategic and Intelligent’,

who makes this stuff up? look at the logo, does that say all of that to you?

a spokesman for the FCO said: ‘This will actually save money over time – for example, getting rid of the need for individual embassies to hire design teams when they produce publications or exhibition materials,’ he said the department had ‘engaged’ a ‘design consultant’ he did not disclose the cost of the new stationery needed across the department’s global operations, so every embassy in the world will have to throw out it's old stationery and print the new logo on it's new paperwork, still the new logo does seem a bit of a bargain, it only cost us taxpayers £80,000!