A reminder of the Red Cross logo's power
Symbols, trademarks, icons, logos. What's their true value? Following up on Johnson & Johnson's lawsuit last year against the Red Cross over the latter’s familiar symbol, here’s a thought-provoking story from Colombia: At least one member of the military team that rescued 15 hostages long held by FARC rebels reportedly sported the Red Cross symbol on a bib or vest. That’s a violation of the Geneva Conventions and possibly a “war crime,” as such deception could pose a risk to humanitarian workers. What better camouflage for troops than the global insignia of rescue and comfort? On the other hand, when battling thugs who trade in terror, torture and violence, should governments be expected to play by the rules? Shades of grey abound; any answer might be qualified by countless Wal-Mart asterisks. Far from the boardrooms, design studios and glitzy TV suites of our media-driven world, a symbol can actually represent life or death.
—Posted by David Gianatasio
|
|
July 16, 2008 in Gianatasio | Permalink
|
Comments
FWIW, this symbol can mean both- Palestinians have been using red crescent ambulances to transport bombs- and bombers- for years.
Posted by: Tim Howland | Jul 16, 2008 4:45:34 PM
Military personnel may wear the Red Cross when authorized. The Law of Land Warfare. Good reading.
Posted by: Keir Darcey | Jul 16, 2008 11:18:57 PM
Post a comment
The opinions expressed in comments are those of the individual poster. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Adweek or Nielsen Business Media. Comments of a promotional nature or comments that are otherwise inappropriate may be removed.
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
