American State Flag Redesigns are BORING (But We Can Do Better)

Roman Mars’ 2015 TED Talk on flag design ignited a wave of interest in improving the flags of American cities and states… but nearly a decade later, the results are a bit of a mixed bag. In my view, the prevailing wisdom of the North American Vexillological Association is too restrictive, placing excessive emphasis on simplicity and minimalism, and leading to some pretty boring new flags. Join me as I explore the recent history of this movement within American culture, examine the widely cited “principles of good flag design,” and offer both my own thoughts, as well as redesigns that I believe strike a balance between iconic simplicity and creative distinctiveness.
Uh… happy April Fools’ Day?
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TH-cam Videos Referenced:
Roman Mars TED Talk: Why city flags may be the worst-designed thing you've never noticed
• Why city flags may be ...
CGP Grey: DOES YOUR FLAG FAIL? Grey Grades State Flags!
• 🇺🇸 DOES YOUR FLAG FAIL...
J.J. McCullogh: The "bad" US state flags are good, actually
• The "bad" US state fla...
Froyour History: The Internet is Wrong about Flags
• The Internet is Wrong ...
Inspirations for various designs:
Minnesota: Brandon Hundt
brandonhundt2?lan...
Georgia: Titanium_Helm
/ us_state_flag_redesigns
Florida: 1clikgtramg
/ florida_flag_redesign
West Virginia: NxMaGiiCz
/ west_virginia_state_fl...
Kentucky: NxMaGiiCz
/ kentucky_state_flag_re...
Massachusetts: Smiix
/ massachusetts_new_flag...
Rhode Island: Titanium_Helm
/ us_state_flag_redesigns
Vermont: Rarely_Common
/ vermont_state_flag_red...
New Hampshire: MikeFrench98
/ tried_my_hand_at_a_new...
Michigan: Pathos316
/ michigan_state_flag_re...
8-Bit Cover of Never Meant by American Football: • American Football: "Ne...
00:00 Introduction
03:03 The NAVA Principles of Good Flag Design
05:05 Virginia
08:08 The South
12:54 The Northeast
17:20 The Midwest
22:09 The Mountain West
24:50 The West Coast
27:08 Conclusion
28:11 Credits