I think changing your flag is a great way to have a conversation about identity and about what the country means. I think it's inevitable relatively few people got interested because a lot of people aren't interested in thinking about identity and meaning beyond "Me Me Me Where's The Next Marvel Movie???? Damn What Did Bieber Do Now???". If you have no sense of collective investment or belonging then it's going to be hard to feel engaged with this kind of process. Still, 50% is not a bad turnout.
I agree that the designs -- particularly having 3 of the 4 original designs include the fern -- probably weren't representative of the breadth of stuff available. And that the change seems to be largely being imposed top-down.
As a New Zealander, I find the winning option better than the current flag, but only marginally.
The process of arriving at and developing the options has been terrible. No chance for iteration on interesting or popular concepts or designs at all. Unsurprising given a lack of designers involved, and a committee who just assumed if you had enough first pass options then surely the "best" flag would emerge.
Personally, I think the winning option could have been better, ditching the blue for black, being just black, white, and red for example. Even then it falls short of ideal.
Such a missed opportunity.
Not an international rule but they do have people studying this stuff, kinda like with graphic design.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vexillology
https://www.ted.com/talks/roman_mar...signed_thing_you_ve_never_noticed?language=en
A place's flag, and whether or not people like it or associate it with pride makes a big impact on how people perceive their country, state/province or city.
the amount of people here saying they like the flag is atrocious. Then reading that people in this thread are from NZ and actually voted for the fucking flag tops it.
I am so angry.
I'll fight you m8Red Peak sucked, NZ made the right choice, Australia next please.
What a joke. The NZ and Aussie flags are awful. Shame the NZ public didn't vote for change, but I guess the options weren't the best. I loved the simply fern design the most.
Can't see this than anything else than a waste of money.
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OP needs to be updated with the 5th official option.
RED PEAK FOR LIFE!
ps: please vote for red peak, the superior option