As for running one of the most successful campaigns in history, Barack Obama really impressed me. Not just by his sweeping and grand oratories or his always calm-and-collected demeanor under pressure -- certain aspects of how his campaign was run were equally impressive. For instance, the level of organization required to communicate a clear and concise message to all of the campaign's volunteers. Or, how well managed the donations to the campaign were. Better yet, they built a foundation of grassroots volunteerism that will be studied and followed for many years to come.

Such a well-oiled machine must have an equally well-designed identity. And in terms of design, the Obama campaign delivered big. You've probably read the reviews about a year ago about all the different campaign logos and which ones really stood out. It was Obama then, and continued to be Obama delivering well designed messages that were repeated on all manner of campaign literature (Yes We Can, Change We Can Believe In) with few slip-ups (The Obama seal debacle). We've read all about the font and how its classic-yet-modern feel was originally designed for a magazine -- or how amazing that logo is and how many different things it represents.

In the same spirit that makes us admire such a well designed machine, seeing what didn't make the cut can be equally revealing. Check out the logo designs that didn't make it. It's a great look at all the work that goes into a successful branding. And I think they nailed it. Check out the full interview about the logo designs with their designer, Sol Sender, here.