The Red Cross Logo.
November 17, 2008

RADIO 2CBA FOCAL POINT COMMENTARY BROADCAST ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 10 1999 ON RADIO 2CBA FM.

With all the conflicts in the world, it is important to remember that there is one logo in all the world’s languages which means the same thing: “don’t shoot”. This is the Red Cross logo.

The Red Cross logo is one of the most well known logos in the world – only Coca Cola’s is said to be more well known.

It is therefore important that the logo is used properly. It is not, strictly speaking, a “first aid” or health logo. The Red Cross logo should not, for example, be used on an ordinary hospital building or a bottle of disinfectant or on a first-aid kit.

These are all misuses of the logo. It is a crime to misuse the Red Cross logo. In Australia’s case, for example, the legislation goes back to 1957.

The Red Cross logo was created over 130 years ago at an international conference in Geneva. Geneva is now the home of the international Red Cross movement.

It is thought that the Red Cross symbol came from the Swiss national flag. That is a white cross on a red background; the Red Cross is a red cross on a white background.

There is no religious symbolism in the Red Cross. Unfortunately, about a century ago, when the Red Cross movement was conducting operations in the old Ottoman Empire (the Turkish Empire), there were objections by some Moslem to use of the Red Cross. They did not accept the fact that there was no symbolism intended. Islamic national societies have the Red Crescent because the crescent is the Islamic religious symbol.

Iran is not an Arab society and so insisted for some years that there be a Red Lion logo for its own society. The Israeli society would like to have the Red Star of David but this has not been accepted by the international movement.

There is, naturally, the problem that if all the national societies had their own logo, there would be a dilution of the world’s second most known logo.

Returning to the illegal use of the Red Cross in Australia, a biscuit company recently had an advertising campaign which featured a savoury red cross on a biscuit. Australian Red Cross approached the company. The company apologized; it obviously did not deliberately set out to break the law.

Some companies are not quite so prompt. An Australian international airport had a red cross prominently displayed on its medical centre catering for passengers and others. It took years of complaints before that was removed.

Therefore, it is important that national medical associations, graphic designers and advertising agencies all remember the humanitarian and legal significance of the Red Cross logo so that it is not misused.