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?

If you would like to see more videos from me, please consider supporting my channel on Patreon:
  / cardinalwest  
and follow me on Twitter for updates:
  / cardinal_west  

And if you are interested in xenofiction, my debut novel, Winter Without End, is now available for purchase from Fenris Publishing in both ebook and paperback format:
https://www.fenrispublishing.com/winter

A post-apocalyptic story told through the eyes of a dog, Winter Without End follows a Labrador retriever who, after being abandoned by his human family in the aftermath of a devastating pandemic, makes an uneasy alliance with a wounded wolf in order to survive.

YouTube Videos Referenced:

Roman Mars TED Talk: Why city flags may be the worst-designed thing you've never noticed
   • Why city flags may be the worst-desig...  

CGP Grey: DOES YOUR FLAG FAIL? Grey Grades State Flags!
   • 🇺🇸 DOES YOUR FLAG FAIL?  Grey Grades ...  

J.J. McCullogh: The "bad" US state flags are good, actually
   • The "bad" US state flags are good, ac...  

Froyour History: The Internet is Wrong about Flags
   • The Internet is Wrong about Flags  

Inspirations for various designs:

Minnesota: Brandon Hundt
https://twitter.com/brandonhundt2?lan...
Georgia: Titanium_Helm
  / us_state_flag_redesigns  
Florida: 1clikgtramg
  / florida_flag_redesign  
West Virginia: NxMaGiiCz
  / west_virginia_state_flag_redesign  
Kentucky: NxMaGiiCz
  / kentucky_state_flag_redesign  
Massachusetts: Smiix
  / massachusetts_new_flag_redesign  
Rhode Island: Titanium_Helm
  / us_state_flag_redesigns  
Vermont: Rarely_Common
  / vermont_state_flag_redesign  
New Hampshire: MikeFrench98
  / tried_my_hand_at_a_new_hampshire_state_flag  
Michigan: Pathos316
  / michigan_state_flag_redesign  

8-Bit Cover of Never Meant by American Football:    • American Football: "Never Meant" 8-bi...  

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