Jump to content
  • Join us — it's free!

    We are the premiere internet community for New York Rangers news and fan discussion. Don't wait — join the forum today!

IGNORED

Seattle is Here: Release the Kraken!


Phil

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 97
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Color scheme awesome, logo great. Space Needle in the anchor on the shoulder is top notch finishing touch.

 

Only complaint is, if that logo wasn't sitting on a jersey I would think that S stood for snake.

 

All I see is a snake. In particular, the "eye of the beast" looks more like a snake's tongue. I think it would look infinitely better without that on there, then my eyes would be more drawn to the S for Seattle and the tentacle drawn in there.

 

The logo is still better than some cartoonish Kraken monster, but it misses the mark a bit here to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the pleasure of pitching work to Seattle during this process. I was pissed when we didn't make the final cut, but seeing what Adidas produced, I'm not even close to mad anymore. This is a rousing success in all facets.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both new expansion teams, Seattle and Las Vegas have had just awesome logo and jersey designs. Actually, they've done pretty well in general with expansion team uniforms and logos over the years. I liked Minnesota's and Columbus' a lot as well, the last time the league got two new teams in the same year.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both new expansion teams, Seattle and Las Vegas have had just awesome logo and jersey designs. Actually, they've done pretty well in general with expansion team uniforms and logos over the years. I liked Minnesota's and Columbus' a lot as well, the last time the league got two new teams in the same year.

 

Both done by my company. We shot hard for Seattle. Didn't land it. Ah, well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's cool. I didn't realize that's what you did for a living. Do you have the inside track on what's gonna happen with Washington Football Team then?

 

They're in the initial stages of rebranding. From what I've read, they'll go by "Washington Football Team" until a new name is secured, which, depending on what their process is — if they're going to RFP, have already secured an agency, or if they're working internally — can take months to years.

 

SME handled the start-to-finish rebrand of North Dakota, for example, and the final result was 20 months of work. Because they did it right. Tons of focus group/concept testing with stakeholders, students, prospective students, community leaders (especially indigenous), etc. St. Johns (from Redmen to Red Storm) and Miami Ohio (Redskins to Red Hawks) were similar projects. Also ours.

 

Provided they have basic copyrights on the Washington Football Team, my suggestion would be to focus on the big picture. You had the Redskins name for 88 years. Whatever you go with should last you at least as long. Name changes can't be arbitrary. The brand itself — the colors, the emotion it/they evoke, the city, the fanbase, etc — isn't changing. The name is. But the name still has to positively reflect all those attributes. Do it right. Even if it takes two years to complete.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I knew you did graphic design, but I didn't realize your company actually did concept logos for the expansion teams. That's sweet.

 

Not concepts. The actual marks. We also did the Lightning rebrand and the Hurricanes' most recent third jerseys/marks. Most of this work predates my time here, but the process has been the same for years. It's why teams, when they do eventually decide to make these types of changes, always come back to us to at least answer an RFP or make a pitch.

 

We did a ton of work with the NHL all through the 2000s and early 2010s. It's been harder to secure recently with Adidas snapping up major creatives and operating as an agency. The league has a deal in place with them on uniforms already, so they'll always be competition no matter the work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They're in the initial stages of rebranding. From what I've read, they'll go by "Washington Football Team" until a new name is secured, which, depending on what their process is — if they're going to RFP, have already secured an agency, or if they're working internally — can take months to years.

 

SME handled the start-to-finish rebrand of North Dakota, for example, and the final result was 20 months of work. Because they did it right. Tons of focus group/concept testing with stakeholders, students, prospective students, community leaders (especially indigenous), etc. St. Johns (from Redmen to Red Storm) and Miami Ohio (Redskins to Red Hawks) were similar projects. Also ours.

 

Provided they have basic copyrights on the Washington Football Team, my suggestion would be to focus on the big picture. You had the Redskins name for 88 years. Whatever you go with should last you at least as long. Name changes can't be arbitrary. The brand itself — the colors, the emotion it/they evoke, the city, the fanbase, etc — isn't changing. The name is. But the name still has to positively reflect all those attributes. Do it right. Even if it takes two years to complete.

 

We're getting off topic here but what's your opinion on some of the new MLS team branding. Seems like MLS has done a great job of making "cool" logos and teams. Miami, Austin, and now Charlotte have very nice brands. Here in Los Angeles, LAFC gear is everywhere. Black and Gold colors, simple logo. Doesn't hurt that the team is awesome and they have a great stadium either, but it feels like the branding went a long way toward their popularity in a city where sports just aren't a main focus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're getting off topic here but what's your opinion on some of the new MLS team branding. Seems like MLS has done a great job of making "cool" logos and teams. Miami, Austin, and now Charlotte have very nice brands. Here in Los Angeles, LAFC gear is everywhere. Black and Gold colors, simple logo. Doesn't hurt that the team is awesome and they have a great stadium either, but it feels like the branding went a long way toward their popularity in a city where sports just aren't a main focus.

 

LAFC is another one of ours. ;)

 

I'm using company marketing speak, but brands aren't logos — they're the emotional connection you have to a team/franchise/company/whatever. I'd need to know more about those particular brands to know just how well-executed some of them are, but at first pass, Miami, Austin, and Charlotte are all solid and timeless marks. They'll last for centuries, ideally. Both Miami and Charlotte were done by the same agency — Doubleday & Cartwright.

 

In my experience, the biggest problem most clients have — especially in sports — is trying to jam too many irrelevant details and aspects they think matter into their logos/brands because "simple" is too often conflated with "easy." A simple logo isn't lazy or easy to pull off. It's incredibly hard and in most cases takes years to arrive at. I'm not even sure where this began, because if you look at the vast majority of the most popular and successful global brands, their logos and marketing are exactly that — simple. McDonalds, FedEx, Nike, UnderArmour, etc.

 

One of the best examples of this were the Predators, whose original mark had like a thousand colors in it because somehow having an overly-complicated primary logo = superior? That's some underwear gnome logic if I've ever seen it. It even trickled into their uniforms, which were all over the place, and constantly getting "tweaked" — a sign that the brand itself is not firmly set. Fast-forward a few years and they simplified the primary and their uniforms and the result has been wholly positive. They embraced their colors — completely leaning into the curve of their yellow — their city, and who they are. They now own that market and, in my opinion, have one of the stronger brands in the league.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LAFC is another one of ours. ;)

 

I'm using company marketing speak, but brands aren't logos — they're the emotional connection you have to a team/franchise/company/whatever. I'd need to know more about those particular brands to know just how well-executed some of them are, but at first pass, Miami, Austin, and Charlotte are all solid and timeless marks. They'll last for centuries, ideally. Both Miami and Charlotte were done by the same agency — Doubleday & Cartwright.

 

In my experience, the biggest problem most clients have — especially in sports — is trying to jam too many irrelevant details and aspects they think matter into their logos/brands because "simple" is too often conflated with "easy." A simple logo isn't lazy or easy to pull off. It's incredibly hard and in most cases takes years to arrive at. I'm not even sure where this began, because if you look at the vast majority of the most popular and successful global brands, their logos and marketing are exactly that — simple. McDonalds, FedEx, Nike, UnderArmour, etc.

 

One of the best examples of this were the Predators, whose original mark had like a thousand colors in it because somehow having an overly-complicated primary logo = superior? That's some underwear gnome logic if I've ever seen it. It even trickled into their uniforms, which were all over the place, and constantly getting "tweaked" — a sign that the brand itself is not firmly set. Fast-forward a few years and they simplified the primary and their uniforms and the result has been wholly positive. They embraced their colors — completely leaning into the curve of their yellow — their city, and who they are. They now own that market and, in my opinion, have one of the stronger brands in the league.

 

Yeah. That's super interesting. LAFC caught on relatively quickly here. They've done a fantastic job in the community and making the game experience like none other. But their logo and clothing is "cool" which means that even if people don't know what LAFC actually is, they're still buying their gear because it looks nice. I could be wrong on this line of thought but playing off the the Black and Silver from the Raiders (which is still super popular in LA culture) and turning it Black and Gold was a smart. Especially when compared to the other MLS team in town, The Galaxy, which has a dumb name, logo, and color scheme that's straight out of the 90s (logo and colors have improved slightly, but they're still not representative of LA).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LAFC is another one of ours. ;)

 

I'm using company marketing speak, but brands aren't logos ? they're the emotional connection you have to a team/franchise/company/whatever. I'd need to know more about those particular brands to know just how well-executed some of them are, but at first pass, Miami, Austin, and Charlotte are all solid and timeless marks. They'll last for centuries, ideally. Both Miami and Charlotte were done by the same agency ? Doubleday & Cartwright.

 

In my experience, the biggest problem most clients have ? especially in sports ? is trying to jam too many irrelevant details and aspects they think matter into their logos/brands because "simple" is too often conflated with "easy." A simple logo isn't lazy or easy to pull off. It's incredibly hard and in most cases takes years to arrive at. I'm not even sure where this began, because if you look at the vast majority of the most popular and successful global brands, their logos and marketing are exactly that ? simple. McDonalds, FedEx, Nike, UnderArmour, etc.

 

One of the best examples of this were the Predators, whose original mark had like a thousand colors in it because somehow having an overly-complicated primary logo = superior? That's some underwear gnome logic if I've ever seen it. It even trickled into their uniforms, which were all over the place, and constantly getting "tweaked" ? a sign that the brand itself is not firmly set. Fast-forward a few years and they simplified the primary and their uniforms and the result has been wholly positive. They embraced their colors ? completely leaning into the curve of their yellow ? their city, and who they are. They now own that market and, in my opinion, have one of the stronger brands in the league.

It's not marketing speak though. People show affinity to brands throughout the years regardless of logo. Your brand strategy and brand promises should serve as the strategic framework for your logo development.

 

The name change is where it gets sticky.

 

I've re-branded four comapnies/products in the last 5 years. It took us a year to get to the Oath logo and over a year to get to Yahoo's new logo. And Pentagram did both of them, albeit we got the C team for Oath and Tim Armstrong mandated a stupid name despite the research.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...