Logan the Logo King

Inmate Pranks Cops with Pig-ified Logo

2012-02-16T08:23:00.001-05:00

A clever inmate making seals for Vermont State Police cruisers, is laughing very quietly in his cell. Making seals for police vehicles, he secretly modified the logo to add a subliminal message. Notice the large yellow spot on the back of the cow, it is very intentionally in the shape of a pig. This seal has been put on 30 police cruisers over the course of several years. more

NYPD Logo vs. Freedom of Speech

2012-02-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

A new order from Commissioner Raymond Kelly bans city cops from wearing merchandise emblazoned with the NYPD logo.

The interim order, issued Jan. 19 and “effective immediately,” prohibits the city’s 35,000 cops from wearing hats, T-shirts or anything else sporting the department’s insignia that wasn’t issued by the NYPD.

The rules says that “wearing any item of apparel which contains a department logo or shield or in any way identifies its wearer with the New York City Police Department unless approved by the Uniform and Equipment Review Committee prior to being worn by a member of the service, uniformed or civilian, on or off duty” is “prohibited conduct.”

The order also “extends to the use of the department logo or shield in artistic or mural forms, in caricature or cartoon-like representation,” according to the paperwork.
So, if cops wish to purchase any NYPD-stamped merchandise — which is sold at hundreds of souvenir shops around the city — they must have written permission to do so.

Carolina Panthers Logo Gets Leaner and Meaner in 2012

2012-01-31T15:17:00.000-05:00

Carolina Panthers Logo 2012


Carolina Panthers Logo 1995-2011

Tiny Florida Beach Town Wisely Invests in New Branding

2012-01-24T09:07:00.001-05:00

Margaret Wilesmith's team did a wonderful job of branding Dunedin, Florida, "We did not have to create a brand. We just uncovered your brand and gave it expression... the logo is just the expression of your brand." "Dunedin promises that you will be surprised and charmed... by our superb natural attractions, our artful approach to life, our vibrant personality and our commitment of ensuring that your visit to our City exceeds your expectations."

before

2012-01-23T08:55:00.001-05:00

DC Comics has a brave new logo design. As the company has grown from comic book publisher to multimedia empire, they wanted a logo that said more than just DC. Rood & Desai, consulting with Landor Associates, arrived at the new, more versatile logo.

Depending on the subject matter of the product it is publishing (dark, humorous, adventurous, electric, nuclear, whatever...) the logo is adjusted to suit the subject.

Before

A great benefit to the new design is the potential for darkness. Something that has always plagued DC in its' competition with Marvel, is this unchangeable squeaky clean image of it's most popular character -- Superman. Meanwhile, Marvel embraces the dark side of all of it's characters, even the heros. This decision for DC to break away from the bright blue and white swoosh with stars, they are embracing that elusive bad-boy dark side that Marvel has been so successful with.

Loyola's New Logo

2012-01-18T11:13:00.003-05:00

Loyola University Chicago is renovating everything. They built a new athletic center, a new basketball arena, and now they are unveiling a new logo design. It is definitely an improvement, but misses the mark in terms of world class logos. The most recognizable feature of the logo is the wolf. Unfortunately, the new wolf image is lacking the threatening appearance of the previous version.

Gone is the menacing downward gaze of a hungry wolf; replaced by a blank stare from a short-nosed, small-fanged, heavyset wolf with Abe Vigoda eyebrows. I get the distinct impression this artwork was farmed out overseas. It lacks the all-American swagger of a great sports logo.

BPP Logo Fail

2012-01-12T16:07:00.000-05:00

What would you do if you spent $120,000 on a new logo design, and everyone hated it? That's exactly what happened to BPP Law School in the UK.

Students are fuming over the new logo on BPP's Facebook Page. They are bewildered at the new direction, and unsatisfied with the results. Without warning, their school changed its image overnight. Not only is it a new look, but it's a new mascot. No one knew a lion was the school mascot.

The heart of the matter has nothing to do with the design. The same people who vocally hate the new logo, would likely support it if BPP had employed savvy public relations techniques in adopting the new logo. The heart of the matter is helplessness. The students feel like they are powerless, they have no say in the matter, their opinion means nothing -- they are right. But BPP's priority should have been to make students feel empowered. If BPP had organized a blue-ribbon panel, consisting of students, faculty, and administration that publicly reported progress and sought input throughout the logo design process, the results would have been much more amicable.

No matter how much their new logo is maligned, let the record show, it is a vast improvement over the previous logo, which was obviously an amateur effort.

Orlando Solar Bears New Logo

2012-01-09T16:29:00.001-05:00

The Orlando Solar Bears Hockey Team is moving to the East Coast Hockey League in the fall. To set the pace for their new direction, the Solar Bears have a strong new logo. The lines are more bold, clear, and simplistic, all great features of successful sports team logo. Notice the body posture of the bear . holding a hockey stick across the back of his shoulders understates strength. Fewer colors are used in the new design, which will make it easier to reproduce and easier to see when scaled down.

European Plastics News Logo Before & After

2012-01-03T14:58:00.000-05:00

before

after

European Plastics News has taken a new direction in 2012, unveiling a new logo design. The old logo was a predictable, straight-laced mast-head design with a safe dark palette of colors. The new logo is much bolder, brighter, and engaging. The bold san-serif lettering is much easier to read at a glance. The shades of blue let the reader know this is all about business, but the brighter shades are more inviting than the old logo's dark colors. The placement of "NEWS" over the "C" and "S" tends to muddy the design a bit, making readability an issue. I suspect we will see a revision in the near future to resolve the issue.

New TouchArcade Logo

2012-01-02T12:02:00.001-05:00

TouchArcade specializes in iPhone gaming. Their new logo design successfully conveys a technological bent with the hard angles on the futuristic letters. The steel gray in the "a" evokes strength, while the bright yellow "t" speaks to innovation, thinking outside the steel gray box of computers. The final logo was created by Wolfgang Bartelme based on concept sketches/brainstorming by Steven Matarazzo.

Sign Language Logo

2011-12-13T11:13:00.002-05:00

Gallaudet University's mission is to provide intellectual and professional advancement to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. They needed a logo that captured that mission at a glance. It was a tall order, but the results are superb.

Notice the arches above the name in the new logo. The arches depict the motion of the Gallaudet sign.

Student Sara Moore demonstrates the Gallaudet sign.

http://www.gallaudet.edu/

http://www.gallaudet.edu/News/Announcing_new_logo.html

NTT Data Logo is Simplified for a Broader Market

2011-12-09T13:48:00.000-05:00

To get bigger, sometimes you have to think smaller. NTT Data, established in 1988, is seeking to reach new business across the globe, and recognized the need for a revision to it's original logo.

They removed the pyramid of dots, and put all focus on their name. The new design successfully, and more succinctly conveys that NTT Data is in fact, and global leader in technology.

Compare the two designs, and notice how long it takes to interpret the original logo. The new design, however, is instantly readable and understandable. The viewer isn't left wondering, "what kind of business might that be?" Or worse yet, "what do those dots mean?" In fact, there is nothing to distract the viewer from the name of the company. With confusing design elements removed, the new design will, as intended, have broader appeal globally.

ABA Heritage in New Jersey Nets Logo Re-Design

2011-12-07T15:07:00.000-05:00

The New Jersey Nets were in a difficult position. How do you move your franchise out of New Jersey, without thoroughly enraging the fans? Taking their cues from national politics, the New Jersey Nets decided to take the safe middle ground. Their new slogan is "Jersey Strong, Brooklyn Ready." This speaks to their new location, and hopefully comforts the Jersey fans that are literally being left behind. Only time will tell, but middle-of-the-road pandering rarely pays off.

The distinctive red, white, and blue ABA basketball appears in the new logo, which appeals to the long heritage of the team. Their new logo will be on their uniforms, but it will most likely be a one-season logo, that will be replaced by a more simplistic and iconic mark.

See the history of the New Jersey Nets logos at SportsLogos.net

Thank You Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T22:10:00.002-04:00

by Jonathan Mak Long

Interest in Starting a New Business is Steadily Declining

2011-10-03T14:54:00.002-04:00

Opportunity abounds in every economy, especially for those with access to good information. With that in mind, it's helpful to know that Google's records show a strong steady decline in people looking to start a business. Since 2004, Google has been compiling search data. Any search phrase you type into Google, is added to the index. All that valuable data is available to you for free at Google's Insights For Search. That's the good news. If you are in the business of serving start-up businesses, like I am, you'll want to know how often people are entering the search string, "starting a new business." Since 2004, there has been a very steady and strong decline in people searching for answers on how to start a new business. According to Google's forecast, it will get much worse. There are big opportunities in every economy, you just have to stay informed and be more creative.

Don Draper Pitches Facebook Concept

2011-09-29T10:08:00.004-04:00

The ultimate advertising pitch man, Don Draper of the series "Mad Men," delivers a heart stopping introduction to Facebook. I didn't see the episode featured here, so I don't know what he was really presenting. This appears to be a very clever hack, accomplished by fellow Photoshop pros. I suspect the author is Eric Leist. Regardless of the author, Bravo!

Forest Products Logo

2011-09-26T10:04:00.001-04:00

Interfor, a Canadian forest products company, recently unveiled it's new logo design. The new logo successfully convey's three messages that are vital to Interfor: Tree, Unity, and Strength.

TREE
The tree is the core resource we respect and value as well as a universal symbol of strength, longevity and sustainability. The modern new Interfor tree symbol was designed to boldly communicate the attributes of the Interfor brand and to be instantly iconic to Interfor's global customer base and stakeholders.

UNITY
In tandem with the new logo a coordinated look and feel has been designed to support and further differentiate the Interfor brand in the global marketplace. The implementation of Interfor's identity communicates the Company's ambitious vision for the future while incorporating its legacy as one of North America's leading lumber and building product companies.

STRENGTH
Our new brand is a strong visual expression of who we are. It is a clean, strong and inspiring symbol of our Company.

Interfor's new brand positions Interfor for the future by reaffirming their values and strengths and demonstrating their commitment to superior and sustainable value for all stakeholders.

more

Like the New Toronto Blue Jays Logo?

2011-09-23T12:22:00.002-04:00

And it only cost $30,000! :-)

Read Adam Crew's write up on the new Toronto Blue Jays logo.

Like the New Florida Marlins Logo?

2011-09-22T10:20:00.003-04:00

New Florida Marlins Logo

The Old Florida Marlins Logo

The only thing hotter than the Miami sunshine, is the response to the new Marlins logo. more

The Evolution of the PBS Logo

2011-09-21T13:56:00.000-04:00

The Public Broadcasting Service logo has changed with the times, but the well crafted icon remains true to it's original form - a testament to iconic logo design.

Top Google Results Without Website

2011-09-20T09:10:00.001-04:00

Imagine hitting the top of Google search results for your keywords, without a website. Is it really possible?! Yep. Google's mission is to organize the world's information, and make it universally accessible and useful. Google robots index all files, not just HTML pages. You can do it with a PDF. In fact, you can do it with a plain text file -- that would be sweet.

Schick's Razorbombing Meme Makes You the Advertising Creative

2011-09-19T08:41:00.003-04:00

Schick is making the most of creative marketing with its new razorbombing effort. Razorbombing, which appears to have been created by Edelman Digital on behalf of Schick, is the social trend of photographing a subject with a razor positioned strategically in the foreground to give the appearance the subject is being shaved. Schick has launched a contest where you can submit your best razorbomb. This stroke of marketing genius, (pun intended), attempts to create a meme that subtly promotes brand awareness. I bet there are some mattress companies who are kicking themselves for not capitalizing on the planking trend.

Stalker Marketing Campaign Terrorizes Woman

2011-09-16T00:17:00.002-04:00

The feeling is terror.

Toyota's bizarre social marketing campaign singled out individuals and terrorized them personally. According to Wired Magazine, “Sebastian Bowler,” who appeared to be a 25-year-old Englishman and soccer fanatic with a drinking problem (based on the MySpace page he sent Duick), told the plaintiff that he was on a cross-country road trip and would be at her house in a few days. After Bowler wrote that he’d run into some trouble at a motel, Duick received an e-mail from someone purporting to be manager of the motel, who included a bill to Duick saying she was responsible for a TV Bowler had smashed.

Duick freaked out over the e-mails before she received a message directing her to a video explaining she’d been punked by Toyota. The video explained that Bowler was a fictional character, and the whole thing had been an elaborate prank — part of an ad campaign for Toyota’s Matrix car. more

Is Facial Recognition Marketing a Good Idea?

2011-09-15T09:32:00.001-04:00

Ready for Facial Recognition?

Facial recognition technology is here, but do we want it? My two cents -- just say no to facial recognition. When possible, avoid the trappings of this technology. As fascinating and helpful as it can be, eventually, it will become harmful.

Stacey Acevero, at Journalistics, asks us to consider some facial recognition marketing possibilities:

Logging into social platforms through facial recognition rather than usernames and passwords – just a glance through the camera in your PC or mobile device and you can automatically have access to Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Through retail outlet facial recognition, every time a recognized customer enters the location, a specially designed coupon or offer can be sent to their mobile device for instant use.

Televisions can be outfitted with facial recognition technology so that when individual family members turn on the tube, the TV would create a play list based on their preferences and viewing history.

Video gamers can log in by just facial recognition and start gaming spontaneously – game manufacturers can incorporate advertising into the game platform geared to each users unique profile.

Logging onto such sites as Digg or Stumble Upon, facial recognition would provide users with a personalized list of news items, products or websites that reflect their interests.

7 Ways to Waste Time with Social Media

2011-09-12T13:42:00.000-04:00

When you are in the trenches digging through and participating in multiple social media outlets, eventually, fatigue will get the better of you. You can't be everywhere at once to put out every fire and answer every question. At some point, you will have to make some difficult decisions about how to better prioritize the precious few 24 hours of each day you have to work with. Hubspot's Pamela Vaughn came up with 7 don'ts, to help you get the most out of your social marketing day:

Stop feeding the trolls
Inflammatory post-makers are like whining brats who only want your attention. Don't give it to them.
Stop maintaining multiple accounts on one social network.
Just be yourself.
Stop spending time on social networks your target customers don't populate.
Pick the ones your target uses and forget the rest.
Stop tracking useless metrics.
It isn't a popularity contest, don't count your friends, just count your leads.
Stop talking about your product.
Be a big thinker, not a product and service huckster.
Stop strategizing, and start doing.
Just do it.
Stop responding to EVERYTHING.
Look at the valuable conversations, and respond appropriately. Get used to skimming by the ones no one will remember.

See full article.