Detroit Lions

A LOT of Explanation:

Since the Fast Co article was written about this blog, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about team logos. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback. Mostly hateful, but some positive… It’s a reminder of a few things:

1. Anonymous internet comments often make for thoughless comments, but a few moments of clarity may prevail.

2. People are very attached to team logos.

3. The framing of an issue is important.

4. There are many ways to appreciate a team logo.

Number one is what it is. Ignore the bullshit, and learn what you can.

Number two is very interesting to me, but it means that change is difficult.

Number three has a lot to do with the negative feedback, I think. I want to be upfront that this project is not a proposal to change every NFL team logo (or any), it’s just a personal excercise in looking at team logos. I only do it because it’s something I’m very interested in and I think about often. There are very few examples of visual communication that people hold nearly as dear. It would be hard not to want to look into that and play with it a bit.

Number four brings me to this logo.

In looking for inspiration for this mark, I looked at marks that fans hold dear, like the Penn State logo, and marks that combine both city and mascot, like the old Denver Broncos logo.

The single color used in the Penn State logo makes it look timeless, classic, and it also reproduces well on hats, hoodies, jerseys, etc…. The merch fans should be able to wear with dignity. Basically the opposite of seeing an adult man in a Jaguars hat…

The combination of city and mascot in the old Broncos logo takes it beyond the generic. While it has it’s quarks and failings, there is something to be said for trying to make a team mark unique to the city it represents.

In the creation of this fake Lions mark, I’ve tried to keep to one color, use the outline of a D for Detroit, and use the negative space for a simple, iconic, and recognizable mascot.