Importance of Product Branding (Logos, Team Colors)

RammsteinGT

Prairie Shark
Sep 24, 2008
1,587
3
YQL/YXE
Teams try to have an identity all to their own, yet 29 of 30 teams in the NHL wear some version of blue, red or black as their home jersey now.

In my eyes, only Philly, Boston and San Jose really have unique colours. Philly orange must be the "one" you identify as unique, and I agree. Shark teal and Bruin yellow (black) home jerseys are the only other ones that completely stand out in a crowd.
 

KevFu

Registered User
May 22, 2009
9,006
3,235
Phoenix from Rochester via New Orleans
It really wouldn't take much effort for every team to have absolutely awesome, stunning, gorgeous unis.

I've also convinced that a lot of teams would be hated less if they had traditional-looking, simple, crisp jerseys.

Tampa finally "got it" and simplified this past year.
San Jose with a couple minor bumps in the road has always "gotten it."
Florida and Ottawa's original jerseys were ideal as well. Florida is going back to Red, which is the smart move. Their original looked classic, even though they were new. Everything about the Vanbeisbrook-era unis were done right: traditional layout, powerful logo, great secondary logo with the Palm Tree/Hockey Stick on the Sun patch on the shoulder.

Minnesota's tried to look classic and often succeeds, but often has the "too busy" thing going.
Anaheim's improved, but they've been pretty bad.
Columbus is a mix of good and bad (the "long-sleeve" look could be great with the Blue Jackets theme), but a piping disaster.
Colorado's piping has been horrible.
Nashville, Carolina and Atlanta are/were just way too busy and not classic enough.
Dallas has moved in the wrong direction with the text DALLAS that looks like a baseball jersey.

If you have an awesome look, you'll win some fans solely for it.

Every team should seek a consistent classic look with only minor tweaks over the years, and use third jerseys to try some new things within that look to sell more gear. You can change it up every couple of years to sell more product:
- Use a secondary color as a primary color on a third jersey
- use a second logo as a primary logo with the primary color scheme
- use a remix of elements.
- Update your look as a third
- Throwback
Then rotate through again.

For example, the Islanders could have their 1980s-90s look, with the deeper colors as their primary home/roads. Then rotate through the following thirds:
- throwback to the Cup Era (with shoestring collar)
- an orange alternate, swapping blue/orange in the color scheme
- an alternate with the lighthouse logo on the shoulders (in their primary colors.
- an alternate with the lighthouse logo as primary logo, and classic logo on the shoulders.
- A new classic template with the primary logo/colors (change the stripe scheme)
- The classic look with the NY logo element on the shoulder (they wear it on their helmets now).
- The classic look with the Island logo element on the shoulder.

you get the idea.
 

Canadiens1958

Registered User
Nov 30, 2007
20,020
2,768
Lake Memphremagog, QC.
Early NHL Licensing

I agree. There was the one the Leafs came out with & wore in 67 to commemorate Canadas' Confederation, never going back to the original, with Ballard then changing even the Centennial version to the blah-lifeless logo that we've had to live with ever since 1970. The veined Maple Leaf and the Leafs 3rd Jerseys should really be their road jerseys period; the old style logo also featured on their dark home jerseys. I also dislike the "TML" nonsense & shoulder stuff period unless its a tribute or whatever (King Clancy's crown & shamrock, the ACE Baily thing etc).... I understood there to be a problem with the copywrite on the old style logo in that it wasnt owned by the Leafs organization or some such screw up but Im not sure on the details.

You touch on a subject that goes back to the early days of NHL licensing. The formative days, Bob Haggart, pre LCA days.

The Canadiens and Leafs dark jerseys were being manufactured and sold without any royalties being paid to the team or the NHL. The Leafs were the big national seller especially in the national chains. The Leafs with Ballard sued citing copyright infringement, etc but lost since the team had not acted previously. The jerseys had been produced with the various changing Leaf logos since the thirties. Time limit is usually three years to act otherwise the copyrighted logo/trademark will be considered public domain.One of the books about Ballard or Leaf history has a few obscure paragraphs.

So the Leafs came up with a new logo, fully protected and licensed the life out of it. This ended the old logo parallel
market. A few years later when no one cared about the old logo the Leafs and the NHL started repatriating the various old logos from various teams and getting the appropriate copyright/trademark protection. Legally this could have been challenged but no one was going to spend dollars to do so since without the current NHL team logos the old/defunct logos were of little value..
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,203
Legally this could have been challenged but no one was going to spend dollars to do so since without the current NHL team logos the old/defunct logos were of little value..

Thats very interesting. Any idea what time-frame it was (without paying a visit to the patent & copywrite offices of course) that the NHL & the Leafs did this?. The "veined maple leaf" logo was in fairly wide use by a number of companies; from Beaver Nuts to I believe either CN or CP Rail amongst others, and I very vaguely remember (searched but to no avail) threat circa 66-69 when the Leafs started using that Centennial Version of the Leaf (67 proper) and wanted to go back to the veined version they were stopped in their tracks.
 

Valhuen

Secretary of Defense
Apr 10, 2011
447
0
Tucson via Spokane
Personally I place a lot of significance on branding when it comes to the teams I follow. As an example, when the Caps shed the Red, White and Blue in the mid-90's, and eventually went to that awful black jersey, I was very dismayed. They simply no longer looked liked the Caps to me. Obviously I was ecstatic when the brought back the original colors.

A lot can be said for teams like the O6 which have stuck with their original colors for generations, and why I could never get behind a team like Vancouver that changes their colors and logos at the drop of a hat. There has to be a history there, and it needs some consistency.
 

Canadiens1958

Registered User
Nov 30, 2007
20,020
2,768
Lake Memphremagog, QC.
Maple Leaf Logo

Thats very interesting. Any idea what time-frame it was (without paying a visit to the patent & copywrite offices of course) that the NHL & the Leafs did this?. The "veined maple leaf" logo was in fairly wide use by a number of companies; from Beaver Nuts to I believe either CN or CP Rail amongst others, and I very vaguely remember (searched but to no avail) threat circa 66-69 when the Leafs started using that Centennial Version of the Leaf (67 proper) and wanted to go back to the veined version they were stopped in their tracks.

A tribute to Bob Haggert is linked:

http://hockeythenandnow.blogspot.com/2011/06/bob-haggert.html

Bob Haggert left the Leafs in 1968. The formation of Sports Representatives Ltd which handled NHL licensing in Canada pre LCA, followed. You would be looking at the 1968-71 era.

The other old logos were brought back into the NHL fold starting in the 1980's looking forward to the 75th anniversary season 1991-92.

Getting back to the Leafs logo one of the key elements in determining similarity in copyright and trademark issues was the number of points on the actual Maple Leaf.
 

Brodie

the dream of the 90s is alive in Detroit
Mar 19, 2009
15,399
359
Chicago
I know college sports is a different beast here in Canada (in that it's less of a beast and more like a puppy pawing at the door and whimpering to be let out to go pee), but any complaints from a university to the effect of "You stole our colour scheme!!1!" should be filed under "I" for "Ignore"

Quite the opposite, more like "You used the color scheme of our biggest rival so we can't support you".
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,203
Getting back to the Leafs logo one of the key elements in determining similarity in copyright and trademark issues was the number of points on the actual Maple Leaf.

Interesting link there. Thanks. I attended the Orr-Walton Sports Camp & fondly remember Bob Haggert. As for the logo, ya, they went from the fabulous 35 point Leaf to the 11 pointer as a salute to Canada's Centennial & the new Canadian flag, two changes that to this day I wholly, completely & utterly disagree with & reject. Abominations Sir.. Sacri-religious abominations.....
:baghead::leafs I suggest the former a more appropriate logo, and they'd best be restoring the Red Ensign.
 

Canadiens1958

Registered User
Nov 30, 2007
20,020
2,768
Lake Memphremagog, QC.
35 Points

Interesting link there. Thanks. I attended the Orr-Walton Sports Camp & fondly remember Bob Haggert. As for the logo, ya, they went from the fabulous 35 point Leaf to the 11 pointer as a salute to Canada's Centennial & the new Canadian flag, two changes that to this day I wholly, completely & utterly disagree with & reject. Abominations Sir.. Sacri-religious abominations.....
:baghead::leafs I suggest the former a more appropriate logo, and they'd best be restoring the Red Ensign.

If the points on the serrated end of the bag total 35 you may have something:laugh:.
 

billycanuck

Registered User
Nashville Predator's new colour scheme and updated logo

Here's the sneak peek:
http://www.smashville247.net/2011/06/look-at-new-preds-logos.html
DSC00203.JPG


Look forward to seeing the new road jersey at the draft this weekend. I like the secondary logos.
 

Bucky_Hoyt

Registered User
Dec 11, 2005
600
46
Singapore
Ya, Vancouver is an excellent example and the very definition of a sartorially challenged outfit with 7 major & several other minor makeovers & tinkerings since 1970, & they still havent got it together.

Couldn't agree more. As a life-long Canucks fan, it has clearly been a struggle to have any pride over the logo or uniforms. All have been weak with the '94 jersey probably the closest to being 'alright' and even that one isn't very good.
 

Canadiens1958

Registered User
Nov 30, 2007
20,020
2,768
Lake Memphremagog, QC.
Branding and Phases

Couldn't agree more. As a life-long Canucks fan, it has clearly been a struggle to have any pride over the logo or uniforms. All have been weak with the '94 jersey probably the closest to being 'alright' and even that one isn't very good.

Branding goes thru phases. Examples pastel colours, teal being the colour of choice in the early nineties - San Jose in the NHL, Florida MLB, originall Charlotte - NBA. Minor league baseball went thru a cutesy mascot naming phase when the boomed in the nineties, linked back to the San Diego Chicken who was an icon in the minors.Then there are the usual striping, speed or power lines, throwback or futuristic looks and ..................

Basic point is that sports branding has gone from a tradition classic look to a fashion, transient approach. Canucks being a prime example.
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,203
Couldn't agree more. As a life-long Canucks fan, it has clearly been a struggle to have any pride over the logo or uniforms. All have been weak with the '94 jersey probably the closest to being 'alright' and even that one isn't very good.

Ya, my favorite was the "Flying V" designed by a Psychologist who had apparently never seen a hockey uniform before to save his life, working for a design firm out of San Francisco called Beyl&Boyd. The logo was the skate on the shoulders, while the 'V' color panels stood for "Victory", not "Vancouver" as most assumed. The color scheme was selected for its agressive nature after the somewhat tame Pacific Blue & Emerald Green that preceded it. Stan Smyl commented that upon first seeing it & putting it on, he & the rest of the team were "embarrassed to leave the dressing room" and take to the ice in so outrageous a look. The lighter reverse colored version on the black was just an all out assault on not only good taste but pretty much all of ones senses.....

The "Spaghetti Skate" loop the loop idiocy that followed with skate pointing downward was almost but not quite as hideous as the Flyin 'V's"; couple of tweaks here n' there, then completely abandoned for the Orca & 'C' when they moved into the then new building. That one was designed by a well known local artist, and was a big improvement, (Orca Bay Sports & Ent etc) were it not for the continuing permutations of jersey colors & the trendoid usage of silver. Then along comes the NCAA styled "Vancouver" written over top, as if the logo itself wasnt enough, or maybe folks just didnt know where the team was from having now been utterly confused with so many different uni's when the Nucks came to town?.

To further confuse matters, the Canucks recently acquired the rights for the old Vancouver Millionaires' & the full rights to "Johnny Canuck" of the old WHL, so like many, just waiting to see where all of this is headed next season or whenever. Most people here seem to love the retro with some tweaks rink & stick jerseys, so hopefully they'll go with that home & away for years to come, because lets face it, theyve' really got some identity issue's to be dealing with, and Im talking in pretty much every department.

:naughty::laugh:
 
Last edited:

Canadiens1958

Registered User
Nov 30, 2007
20,020
2,768
Lake Memphremagog, QC.
The Logo

Ya, my favorite was the "Flying V" designed by a Psychologist who had apparently never seen a hockey uniform before to save his life, working for a design firm out of San Francisco called Beyl&Boyd. The logo was the skate on the shoulders, while the 'V' color panels stood for "Victory", not "Vancouver" as most assumed. The color scheme was selected for its agressive nature after the somewhat tame Pacific Blue & Emerald Green that preceded it. Stan Smyl commented that upon first seeing it & putting it on, he & the rest of the team were "embarrassed to leave the dressing room" and take to the ice in so outrageous a look. The lighter reverse colored version on the black was just an all out assault on not only good taste but pretty much all of ones senses.....

The "Spaghetti Skate" loop the loop idiocy that followed with skate pointing downward was almost but not quite as hideous as the Flyin 'V's"; couple of tweaks here n' there, then completely abandoned for the Orca & 'C' when they moved into the then new building. That one was designed by a well known local artist, and was a big improvement, (Orca Bay Sports & Ent etc) were it not for the continuing permutations of jersey colors & the trendoid usage of silver. Then along comes the NCAA styled "Vancouver" written over top, as if the logo itself wasnt enough, or maybe folks just didnt know where the team was from having now been utterly confused with so many different uni's when the Nucks came to town?.

To further confuse matters, the Canucks recently acquired the rights for the old Vancouver Millionaires' & the full rights to "Johnny Canuck" of the old WHL, so like many, just waiting to see where all of this is headed next season or whenever. Most people here seem to love the retro with some tweaks rink & stick jerseys, so hopefully they'll go with that home & away for years to come, because lets face it, theyve' really got some identity issue's to be dealing with, and Im talking in pretty much every department.

:naughty::laugh:

True. Prime example of throwing everything into the mix and hoping one element sticks.

When all the visual periphials are eliminated, branding comes down to the logo.

At the other extreme of the Canucks situation you have the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leaf logo, though tweaked over the years, has remained a constant and it works perfectly at various levels, internationally, nationally, regionally. At the team level it evokes all the Canadian virtues that are integral to team building. At the fan level it connects immediately and sustains. At the corporate and various marketing levels it is readily identifiable yet easy to integrate into partnership situations.

KIS optimized.
 

TheMoreYouKnow

Registered User
May 3, 2007
16,382
3,357
38° N 77° W
The fact the Canucks fan above called the 94 one the closest to acceptable, shows you though, that any look can eventually be accepted. If the Nucks win the Cup in 94 they probably still skate around in that scheme.

An interesting aspect in the attractiveness of any team branding is nostalgia. Just look at the late laurels for the Nordiques, Whalers and Jets designs. It's amazing how many people discovered that any one of those looks was the best ever but of course, years after it was discarded and it's a pure coincidence that those three were also the traditional market teams whose loss became something of a "cause celebre" for many hockey fans.
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,203
...all the Canadian virtues that are integral to team building.

Umm, that hasnt' worked real well for what is it now, 44 years C58?. No, if I could turn back the clock Dief the Chief wouldve defeated Mike Pearson over the flag issue, we'd still have the Red Ensign, "Diefenbucks" instead of the Loonie, push button automatics in our cars and possibly still the 32 point Leaf Logo, unless of course Ballard discovered the lesser issue was cheaper to produce. Im sure as a life-long Habs fan you couldnt be more delighted than seeing the complete destruction of Connie Smythes once proud emblem. :)

It's amazing how many people discovered that any one of those looks was the best ever....

Ya, the retro hockey & baseball jerseys are extremely popular, oddly, with generations of GangBangers in East LA. Leave it to California to start a trend. I cant begin to tell you how strange it is to see a bunch of kids in Hartford Whalers jerseys holding up a 7-11. WTF?... :huh:.
 
Last edited:

sbaggio

Registered User
Jun 7, 2011
59
0
SoCal
Did TNSE make a HUGE mistake......

in marketing by not having a logo and merchandise ready for sale on draft day? There were millions of TV viewers and pumped up Winnipeg Jets fans all over North America and the world. Would it have been the largest sale day in NHL history? I bet they could have sold 10s of thousands of items. They will never get that magnitude of exposure again.
 

KingJet*

Guest
They will still sell more, bet they'd make nearly Billions of Dollars in a year of Jets Merchandise.
 

sbaggio

Registered User
Jun 7, 2011
59
0
SoCal
Yeah they will sell stuff but I am asking could that have been a major retail day since there was so much exposure. Think after the announcement and presentation of a new jersey followed by a NHL jersey commercial. I am sure they will still sell a lot after the jersey in introduced. Teams pay millions for TV exposure and they had it for free but did not take advantage of it. I'm sure the marketing dept was not happy.
 

CdnBison

Registered User
Apr 15, 2010
48
0
Manitoba
I'm sure they would have liked to have stuff ready, but as someone pointed out in another thread - by having the jersey / logo reveal later, they get it all to themselves. Oh, sure, most US stations won't care - but you can just about guarantee that *every* Canadian media outlet will give air time / column space to the reveal.

In short, the Jets don't get lost in the shuffle, they don't share time with draft picks - they get all that media all to themselves.

So, no, I think they'll be just fine.
 

unstuck

Registered User
Dec 23, 2010
2,700
0
Toronto
in marketing by not having a logo and merchandise ready for sale on draft day? There were millions of TV viewers and pumped up Winnipeg Jets fans all over North America and the world. Would it have been the largest sale day in NHL history? I bet they could have sold 10s of thousands of items. They will never get that magnitude of exposure again.

uh no

Listen Winnipeg, we're real happy for you, and imma let you finish, but I have no interest in buying any Jets merchandise, nor do 99% of hockey fans who are not Jets fans in particular
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->