hettinger_rl Buffalo Bills Logo Concept

[hettinger_rl]

Tweaked the Bills' logo so that it looks like a bison, by actually looking at a bison. Their current look has been a decent facsimile for many years, but in the HD world we need better.

 

 

 

 

[CheeseBurger22]

Ooh that looks very sharp, the bills are in desperate need of a new logo

[NoE38_Concepts]

Perfect. The Bills need to adopt this now.

[CinnamonRoll21]

Coming from a Bills fan, this is perfect.

[hettinger_rl]

21 hours ago, CheeseBurger22 said:

Ooh that looks very sharp, the bills are in desperate need of a new logo

 

18 hours ago, NoE38 said:

Perfect. The Bills need to adopt this now.

 

12 hours ago, CinnamonRoll21 said:

Coming from a Bills fan, this is perfect.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

 

I don't want to jinx it, but I put together a forward facing alternate that could be used on merch. and sideline apparel.

[CheeseBurger22]

Amazing

[C-Squared]

On 9/18/2017 at 2:05 PM, CheeseBurger22 said:

Ooh that looks very sharp, the bills are in desperate need of a new logo

 

As a designer from Buffalo, I have taken a million stabs at a Bills logo and accepted that its already perfect - instantly recognizable, it scales down well, excellent color balance, detailed, yet simple in all the right ways, etc.

 

I have never seen a concept that tops what they already have, but only because they already nailed it.

[CheeseBurger22]

1 hour ago, C-Squared said:

 

As a designer from Buffalo, I have taken a million stabs at a Bills logo and accepted that its already perfect - instantly recognizable, it scales down well, excellent color balance, detailed, yet simple in all the right ways, etc.

 

I have never seen a concept that tops what they already have, but only because they already nailed it.

Yes, it is a very good logo, I said they're in desperate need of one because they haven't changed it in more than 40 years, and it is a tradition, kind of like the cowboys logo, but it's a little too simple for me. That's why I like this concept to much, same basic idea, just a little more detail. BTW, I love your Gridiron Gals series!

[hettinger_rl]

11 hours ago, C-Squared said:

 

As a designer from Buffalo, I have taken a million stabs at a Bills logo and accepted that its already perfect - instantly recognizable, it scales down well, excellent color balance, detailed, yet simple in all the right ways, etc.

 

I have never seen a concept that tops what they already have, but only because they already nailed it.

 

10 hours ago, CheeseBurger22 said:

Yes, it is a very good logo, I said they're in desperate need of one because they haven't changed it in more than 40 years, and it is a tradition, kind of like the cowboys logo, but it's a little too simple for me. That's why I like this concept to much, same basic idea, just a little more detail. BTW, I love your Gridiron Gals series!

 

It is a logo that has stood the test of time and thats why I kept the basic structure in place. I just couldn't stand looking at the flat head and bendy straw legs any more. 

I see this as in line with what Seattle, Arizona, Atlanta, and Detroit did in refreshing their looks.

[Ben5]

I think your update is very well designed, and it certainly reads like a buffalo.

 

I'm not as sold on the front facing logo, though. I knew exactly what it was supposed to be, but it took me a while to figure out how it was supposed to be a buffalo. The lack of any white down the middle makes it tough for me. Maybe add in the complete mouth?

[hettinger_rl]

24 minutes ago, Ben5 said:

I think your update is very well designed, and it certainly reads like a buffalo.

 

I'm not as sold on the front facing logo, though. I knew exactly what it was supposed to be, but it took me a while to figure out how it was supposed to be a buffalo. The lack of any white down the middle makes it tough for me. Maybe add in the complete mouth?

The thing that holds me up about it is the lack of defining dark areas. It works from the side, but seems to lack definition from the front. Here's a look with more mouth:

[Ben5]

That reads more like a buffalo to me. Maybe you can define where the horns start a little more? And some nose holes, AKA nostrils?

[hettinger_rl]

 

1 hour ago, Ben5 said:

That reads more like a buffalo to me. Maybe you can define where the horns start a little more? And some nose holes, AKA nostrils?

Tried to visually accentuate the horns and emphasize the nostrils more:

1st

2nd

              

3rd

 

[ChicagoOakland]

48 minutes ago, hettinger_rl said:

 

Tried to visually accentuate the horns and emphasize the nostrils more:

1st

2nd

              

3rd

 

I don't know if this was intentional or not, but I'm getting serious DePaul vibes from this.

[hettinger_rl]

2 hours ago, ChicagoOakland said:

I don't know if this was intentional or not, but I'm getting serious DePaul vibes from this.

 

Obviously not intentional, just a coincidence. Not the first time a couple logos had a similar shape.

The new look on the merch:

And an alternate/color rush helmet (if they do away with the 1 helmet color rule)

[Ben5]

The third option is looking a lot better. 

[hettinger_rl]

What would be the top reasons (other than money and "it's been this way for x years, no use in changin' now) that a team wouldn't want to do an update like this? or are there pretty much just those 2 reasons?

[C-Squared]

11 hours ago, hettinger_rl said:

What would be the top reasons (other than money and "it's been this way for x years, no use in changin' now) that a team wouldn't want to do an update like this? or are there pretty much just those 2 reasons?

 

Objectively, the economy of the existing logo (its #1 strength & a crucial aspect of logo design) is lost in your revamp, which would not scale down nearly as well. Sacrificing economy for realism isn't necessarily an improvement. I see where you're going with the front-facing logo, but it takes a lot of thought to even see what it is supposed to be. I absolutely love the helmet concept though, would make for a really interesting color rush mixup.

 

I am constant victim of tunnel-visioning my own work, so I get it, but I really don't see these concepts as improvements. In terms of design, the charm and longevity of the current logo could be credited its fluidity and economy. The fact that the current logo has remained unchanged for this long is less compliance and more a testament to the foresight of creating a well-rendered & simple, yet distinct logo.

[joob]

I'd say the logo is definitely a welcome update, you kept the simplicity from the original intact and it looks great. The helmet is phenomenal too but I kinda get a vikings vibe from the horn (maybe its just me who sees this connection, but just some food for thought I guess). 

[Cosmic]

On 9/18/2017 at 1:29 PM, hettinger_rl said:

Tweaked the Bills' logo so that it looks like a bison, by actually looking at a bison. Their current look has been a decent facsimile for many years, but in the HD world we need better.

 

 

 

 

I think it's pretty close to a good, Seahawks/Vikings level update. The only major thing I have a problem with is the front legs have too much visual weight. With the shaggy kind of hair they have, I realize the silhouette might close to that, but the focus of the logo should definitely be more towards the head; it's where the logo is "pointing" to. Similarly, I would shrink the detail from the back hip; I think it makes the buffalo seem muscular in a good way, but I'd say too distracting. The eye, the nostril, and the horn make a really nice little face... I have no real idea what's going on with the face in the real logo, or if the real logo even has a horn. I think the area where the horn meets the outline needs some tweaking. I don't know the designer-y term for it, but I don't think it's a good look to have the horn sort of tangent to the outline like that. Either pull it into the head, or give it a bump so it noticeably sticks out of the head. I'd keep the eye and nostril where they are (I really like the implied face), and pull the horn/end of the streak back a little, so the horn doesn't sprout from the eye.