Portland Trail Blazers

[Conrad.]

So if you don't know, I am doing a semester-long project on completely re-branding the Blazers. We have done some competitive analysis and market research and the like, so we are on to visualization of the concepts. My idea for the rebrand is to better connect the brand with the actual nickname as well as better relate to the progressive nature of Portland, OR. For the mascot and visualization of the logo, I have these ideas. I will be sketching some of these up for feedback from class, so I would like some input here as to which of these sounds most plausible:

> horse (they were used on the Oregon Trail to lead the pioneers out West; already used by Mavs tho)

> mountain lion (local animal who roams the area; also not used by any current team)

> oxen (lead the pioneers' wagons on the Oregon Trail)

> pick axe (aided the clearing of trail in the uncharted lands)

> shovel (same as pick axe, could maybe be combined into 1 logo?)

> shotgun (protected and served the early pioneers on the Trail)

any wisdom would be appreciated here...thanks.

[Starchild]

Horse: Not too thrilled about the idea for the reason you listed - already conjures up images of Dallas.

Mountain lion: I just don't see the relationship with the name Portland Trail Blazers, outside of it being a local animal. It's sort of like the Utah Jazz, where the only correlation between logo and the team name is cold colors and mountains relate to Utah. The logo should emphasize Trail Blazers, not just Portland.

Oxen: I think this is the appropriate choice - it has the most potential to work (and it would be a unique image amongst the other NBA sets)

Pick axe/shovel: I'd be careful, only because the Nuggets have their pick axe alternate logo. If used in conjunction with the shovel though, might be enough to differentiate the two.

Shotgun: Won't fly, so I wouldn't even both considering it. Ever since the Bullets rebranding into the Wizards, there's no chance a shotgun logo would be considered.

[TheAK47]

Horse: Not too thrilled about the idea for the reason you listed - already conjures up images of Dallas.

Mountain lion: I just don't see the relationship with the name Portland Trail Blazers, outside of it being a local animal. It's sort of like the Utah Jazz, where the only correlation between logo and the team name is cold colors and mountains relate to Utah. The logo should emphasize Trail Blazers, not just Portland.

Oxen: I think this is the appropriate choice - it has the most potential to work (and it would be a unique image amongst the other NBA sets)

Pick axe/shovel: I'd be careful, only because the Nuggets have their pick axe alternate logo. If used in conjunction with the shovel though, might be enough to differentiate the two.

Shotgun: Won't fly, so I wouldn't even both considering it. Ever since the Bullets rebranding into the Wizards, there's no chance a shotgun logo would be considered.

I agree Oxen is the best choice.

Maybe use this somehow:

haha jk.

So Starchild, I'm guessing your a fellow Jew?

[CAB]

I think it is probably a good idea to use a covered wagon and an an ox.

This would represent the name "Trail Blazers'' very well.

[oddball]

Of what you listed, the oxen is the best choice, but not for a basketball team. Oxen would be better for a football team. Oxen are slow plodding animals, aka most offensive linemen. If you want to create a team of big slow basketball players, Stanley Roberts anyone, then go ahead. What you need to do is stop and think what a trailblazer is. Break the word apart find their meanings. To me, if I'm thinking trailblazer, I'm thinking of going somewhere that hasn't been touched before. To successfully rebrand this team, you need to do that, otherwise it's just another idea using what we've seen before. To do this successfully you need to go into areas people haven't even thought about, be edgy. You're thinking way too traditional.

[eRay]

Horse = Mavericks

Mtn. Lion = Bobcats

Oxen = Slow, like oddball said. It is the best of these choices but do not lock yourself into these.

Pick Axe = Nuggets

Shovel = Not very interesting

Shotgun = NBA wouldn't allow it.

All your choices have flaws. The default best option is the Ox idea. It isn't good when your best option is only that by default. I know you are probably trying to get away from the graphic interpretation of basketball that they currently use, but that is the Trailblazers. It has been with them since they started, and you cannot just forget about history with a project like this. You need to take everything into account. One of the reasons I wouldn't have chosen the Trailblazers for this project is their immense history with almost the same logo, colors, and uniforms. You literally cannot change anything without saying "screw the past". I say a new version of the current logo is the best way to go, as unimaginative as that is. An update is all you can really do, a complete re-brand may be a step in the wrong direction.

[BroadwayBlueshirt]

[galiboi9]

why not use any of those animals holding a pick axe..the cartoonish way..

like a lion biting a pick axe.

Mountain lion: I just don't see the relationship with the name Portland Trail Blazers, outside of it being a local animal. It's sort of like the Utah Jazz, where the only correlation between logo and the team name is cold colors and mountains relate to Utah. The logo should emphasize Trail Blazers, not just Portland.

Not only the Jazz, tha lakers, clippers, sonics, thunder, pistons, sixers and many other teams. Look at them, their logos don't realte with their names. So it's alright to include logos not related to the name. Anyway its all about the place..the fans,.

[hettinger_rl]

Horse = Mavericks

Mtn. Lion = Bobcats

Oxen = Slow, like oddball said. It is the best of these choices but do not lock yourself into these.

Pick Axe = Nuggets

Shovel = Not very interesting

Shotgun = NBA wouldn't allow it.

Along these same lines Oxen could look too much like the Bulls.

[vicfurth]

What about something buck-skin? Or a "Davey Crockett/Daniel Boone" style thing?

[RoughRiders9]

How about you put in some kind of a wagon? That would be pretty unique...

[eRay]

Horse = Mavericks

Mtn. Lion = Bobcats

Oxen = Slow, like oddball said. It is the best of these choices but do not lock yourself into these.

Pick Axe = Nuggets

Shovel = Not very interesting

Shotgun = NBA wouldn't allow it.

Along these same lines Oxen could look too much like the Bulls.

Thats true, too. I didn't even think of that.

[Conrad.]

thanks for the feedback everyone...ive been thinking about what you all said, and how about this?

I re-do the current mark and keep the shape's integrity, but try to physically tie it to something visually related to the pioneers on the Oregon Trail. Like maybe some oxen horns in that shape or something along that thought process...what other kinds of interpretations would work with this idea?

also, im not sure if I want to go the "Daniel Boone" approach because that would feel college-esque to me by making a person be a mascot.

thanks again, and please continue to help me think about this, i really appreciate all the wise words.

[KCScout76]

A local high school team has the mascot of "trailblazers". The school, Gardner-Edgerton, uses the "Texas Longhorns" logo in blue.

[Conrad.]

a lil update on this:

ive decided to make my logo a kind of facelift to the current logo, by replacing the abstract graphic with a stylized wheel to signify the Oregon Trail passengers; im also working on a custom font to replace the current one, and finally I am replacing the silver with a wheat-ish color to better reflect the natural feel of the nickname, and therein the city of Portland...

here's a first finish of what i've done:

should i slant the main box around the primary logo? any other C&C for this?

[chestnutz]

I really like the wordmark, and the colors, but that's about it.

I can't put my finger on it but something about the main logo wheel seems really off. I also don't like the PB logo at all, it's just like you melted the two letters together, it doesn't look natural.

[eRay]

First thing my eye saw: the 'R' in your new font is odd. The leg kicking out is too thick. I don't like anything about this concept except the Wheat color, and I even think that should be changed. Look at the Minnesota Wild page on SSUR and think Minnesota Wheat rather than Harvest Gold. Thats just my opinion. I say go back to the drawing board but use this as a learning experience. I am saying all this to help, not to get you down. You need honest feedback as quickly as possible to reach where you want to be. IMO this is horrible for the team. For a concept to show on these boards it would pass, but what you are actually trying to do is pretend like this is being done in the real world. This would never fly for the PDX Blazers. Their current logo is much better stylistically and historically, so why would they change to this? The wagon wheel is boring for a primary logo, and isn't a ?facelift? of their current logo, a facelift takes something and makes it look better. This is just a whole new image that is related in no other way than its general shape(circular with lines in the middle). I am sorry for the harsh words, I am just giving you what I wanted to hear when I took on a project like this. I hated having my peers and teachers say, ?This could be better, but it is okay for now, just keep working on it.? I am only trying to help. I would say the one thing to imagine is: This isn't being done for a concept on these message boards, it is being done in real life for the Portland Trailblazers, and if it doesn't stack up to their current identity their is no reason for them to change. Also, if the design doesn't warrant moving on from their past, why would they scrap their entire history? Only a really good look can make the change worthwhile. I hope I helped. Feel free to ignore me if you didn't want to hear all that.

[McCall]

Shouldn't the PB logo be a PTB logo, since it's TRAIL Blazers? Plus, I see PB and think someone forgot to add the J.

Which reminds me, I need to go make my Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich for lunch.

[georgie6543]

In the PB logo, I see the "T" but that must just be me.

I am a Blazer fan, so take this for what you will, but the wagon wheel is iffy. If you are intent on keeping it, I would try to bring it back to more of the pinwheel. Then again, nearly anything new would be tough for me to accept as a Blazer fan, merely because we do have such a history with the pinwheel.

I would slant the box around the wagon wheel, by the way.

[Conrad.]

2 takes on the feedback...

made some fixes to my original idea:

reworked the current logo with color, font, and bounding box:

thoughts?