Sabres having a Slug Appreciation Day

[north dakota]

Slug Appreciation Day

[PhlyBoy]

thats actually really cool

[Mingjai]

thats actually really cool

Fans are encouraged to wear their old Sabres merchandise featuring the ?Slug? logo to Monday?s game to receive a 41% discount ? to honor the team?s 41st season ? on a matching item featuring the Sabres? current logo.

This is brilliant.

[tj4eck]

Great way to transition from a past mistake and usher in a new era. Plus I like the discount on the new gears; it's almost like the team is like we messed up on that gross logo have 41% off on this new stuff, to make up for that.

[ARTnSocal]

Great way to transition from a past mistake and usher in a new era. Plus I like the discount on the new gears; it's almost like the team is like we messed up on that gross logo have 41% off on this new stuff, to make up for that.

.....

Being a Sabres fan since expansion with Vancouver in '70-'71 I've never liked the original uniforms (especially the home whites) nor the logos inside the circle

Best uniform set we could have ever had was the '06-'07 set, the year the slug came out, but without the slug. Then they darkened the blue the following season which was totally unnecessary. Sabres should have gone with the new slug-colored with the alternate 'B' logo with the Sabre sword and called it a day.

[BrandMooreArt]

FYI my boy Kris Bazen designed (or perhaps co-designed?) the Buffa-slug. hes a member here.

http://bazeiskpbl.com/

[Buffalo]

FYI my boy Kris Bazen designed (or perhaps co-designed?) the Buffa-slug. hes a member here.

http://bazeiskpbl.com/

how does he sleep at night?

[DEAD!]

FYI my boy Kris Bazen designed (or perhaps co-designed?) the Buffa-slug. hes a member here.

http://bazeiskpbl.com/

how does he sleep at night?

On top of a pile of money with many beautiful ladies.

[Cosmic]

Great way to transition from a past mistake and usher in a new era. Plus I like the discount on the new gears; it's almost like the team is like we messed up on that gross logo have 41% off on this new stuff, to make up for that.

.....

Being a Sabres fan since expansion with Vancouver in '70-'71 I've never liked the original uniforms (especially the home whites) nor the logos inside the circle, especially the home-whites.

Well, the new owner was a season ticket holder sometime in the late 70's or early 80's and was out of town and/or had very little to do with Buffalo during the red & black era and the slug era... I'd say it's almost a lock there's a very good chance the Sabres will be in their original royal and gold soon.

[BrandMooreArt]

FYI my boy Kris Bazen designed (or perhaps co-designed?) the Buffa-slug. hes a member here.

http://bazeiskpbl.com/

how does he sleep at night?

On top of a pile of money with many beautiful ladies.

this is fact

[krisbazen]

FYI my boy Kris Bazen designed (or perhaps co-designed?) the Buffa-slug. hes a member here.

http://bazeiskpbl.com/

how does he sleep at night?

On top of a pile of money with many beautiful ladies.

this is fact

Yes it is... Call me Don Paper.

[TalktoChuck]

The person in their marketing department (I assume it was someone in marketing, but I could be wrong) who came up with this idea deserves a promotion/raise right away. This is one of the best (if not the best) ways to transition from one logo/brand to another.

[eliminator jr]

So, Don Paper, now that the Sabres organization is able to laugh about the slug, can you give us a little insight into the design process? What went into it? How much input did the Sabres have? How surprised were you by the backlash (and how happy were you that the jerseys sold like crazy the first year they were introduced?) Include me in the majority of people who think the slug is terrible, but I'm certainly interested to know how it came to be.

[fl00dsm0k3]

i love the slug and the jersey is my favorite

[KJTALBOT]

I think the slug is brilliant, but you have to love the original logo too.

His work on the Pistons and the Ducks are better than what the teams actually chose.

[Morgan33]

Being a Sabres fan since expansion with Vancouver in '70-'71 I've never liked the original uniforms (especially the home whites) nor the logos inside the circle

Me neither but its been around a long time so I guess that automatically makes it a good logo

Best uniform set we could have ever had was the '06-'07 set, the year the slug came out, but without the slug.

I disagree. The shoulder patches were nice but the striping pattern was an incongruent mess of arbitrary colour blobs. Front numbers only made matters worse.

Then they darkened the blue the following season which was totally unnecessary. Sabres should have gone with the new slug-colored with the alternate 'B' logo with the Sabre sword and called it a day.

You keep saying they darkened the blue for the 2007/08 season yet according to Colorwerx' site this is not the case. Can somebody confirm or deny this?

[krisbazen]

So, Don Paper, now that the Sabres organization is able to laugh about the slug, can you give us a little insight into the design process? What went into it? How much input did the Sabres have? How surprised were you by the backlash (and how happy were you that the jerseys sold like crazy the first year they were introduced?) Include me in the majority of people who think the slug is terrible, but I'm certainly interested to know how it came to be.

Gather 'round, folks... this is an exclusive!!!

Honestly, a lot of projects at the time were worked on by several design departments within the overall company. We followed a lot of the standard practices in ID building (brainstorming, sketch phases, etc.) and provided a buttload of initial options. I'd like to think we pumped out some decent marks throughout the project, but as in a lot of cases, several ideas kinda morphed into each other over the course of time (a few months on our end, to be exact), primarily based on rounds of critiquing, and you do what you can to make the client's vision come to life. I will say that I never had any direct communications with the team, and at that time, I felt the brief was more than adequate... Looking back now, there may have been a few questions I would've asked along the way to get a better overall feel for what the client was looking for. I'll also admit, I was really green at the time and nowhere near the level of competence I'm at today, so at the time, I was looking for a "win" any way I could get it, but despite how thankful I am to have had the opportunity to work on this project, I've grown and matured artistically, and I'm not as quick to brag about this particular piece nowadays.

As far as the backlash goes... kinda sucked actually, but ya gotta grow a thick skin and learn to get over it, ya know? I remember getting CRUSHED on these boards, Uni Watch, etc. and even within the building (actually, the internal part wasn't so bad). Fixthelogo.com and online petitions were kinda crazy, as well as some of the nicknames... Buffaslug being the one that stands out the most. (Little known fact: it was "supposed to be" the head, hump, and chest area of a buffalo). I will say, all the revenue generated by the new logo did a lot to ease the pain, though!

Looking back on it all, it was a great experience for me. Experiencing that "failure" early in my career gave me a sense of humility and made me more determined to crush projects. It also made me aware of the fact that I'm not just designing for the client anymore. This is my craft and my passion, and I've gotta be sure I come with it every time, because my peers (you guys) are passionate too... and ready to let me know whenever I'm slippin'. It's all good though, I like the challenge. I think the most difficult part of the process is finding the balance between staying true to your peers as well as pleasing the client. I don't have enough clout to waltz into a presentation and tell people how it's gonna be, so until that time comes, ya gotta do what you gotta do. I'm workin' relentlessly to get there, though!

Well folks, hope this clears up some of the confusion and gives a little insight to one of the most reviled logos in sports history!

I might have to hop on here more frequently to check in and see what y'all are doin'... maybe give some advice and whatnot, and allow you to critique some of my stuff as well. If I do, I promise I won't be one of those armchair quarterback types that gets their rocks off by ripping people's work... all constructive!

Feel free to check out more of my stuff on my site and dribbble... also stay on the lookout at oldhatcreative.com!

Later, player!

Baze

[MEANS]

"Yes! Cuban B!"

[BrandMooreArt]

great stuff Baze. they say if you're going to fail "fail well". i actually like the logo

[ARTnSocal]

Being a Sabres fan since expansion with Vancouver in '70-'71 I've never liked the original uniforms (especially the home whites) nor the logos inside the circle

Me neither but its been around a long time so I guess that automatically makes it a good logo

Best uniform set we could have ever had was the '06-'07 set, the year the slug came out, but without the slug.

I disagree. The shoulder patches were nice but the striping pattern was an in-congruent mess of arbitrary colour blobs. Front numbers only made matters worse.

Then they darkened the blue the following season which was totally unnecessary. Sabres should have gone with the new slug-colored with the alternate 'B' logo with the Sabre sword and called it a day.

You keep saying they darkened the blue for the 2007/08 season yet according to Colorwerx' site this is not the case. Can somebody confirm or deny this?

. . .

I remember all the all hub-bub going on when the logo leaked out before it was unveiled as the 'official' new logo. Many included myself thought the 'Buffaslug', which was just a rumor at that time was just a joke, didn't think it was gonna come to pass.

When they did the unveiling if it and as the shock wore off, I thought wow, with the exception of the slug, it's a cool looking uniform. It was the alternate logo on the shoulder with the 'B' with the Sabre sword stuck thru it that really caught my eyes and I thought the uniform set would look superb if only they had used that logo as primary rather than alternate. I loved that original shade of blue. It wasn't too dark or too bright.

Then they darkened the blue .... why? I have no idea. Most photos I've seen online the blue is the darker version.

I did not Photoshop these (only the logo swap on the two images above in post # 5). Perhaps you can confirm the '07-'08 darkening of the blue thru personnel at the Sabres Shop at the HSBC Arena, message Colorwerx, or ask any hard-core Sabres fan ......

Also, the new owner (Pegula) has season tix from '80-'98 .... the goat uniform came out before the '96-'97 season as the Aud was about to close .... it was the red & black alternates with the double swords that weren't yet out when he gave up his season tix. Not to worry (for you), he likes the original uni's that the Knox bros gave us. He should pay Pepsi for the rights to use the Bisons uniforms as a 3rd uniform .... I'd break-dance naked if he ever pulled that one off.