Design professional backs the new badge

I was surprised the whole process took so long and that it was kept so quiet from the beginning. Why? The actual final design is just poor. People cite the lack of the motto, laurels etc. But, the badge is just poor. Nothing more than poor.

Everton had a real opportunity to engage the fans and do this whole project in a much shorter time-frame. However, they have failed on all fronts.

Ideally, you would have fans approval gained well before ordering a single item or making changes. The fact that they thought it would be ok to just unveil a new badge in the manner they have done speaks volumes about the arrogance and incompetence of the club.

The subsequent PR management fall out is poor as well... sorry... none existent (EFC's PR has always been shite by the way).

The fact that the club is so out of synch with the fans is a reflection of the club's board and senior management.

Blues fans aren't against changing the crest, but how difficult can it really be to get something which retains our heritage and still looks modern and clean?

He's absolutely right about our current badge being "busy" and difficult to reproduce in some mediums. And it *is* important for the club to have a solidly trademarked logo which they can effectively protect.

Where he's wrong is that he's almost overlooked the end product. It does tick the required boxes; simplified, bold, easy to reproduce. Except that it also looks cheap and tacky. The club's requirements could easily have been achieved with a far better looking end product.

You clearly don't understand Mr Sinclair.

What the hell has EFC got to do with the University of California?

I guess I'd be called a 'design professional' too, and no matter what rationale you try and use, I still think it's a pitiful effort.

It's an interesting perspective, he's clearly thought about it in some detail, and written a good article. That I disagree with his conclusion doesn't mean that I don't welcome alternative views to the debate.

Some people do like the new badge. Fair enough, happy for them to say so. I think it's cheap and tacky and horrible.

Robin not a marketing or design major, not my field but the common sense its aesthetically appalling as a replacement undermines any kudos this guy is trying to project.

As an American living in the city where we still throw octopus on the ice at Red Wings (Original 6 team of the NHL) games, and a 119 year old baseball team, I would invite you to a very warm glass of STFU and think before you say something as stupid as that again.

If the guy has a connection to Everton or the redesign then the piece is far different (because he should have highlighted that connection), but that doesn't appear to be the case. If it's an unconnected viewpoint, then fair play for a well researched and detailed article.

What it does at least do is highlight that there are some reasons for the redesign. I think that's important to note; while the end result is appalling, there are solid reasons for actually undertaking an assessment of the branding in the first place.

He could hold 15 degrees in graphics expertism and teach Expert graphic design at the university of Graphic Experts.

But if Evertonians think the new crest is wank and they won't buy merchandise incorporating it, who gives a wild shite what he thinks?

What's "bad news for design" is this abomination of a badge. If it were to be killed off I could see no better news for design or for the club I love.

Sign the petition. Let's aim for 54,000!

On another thread you could read a very detailed explanation from Eugene questioning just what it is the club is trying to rebrand and market? I find it incredible that Everton Football club employ a RS Director of Communications Paul Tyrrell, a RS Commercial Director Dave Biggar and the reputed designer of this crap also a RS Mark Derbyshire. You seriously have to ask why these kind of people would ever realise the importance and impact of branding to Everton, the club is a laughing stock.

I can imagine this guy's ancestor explaining to a witch tied to a stake that she's not, in fact, experiencing a burning sensation, but "mercy" and "justice".

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/2013/05/28/a-message-to-evertonians

The site is being hammered, so for those who can't see it, it's a statement from the club which basically says:

- Sorry, we fucked up.
- We should have consulted more fans.
- We recognise everybody hates it.
- It's too late to do anything for next season.
- For 2014/2015 we will be redesigning the badge again, with your input.

I knew that they'd try and spin it that "removing NSNO" was the primary cause of concern for fans, when really it's just that the badge looks shit.

One massive, almighty climbdown beaten only by the self-induced marketing, PR and loss-of-sales disaster

Sometimes. it's the apparently "insignificant" thing that becomes the last straw; "get over it, only a badge" My arse!

Like why are we employing all these LFC fans in such key positions?

Like how the hell did they think they would get away with burying this news on a bank holiday Saturday in the close season?

Like how did such a wank design ever get signed off and by who?

And, even more worryingly, if they can fuck this comparatively simple exercise up, what other blunders are going on out of sight?

I think my trust in this Club is at small time low.

.........bloody clown. it's none of his business.

I think the design they chose was along the right lines, but the look of it is very poor. I personally agree with simplifying it (not a popular opinion I know). The shape of the badge should have remained the same, as should the tower design. I think 1878 and Everton in the badge in place of the wreaths is also reasonable. That leaves the motto. I could live without it on the actual badge. It would still be our motto. I just wish the badge didn't look so bloated and the new tower blended in better. It just looks like someone copy and pasted on with MS Paint!

Motto's are kind of made for crests, helping reinforce your identity and what you stand for. Take it off the crest and I'm pretty sure it would slowly fade into obscurity, having it on the crest though is a constant reminder to us of what the core value of the club is - thats what its there for - and we've got a cracker so why bin it?

This should be about the disastrous implementation (both from a final product perspective, and also how the change was presented by the club), rather than the principle behind an update.

@Mike (892) - The motto wasn't on our badge from 1982-1991, which encompasses our most successful years. It's more important that the club tries to adhere to the principle in general, rather than necessarily putting it on the badge. For me, a bigger issue than taking NSNO off the badge design was clearly ignoring the principle when it came to the actual quality of that design.

However, I can understand some of the thinking that has probably gone into the new design.
It translates well across locales, needing very little, if any change. The detail is minimal and probably easy to reproduce across mediums and its a bold if "dumbed down" design that is easily identifiable.

The identity of the club needs to strongly represent the club and this design probably works for some markets that Everton need to get bigger in, the USA and Asia for example.

Personally, although I really dislike how "dumb" this design looks, if it meant revenues increased by a few million a year, I'd happily put up with it for a good few years.

You say:

"The new crest has been "Americanized" so I would expect an American to stick up for it - they have no idea when it comes to tradition..."

How the hell has this crest become "Americanized"?

Please enlighten me?

Clearly it's very "British".

4) While the seasons quiet start the comp for a new badge NOW using the Official site. ToffeeWeb GOT Kipper etc, all the usual subjects, will be able to put up links to it.

Use the National and local Press.

Make a virtue out of a neccessity.

Bill, one thing you know is show biz, make it an X factor...ToffeeWeb's got Talent out of it. Have people vote by txt and or social media, jeez if you did it right you could even make a few bob out of it

We had 18 examples run up PDQ on here...ALL better than the official effort.

Get the best 4 from say 32 whittle them down to a final 4

Have a badge off ...a semi final. then a final.

You won't please everybody ( but that doesn't give you leave to please yourself )

How hard is it to do it... if not right, then at least not so so wrong

We don't need no stinkin badges ( sorry couldn't resist )

I was struck by the comparisons with the badges of other top clubs. Our new one looks very like some of the others, particularly Arsenal's.

I think it's the way of thing now that these things need to simplified. We probably can't have the scrolly bit with the Latin motto on anymore. That not's to say the new badge is perfect - still think there is a lot wrong with it. But I'm now of the view that a strong redesign which simplifies and loses the motto is the way to go.

However, the thing that made me smile / feel like chucking up was the way the marketeers have done a marketing job on how they came up with the new logo, complete with uplifting backing track, complimentary talking heads, the works. Self satisfied so and so's. imagine they feel a bit less sure o themselves today.

I sympathise to an extent as a lot of misdirected effort and hard work - and God knows how much money - has gone into this but they're clearly too far up each others backsides to see they'd gone down the wrong road.

I've always had a bit of a niggle over the tower looking nothing like he actual tower so Im not against keeping the new tower design, it just needs improving and not stripped and dumbed down to he extent that it has.

The marketeers can't lose though really, they'll be on the payroll for another year doing the redesign now.

Does he support EVERTON ?
Does he know where God's Acre is ?
Does he know who Alan Ball is ?

Does he know the term ?
Go and fuck yourself !

A designer introduces something which increases sales and encourages greater brand loyalty. Most people would agree that this demonstrates expertise in his/her profession.

A designer introduces something which reduces sales and alienates 90% of the of the brands consumers. Most people would agree that this person doesn't have a clue about his/her profession.

But never mind at least the "traditionalists" will get their Latin motto back. I would say this though. Bayern Munich won the CL for the 5th time in their much shorter than Evertons history. We've never even come close. "Nothing but the best will do" What is the Latin word for second? Because it would certainly fit right in between "the" and "best". Give the badge a much more reality based motto.

Wasn't just on here, now, was it? Come on, be honest