A Look Back at the Infamous Slug
Tuesday · Feb 22 · 2011 | 11:33 AM PSTTaking a quick break from the somewhat fun but tedious work of creating new Jersey Galleries to keep the blog fresh. (By the way, Montreal is up next.)
Today marks the start of a new era for the Buffalo Sabres as a new owner takes the reigns. So you might wonder why I'm using the old logo in this post.
Charlie from Sabres Not Slugs directed me to a discussion last week on the SportsLogos.net forums regarding the genesis of the 2006 uniform and logo. The team's creative services director, Frank Cravotta, posted some early sketches to his online portfolio — which were later removed.
As luck would have it, that doesn't mean they're gone from the Internet at all.
Early sketches of 2006 Sabres logo / Frank CravottaVery cool to see the evolution of a mark that was so despised — and to see it from its earliest stages when it both looked like a bison and incorporated the swords for which the club is named. But the question remains, why were they removed at all? Usually that signals an artist claiming work not his own.
Well, that's not exactly the case here, as explained by Kristopher Bazen, a member of the team involved in the rebranding efforts. He wrote about the process and the harsh condemnations the logo received.
I have several rounds of work where you can see how the "Buffaslug" took shape, so when I was given a heads up ... and saw the work online, I felt the need to speak up. I spoke to Mr. Cravotta and stated how the postings of some images could be misleading, due to the fact that the re-brand was a collaborative effort, and I thank him for removing those images in such a timely manner.
It's funny, I never really thought I'd be speaking on behalf of this project, especially since they've all but abandoned the mark, but since I'm on the subject, I guess I'll let it rip! The thing that frustrates me the most is a lot of people have no idea of the amount of work that goes into these projects, yet fire off at the mouth (or keyboard) like they are seasoned veterans at this stuff. ...
The truth of the matter is there was months of work that came from our team before this logo was decided upon. It's common for designers to work up a ton of sketches and options to please a client, but when the client has their own idea of how things should look.
Honestly, I'm thankful because I've grown thick skin by reading people's bashings and critiques. I don't believe I'm a bad designer, despite people calling for me (or should I say, "the designer") to be castrated, among other things. Does anyone remember www.fixthelogo.com, an online petition to have the Sabres logo scrapped immediately after the unveiling? I sure as hell do! That sucked because I was a young designer just trying to do my job and service a client, and happy for the opportunity to be able to accomplish a childhood dream.
In the end, I've learned to chalk it up as a learning experience and move on. I am happy to report that since that catastrophe, I've worked on other sports identities and luckily, response has been rather positive. I won't go into detail on that stuff, but I just figured I'd clear the air on that. ... It's all good!
Bazen has it right. As I've learned, you can never please everyone, so you just have to accept that people will shoot their mouths off even over things they know nothing about. But almost everyone is guilty of that at some point, myself included.
So with all the bad-mouthing this logo received during its short tenure, especially on websites like Icethetics, I felt it only fair to present the other side of the story. Consider it presented.
We seem to be a little concept-heavy these days, but I think most of us enjoy seeing the "what-might-have-beens." So continuing on that note, Cravotta had also posted a few of the early designs of the new third jersey the Sabres launched this year. It was also removed.
Early sketches of the 2010 Sabres third jersey / Frank Cravotta
Again, it's fun to see the options that were considered. Personally, I think my favorite of the four is the "Force Uniform" as it incorporates more gold. But they're all very cool. And I like that Cravotta included a picture of the number stitching that was the inspiration for the final design.
Lastly, since this seems to be a tale of two artists, I'll finish with the other one. Bazen's portfolio features a lot of sports branding and identity work, including other NHL teams. Here's a little preview.
NHL identity concepts / Kristopher Bazen
If you want to see more, check out his website.
Reader Comments (37)
Hate to be reminded of this logo... but that first concept isn't half bad.
I was a pretty big hater of the Buffaslug, though my biggest complaint with it was not the lack of legs but rather the fact that it was primarily yellow (unfortunate given the cool history of the white buffalo). I think a white "buffaslug" on top of a shield/swords like the one above would have been kinda cool.
In addition, his other NHL concepts are quite awesome. The greco-roman motif would totally work for a team like Tampa since they kinda have similar climates/surroundings. The Ducks logo is also a vast improvement over the wordmark they have now.
when it first came out, I liked the "cutting edge" design, but i was also only a teenager. Since then, my tastes have matured slightly and while I was greatful for the "slug" and its return to our blue and gold colors, I was glad to see it removed. It had its time and place, but this is no longer that time or place.
I will say that the 2nd sketch down is pretty cool and I would have LOVED to see that come into play a little more. But I can understand that what a designer draws and what the client envisions are two very different things.
It should be noted that you're crediting Cravotta for the images yet Bazen was the one who actually did the work. Sounds like someone over at the Sabres tried pulling a fast one and took credit for work that is not his own. Bold, considering I can't imagine anyone wanting to take credit for something so godawful.
Looking at some of those early concept sketches I actually don't mind the direction of the top sketch. I think that one had some potential. I do have to agree with Kris though. Design by committee can be a really tough grind and quite often you have to make a lot of compromises over the course of a long period of development. Glad to hear he's taken it as a learning experience and moved on.
I always kind of liked the Buffaslug logo and jerseys. I even went out and bout a home Chris Drury jersey beack in 07. Looking at the sketches there was a lot of potential in those early designs. People also have to remember that he had to go in the direction that the Sabres organization wanted him to go. the obviously liked the idea of no swords and the swooshing buffalo so those were the elements Frank had to keep in the design.
Joe, I recognize it's in your nature to stir things up here, but you gotta read the details, bro, and not just skim. I credited the images to Cravotta because that's where I got them. To say Bazen did all the work himself is a fallacy. Again, if you read what Bazen wrote, he specifically said it was a collaborative effort. He was involved in it and felt that the way it was posted, it may have appeared to some that Cravotta was taking all the credit. Cravotta, being a good guy, removed the images.
As far as I'm concerned, as a creative services director, he's well within his rights to leave it up. My CSD can take credit for the work I do because she hired me and "directs" my work. Until I'm a CSD myself, I'm merely a cog in a machine and that's how it goes. Whether you like the design or not, nobody was "pulling a fast one" on anybody.
Love that Senator, would look so good on their current jerseys... or on their third instead of SENS
The mid-1990s gave us some rather varied, and in certain cases questionable, rebrandings. I never cared much for the Sabres' 1996 rebrand - the de-emphasis on the "Sabres" aspect with the buffalo head as the main crest, the switch from the classic (and then-unique) royal blue and gold color scheme, the pointyness of the lines on the jerseys, and the typography.
While going back to blue and gold was a well-celebrated move, the "Buffaslug" logo just seemed to be a further continuation of that "extremeness", as it came off as a case of playing "squish it, skew it, turn it all around", and the apparent lack of reference to the "Sabres" aspect (with the one obvious reminder, the shoulder patch, carried over from the previous set) didn't help either.
Now, if the 2006 branding had been for a new franchise - if there had been no such thing as the Buffalo Sabres beforehand, it might've worked... on the other hand, without the previous history to have some baseline to draw from, we probably would've gotten something different altogether anyway.
I think sometimes, in trying to "refresh" established brands, some folks are getting too ambitious with their redesigns, overthinking them in their attempts to be "clever". Pepsi's a good example - the skewed ribbon is supposed to represent a smile, but nobody I know sees that right away, and many of them still don't get it even after it being explained to them. The 'Slug is another example - most people I know don't see the "B" aspect of it right away, if at all, and nobody - and I mean nobody - gets the "hidden sword" bit.
Basically, if people have to concentrate on your logo like it's a Magic Eye puzzle and they're trying to see the sailboat, just to get the message you're trying to convey across... then it's not a very effective logo, is it? That's what makes the original Sabres logo so effective - the first glance literally says it all. Simple, concise - the kind of message that would work on a billboard while driving by at freeway speeds, while the 'Slug... is too inscrutable.
I love the shield logo, second one down. Although I wasn't a huge fan of the Buffaloslug, I did like the jersey design they had. Showed up nicely on the TV screen from afar. What I never understood was the design by committee approach which the designer seemed to imply, and that they chose to have their team look like the "Buffalo Buffalos" with no sabers on the front at all!
All due respect to the "work" that went into this widely unbeloved logo, the right of fans to judge a new image for the team they follow is a pretty basic thing. And, as a team's image is truly nothing more than a marketing exercise, with fans expected to vote with their wallets and buy new jerseys, consumers actually ARE the experts. I'm sure the guy who thought of New Coke things the whole world got it wrong, too. The "expert" designers who have come up with the trendy jersey designs in recent years black on black, word marks with no history, piping running every direction) are, in fact getting it wrong - or else, why are fans demanding returns to "traditional" uniforms and colors?
Interesting logo evolution. i personally liked it better when the swords were still incorporated into the design. it gave it a more, finished look. besides that though, the different jerseys were great. the sleeves on "the force" jersey are great although the shoulders being cut off like they are look a bit weird. as for the other logos on the bottom, ottawa's is great and i wish they had used it, same with the ducks. the lightning logos are nice but i think they deviate too far from the original to be used without a total branding overhaul. the ducks, while being 100% different then what they have now is at least recognizable as being the ducks.
Chris, if you have more "Behind The Logo" stuff like this, keep it coming. as a designer i love this stuff.
I was never a "hater" of the Buffaslug. I just always thought if they were going back to blue and gold, why didn't they go all they way retro as they have done now. As far as the logo sketches go, I really like the 2nd one from the top. I think the "slug" would have been slightly better received had it looked like that. Regarding the uniform concepts, I think they made the right choice in the design they went with but, my 2nd favourite is the "Clash Uniform"
I'm generally not a fan of Senators concepts on here (with the notable exception of the excellent black =O= heritage jersey), but I actually like that Sens logo concept. That said, if adopted, you can be sure the Marvin The Martian jokes would never end. As for the Ducks concept, love the colour scheme, but I don't think it would take much tweaking to flip it horizontally and form a stylized 'D'. Almost seems like a wasted opportunity.
I gotta say... I love all those concepts at the bottom, the Sens font is perfect.
Thanks for showing the sketches, theyre always cool!
the top drawing wouldn't have been a bad choice at all. i really like all the third jersey designs but my favorite is the clash just beacuse i prefer the script on it to the te dash one that they went with. also i think that with something like fixthelogo.com, people aren't crioticizing the artist, they're criticzing the organiation for picking such an awful design, at least that's how i look at it
I never hated the "Buffaslug" so it's really interesting to see some of how it came about. The second logo down looks pretty cool too. That said, I love the new home and away jerseys.
I for one thought the "Buffaslug" bashing was far too extreme. True, I wasn't a big fan at first, but I did think it looked kinda cool, and it really grew on me. I absolutely loved the return to the blue and gold, and thanks in no small part to a whirlwind season, come playoff time I was just as happy with the new logo as any. I think that had the organization worn the "slug" logo more often, it would've gradually gained more acceptance. I think the organization just gave up on it too quickly.
That being said, I really like the return to almost the original logo. However, I think that the "slug" could've easily been kept as an alternate, instead of completely scrapped. I think that by the time it was abandoned, most Sabres fans had at least come to accept the logo, if not embrace it. The new alternate Jerseys bother me a whole lot more than the "slug" ever did.
Really, there's going to be disapproval with any new logo. That's no reason to completely abandon it. I know that the red and black logo was called the goat head when it was first introduced. The organization still sported it for 10 years, and the fans came to respect it. I see that logo as just as much a part of the team as any other.
I still believe that Cravotta is vastly overrated and the entire Sabres creative dept could use an overhaul as well. A perfect example is the distracting grey piping that they added to the new uniforms -- an attempt to modernize and distinguish their look from the classic version, which I understand and appreciate -- but it is incredibly amateurish and poorly executed.
'Seems to me that someone in the hierarchy of the Sabres organization had to say "that's it-- that's the one!" before it was finalized. The artist(s) is indisputably talented, and shouldn't take to heart the full criticism of this monumental gaffe. On the other hand, however, nor should he complain about the amount of work that went into the project-- Rousing success or miserable failure, I'm sure he was justly compensated... This entire episode gives more credance to what Tampa Bay is doing now- dropping their new brand on us a year ahead of it's actual implementation, and thereby giving themselves plenty of time to "tweak" in case of negative public reaction... Just think of the criticism Don Maloney and the Islanders would have been spared if they "previewed" the fisherman jerseys, or even brought them out as a third to test the waters...
diggin' the "Force" jersey.... thats about it
Love the "what might have been" posts and concepts leading to development. And I dig the "force" uniform too. nice post.
Being a lifelong Sabres fan, I LOVE the opportunity to see this stuff. I was never a fan of the slug, but did like the uni design. I would love to see some of the early designs/options for the '96 redesign & rebranding - were all of the options back & red, were there other logo sketches? For the infamous red 3rd, was there a Buffalo that was dropped at the last moment, leaving the huge black void? Someone must have some of this info, and I would be thrilled to see some of it see the light of day. Keep up the great work, Chris. The "what might have been" posts are some of the most interesting, like the famous Nordiques that never (thankfully) saw the light of day on the ice.
Why is it that in all conversations concerning the Buffaslug it is entirely ignored and forgotten that it was the highest selling jersey and most popular jersey in the NHL upon its debut and during the peak of the Drury & Briere days. A dominant team and a crisp new jersey was quickly replaced with contempt and vintage jersey delirium.
for those that didn't know or forgot when these jerseys were released they couldn't keep them on the shelves. They were back ordered at the arena way past Christmas. So some people must have liked them.
"But the question remains, why were they removed at all? Usually that signals an artist claiming work not his own."
Not true at all Chris. Artists remove work from their site because they aren't pleased with it or don't consider it to be their best stuff. As each painting/drawing is completed, the artist looks back on earlier sketches and sees the progress he/she has made and realizes that work done from just a few months ago is not as good as their recent stuff, so they remove the old ones. This is the primary reason for removing work from their site, not because they stole anything and called it their own. (just sayin'!)
LOL, maybe these new-fangled designers are trying a bit too hard? If there was such a monumental output of effort to create something so obviously pedestrian, one would beg to wonder where all that sweat equity ended up?
I miss the days when old school designers would jot down a quick design on the back of a bar napkin and end up with a timeless piece of work.
I don't wanna sound like a dick, but ... WAHHhhh
He does nice work, though. Not gonna take that away from him.
I think the bashing of the ENTIRE Creative Department of the Buffalo Sabres is unfounded. I had the pleasure to meet with Mr. Cravotta and he was gracious enough to show me some of the artwork that was presented regarding both the logo design and many, many other projects that his small team worked on.
Working for a Billionaire Sport Franchise Owner who's money is on the line is a very thin line to walk. Aside from the pressure of losing your job based on the Owner's Final Identity, he had to deal with the scores of fans that are all ready to play Monday Morning Quarterback. I am a traditionalist and have always liked the Original 1970 Logo. However, let's not forget that the season the new Jerseys were presented to the public it was the largest selling Jersey in the league. Pretty hypocritical of the Nay Sayers. The Islanders fans got their logo changed back to the Original logo the year after the "Fish Sticks" Logo was put into commission. Don't think for an instance that if The immediate owners wanted to accept the general public opinion of the slug they couldn't have done so. There lies the problem with giving your client what he wants. Try working as a Art Director under those types of egos.
Mr. Bazen states that his team worked for months on the project, and I understand that a new design can go through many incarnations before a final version is decided upon. But the most important thing in any creative project is to stand back and look at it with new eyes, or better yet, show it to disinterested parties to get a fresh perspective. It looks to me like they started with a pretty good concept, then futzed around with it until it was just plain terrible. The people closest to it couldn't see it though, because their viewpoint was skewed by the earlier designs that never saw the light of day. Anyone whose first viewing was of the final product would have seen immediately that it was terrible and ugly. Sometimes you just have to stand back and look.
Hello All!
I would like to say thank you for all the feedback this thread has received. I never expected this type of response out of trying to clear the air on this subject, and allowing you all to get a peek "behind the curtain" of identity development.
Once again, I would like to say that I have no hard feelings whatsoever towards Mr. Cravotta... The identity development was a collaborative effort, but it just so happens that one of my options is "showcased", so I felt the need to speak to clear up any confusion. Matter resolved.
I would also like to say that I'm thankful for all the positive comments about my other works. I try my best to knock every project out of the park, so I'm happy to know people appreciate my work... Hell, I'm even thankful for the negative comments... They're the ones that seem to push me harder! I can't win 'em all, but I try!!!
I've attached my email address if anyone would like to chat sometime... I'm also on Twitter, Skype and Facebook.
Later!
Baze
Sorry, but the designer is just a big whiner. If ya can't take the heat....
I understand the process is tough, but if the final product sucks... the final product sucks. It's unfortunate that he was probably (hopefully) pushing for a better design all along, but people do not and should not judge a logo based on how much work it took.
Chris, I love that Force Uniform as well! Wow. I like the striping despite the fact that it reminds me of Nascar. And man do I loathe Nascar.
Anywho, Ranty McRantin' Ranter (or Mr. Bazen, as he goes by) makes good points, which most people in creative industries probably already knew. And to be fair to him, I probably would've ranted a little harder, and more embarrassingly if I were him. The slug was an embarrassing situation considering the backlash.
The truth is, he's not a bad designer. The logo is quite nicely done, even in it's final form. It's just a TERRIBLE HOCKEY LOGO. It would be a great logo for a morning cartoon show about robot slugs from outer space or something... just not for a hockey team. I'm sure he's done many other wonderful things, but due to his client's demands, this wasn't one of them. No reason to get defensive about it... clients happen to EVERYONE.
May I suggest to others that deal with these situations, some solace that you aren't alone: http://clientsfromhell.net/
Great post Chris & Charlie!
I had always thought that the Sabres had contracted the same designed who did all the NFL logos. I mean, don't they all look the same nowadays?
Think about it...look at the logos for the New England Patriots, Baltimore Raven, (updated) St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, (updated) Broncos. Thay all have the "swooshing" arch design on them. I thought they just bought in the same design team who made those logos to do this new Sabres one.
Well, I guess Mr. Bazen and his group was probably "inspired" by those designs. Guess he learned his lesson...the NHL is not the NFL and neither the two shall meet.
Thank good ness for the calling of the Buffslug's demise.
It is frightening that it took an entire team a lot of effort to create that logo. It has to be a joke. Worst logo in North American major sports history. Find a new career
THANKS BRADMAYRULES!!!