Boy, Was I Wrong About the Jets
Friday · Jul 22 · 2011 | 7:29 PM PDTIt happens to the best of us. Bloggers, I mean. We get stuff wrong. This afternoon I tweeted what may indeed live on as my most infamous tweet ever. In case you missed it, at 12:56 PM Pacific time I wrote:
Literally, within six minutes of that tweet, at 1:02 PM Pacific time, the Winnipeg Jets tweeted this:
It was precisely at that moment I realized my previous tweet would be nullified. Why would the Jets scramble to unveil their logo — perhaps the most highly-anticipated ever — with less than an hour's notice? That is, unless it had been truly leaked. And as promised, at 4 PM Central time the Jets' new logos were posted on their website.
It's at this point you might accuse me of trusting lousy sources. Let me be clear. I had no sources whatsoever. This is all on me. I had only my years of experience in studying and writing a blog about professional sports branding and marketing at my back. Did it fail me? Or did the Jets? Well, I can't answer that without bias.
Honestly, when I first saw the leaked photo, I instantly thought, "there's no way." This is an ownership group who's been so meticulous in its branding strategy. Certainly, they wouldn't be satisfied with marketing their franchise under such a bland mark. And let me say this in the clearest terms possible: Boy, was I wrong!
The title of this post has a double meaning. First, I was wrong to tweet what I did. I should've indicated that it was my opinion rather than making it sound like a fact. Second, I was wrong to think that this team would blow us away with its branding effort. I do stand by one comment in that tweet. What a joke.
Winnipeg logos unveiled / JetsAt this point, another paragraph of expressing my disappointment could easily devolve this post into an irritating rant. And that's not really my thing. So now that you know my opinion, I'll try to handle the rest of my review a little more matter-of-factly. I'll have to start with a direct quote from True North.
"True North Sports & Entertainment felt it was important for the new Winnipeg Jets to develop a strong new identity," said Mark Chipman, Chairman & Governor of True North Sports & Entertainment. "We felt it was important to authenticate the name Jets and we believe the new logo does that through its connection to (Canada's) remarkable Air Force heritage, including the rich history and relationship that our city and province have enjoyed with the Canadian Forces."
If they felt it was important to develop a strong new identity, then why didn't they? Shoot. Caught myself doing it again. Be objective, Chris. The logo has a silver jet aligned (to the north) with a red maple leaf all set within a blue circle. And the central element meant to draw your eye is muted and fails to do so. It looks like a secondary mark.
Speaking of which, the actual secondary mark is a lot better — for a secondary mark, anyway. It has all the elements you expect from a secondary mark. I like the wings and the hockey sticks. Unfortunately, it looks like the Molson maple leaf is here to stay with the Jets' new identity. Bummer.
To be quite honest, the wordmarks, like the rest of the identity, look rushed. True North took control of this franchise just 52 days ago and only officially decided on the name less than a month ago. So I guess it's to be expected.
I'm also perplexed by the addition of a different shade of blue for the "alternate wordmark." Perhaps a third jersey with a wordmark? Wouldn't put it past these guys at this point. Speaking of which, no date has been set for the jersey reveal, but I'm not holding my breath.
However... I'm sure most Winnipeggers will love it. And that's the important thing. A lot of folks dislike the new Lightning identity but I love it and I'm a fan. That's what matters.
I figured I should address one last thing. Many tweeters have questioned whether my disapproval of the new primary logo wasn't more about my being scooped (or wrong about the leak). I think it goes without saying, but I'm saying it just in case... of course not. This idea that Icethetics has to be first with this sort of news is a concoction of its readers.
I appreciate you all and your loyalty very much, but sometimes you set this blog on a pedestal it doesn't deserve. I'm often not first with this type of news and frankly, I don't feel I need to be. All I do is share what's already out there to a wider audience. (Plus, today was an especially busy day at work so I've only just now found time in my day to update the site. Some of you tend to forget I have that day job.)
Reader Comments (145)
Totally agree with ELZ! This is a terrific logo and will stand out against all the overly complex, cartoonish or comic-book stylized super-hero type marks (sorry Chris, that is a direct aim at the "Captain LIghtening Bolt"). Having the CF-18 Hornet as the central element is not only paying respect to the Air Force history in Canada but also recognizes the fact that the CF-18 fighter jet was actually manufactured in Winnipeg by Bristol Aerospace (before the contract was awarded to a Quebec-based manufacturer in the late 80s).
I'm betting a lot of the negative will go away once we see the jersey. The primary logo allows for so many more elements to come into play in a uniform design.
Good theory Scooter G.
The roundel logo looks like an exploding jet to me, I doubt that's the imagery they were trying to conjure up.
I actually like it. Takes the RCAF roundel and incorporates it with an actual jet while also making it look somewhat like a compass facing north and keeping it simple at the same time. However, I really do not like the alternate wordmark. The shade of blue does not fit with the other colors at all, and the font doesn't seem fitting either. It looks too much like the Columbus Clippers baseball team. The primary wordmark is better, but I still don't like the font and it looks a lot like the Molson Canadian logo. But what really matters is that the primary logo looks great in my opinion, and it is much, much better than any Thrashers' logo.
To everyone that says Americans don't get it, and this is going over well in Winnipeg/Canada, that's simply not true. Everyone I know is making fun of it and calling it a beer bottle-cap logo. 'Labatt Blue Jets' and 'Molson Maple Leafs' are my faves. Who cares if it shows 'national pride'? It's not a national team. We need to stop being so self-conscious and throwing Canadian symbols on everything. Save it for the national teams. Imagine if every American team felt the need to throw stars and stripes on everything. Does Manitoba/Winnipeg not have any local heritage to celebrate?
@John D. - Yeah, the local RCAF detachment, which the logo does a fantastic job of conveying.
To those who mention the notch on the top for "True North" when I first saw the logo, that's not what I was thinking. I saw it, and saw how the top of the "Jet" could have bled into the bottom edge of the blue circle on top. The notch cleared a space for it, and doesn't look out of place.
As far as the "fire" on the tail of the "Jet", look a little more closely. It's actually the stem of the maple leaf in the logo. You'd see this better in the secondary mark.
As far as jerseys go, I can't wait to see these, especially if the one poster was correct and they went with Montréal Canadiens style chest stripes. If that's the case, this is Grade A epic win, and will replace the Sharks as having the best jerseys in the entire league, by a clear margin.
I think the logo is pretty great. Less is more. Its one of my favorite logos in the league now, I think.
Besides, nothing could be more bland than the new Tampa logo. Nothing.
Really, really don't like these. Before the unveiling half of me was wishing they'd ignored history and started new (Winnipeg Falcons, Manitoba Moose, anything), and now having seen these I'm wishing they did that even more. I don't particularly care for or against the maple leaf inclusion, I just think that the less importance is put on national pride the better.
The primary is a fantastic concept that is not as well executed as it could be, IMHO. That being said I'm willing to withhold judgement until the uniforms are revealed. The tie-in to the RCAF is a great way to rebrand the Jets. True North has long been supporters of the Canadian Forces. The Moose wore several military-themed jerseys over the years, including one that was an homage to the RCAF Flyers hockey team.
When rumours were spreading that the roundel was going to play a big role in the logo, I kept thinking back to a concept I saw pop up online quite awhile ago. You can view it here: http://goo.gl/Vezbm
That one is sheer brilliance, I think. The jet in the concept is the Avro Arrow, a prototype built in late 1950s that was set to serve the needs of the Air Force for decades to come. Controversially it was scrapped, and none of the prototypes survived. Having the CF18 is OK as that is the main jet currently flown. However, the CF18s will be replaced in the coming years by the CF35.
I like the rebranding. I think with time it will be a unique symbol of jets hockey, and i think for a professional hockey team it's good to have a strong connection to the city. If they keep the primary logo smaller on the jersey than most other teams i think it will look great. Much like the RCAF appreciation jersey used by the Moose.
Dude I have the utmost respect for you for admitting you were wrong. I was fully expecting you to not even acknowledge it. I liked the logo but it needs some more work but for now it will due. Huge fan of the blog
To be honest, i think it looks terrible; but i'm going to wait to pass final judgement so i can see in on the jersey. I hope for the sake of watching hockey this year, it won't be too bad to look at.
I hope this and the Tampa logo isn't starting a trend of over simplified, and quite frankly, ugly logos.
Circular crests on blue sweaters:
Islanders
Oilers
Blues
Panthers
Penguins
Sabres
Blue Jackets
And now the Jets join the fray.
This could have been avoided by making the jet larger than the roundel. I understand the orientation is a not-so-subtle-reference to the ownership, but giving it a slant could have helped them avoid looking like they designed the logo in Corel Draw.
Didn't think much of it at first but after I started to think about why each part of the primary logo was there, it grew on me. At first I thought it was a bit busy and you couldn't make out the jet in the primary logo. The pointy white thing pointing north is incorporating part of the true north entertainment logo then I started to see it as a compass. Its a circle with and when you combine the leaf and the jet it makes north south east west. It's simple and I think it works. They worked in the owners company, a jet, canada, the military and their old colors with modern colors so all in all it works for me. Give it a couple years and they will have the throwback jerseys as third jerseys.
I like the part that will go on the shoulder patch. The word marking is the thing that doesn't fit form me. I'll be curious to see what kind of jersey design they use.
Some love from Buffalo, GO SABRES! ...also It's better than the ugly NY jets... GO BILLS!.
Awesome logo, one of my favourites in the NHL now. But ladies and gentleman... the RCAF DOES NOT EXIST,... it hasn't since 1968 during the amalgamation of all our forces. It is now called the Canadian Forces Air Command.
Horrible logo. Looks like Air Cadet surplus.
"The Jets were named for the city's Western Hockey League team of the same name, honoring the city's growing transportation industry."
That was what the original Jets were known for. This new era of Jets is obviously different owner, different times, etc. New logo had to be used, and what better than to honor the RCAF. The fans wanted "Jets", and they got "Jets" (people never said they wanted the original meaning!!!)
Also a rip off, bland, w/e people want to say about it-they're entitled to their opinion. I think it's great, and like it was stated above, It's better than a logo in a circle with words, or the team name/city name across the jersey in front. Logos can be basic if they drive home the point. Also isn't this hockey where logos like this are on the jerseys? It's not baseball where the name is etched across the jersey. As a ranger fan I know my team is a few of the exception, but this is a nice touch.
Seriously...what should we all have expected? The last Jets logo from years ago was equally as boring. Rumor has it, it was the completely boring logo of years past that actually put the franchise under in the first place. ;-) Good luck Winnipeg...looks like you're going to need it.
Chipman stated on TSN that there will be no third jersey this season (they didn't have time), but one will be done for 2012-13.
I expect dark blue for the home jersey and that the third will evetually be the sky blue base to capture the essence of the RCAF flag
It's the Toronto Blue Jay's of the NHL... The wordmarks resemble the Blue Jays wordmarks so much it's very sad..... I was hoping for something better....
After checking out the logo in action on the Jets website, I have to say... it's growing on me very quickly. If you watch the video "Fehr on the Logo," at the 6-second mark you see the logo on a hat, and it looks sharp!
I also think that, now that it seems they're going to be using the logo atop a lighter blue (not the navy blue from the logo) - as evidenced by the shirts and some of the Reebock promo package showing old military jerseys - that it's going to look even nicer than I thought on jerseys and merchandise. Just look at the shirt color the players are wearing in the posted videos on the Jets site... that color really makes the logo pop nicely.
I think that they made a mistake in trying to change the logo at this point in time. They had a great logo to use, so use it vs. trying to recreate the wheel on the rushed schedule. You will still sell jerseys by changing the striping, color, etc., but if you wanted a new logo, give yourself a year or two to work on it and get it right. You are stuck with it now, and changing it later will cloud the brand. Bad choice IMO.
It's not as bad as everyone seems to be making it out to be. If there was a white outline around the Jet it would stick out more. But it's a good concept and the logo strangely grows on you...
No matter how many times and how long I stare at the primary logo, I still think it's pretty lame. I've seen much better Winnipeg Jets concept logos than this in the past.
I might be one of very few - but I quite like the new logos. Whether they have that nostalgic look that is all too common with the NHL logos or not, I believe that what they have come up with here is terrific. Simplistic beauty, and the fact that they honor the CAF with the "badge" looking logo is brilliant in my humble opinion.
If I had one beef, it would be the lack of definition between the jet silhouette and the red leaf it's superimposed over. But basically I happen to like the new logo....it avoids the cartoonish style of so many of the new hockey logos (esp many AHL ones, and yes....the original "That 70's Show" Jets logo), which get stale really fast. Much of the criticism is coming from simpletons who seem to be complaining that they didn't turn enough of the letters into hockey sticks. I think this logo will look awesome on a retro-style jersey....perhaps inspired by the 40's era RCAF Flyers ones.
Sadly, most of us who dislike the Lightning rebrand ARE fans of the team. Shoddy work in Tampa and in Winnipeg. Its like we're losing our creativity.
I really hope they do go for a lighter shade of blue for the sweater; it looks sharp and would be somewhat representative of that old Thrasher blue.
These logos suck. Ever since the Wild put a circle logo on their red then-third jersey several years ago it has spread way too far. To make it a primary logo with a boring center element is ridiculous. I don't mind the secondary logo, but honestly why does every Canadian team feel the need to put a maple leaf on their logo (the most egregious of these logos is the minor league "royals"/lion logo post from a week or two ago) when it doesn't belong? The item I like the most, by default, is the workmark with the silver. The other wordmark logo looks fake and the two shades of blue look tacky.
I was hoping for much better then a bland set with no personality. The concept art from a couple weeks ago with the loopy "Jets" wordmark spelled out by the trail of smoke from a jet was far better.
The lack of defined leading edge root extensions, the single engine nozzle, and the lack of dual vertical stabilizers make it resemble a F-16. The fact that it isn't identical to a CF-18 is likely intentional, so that they wouldn't have to work out licensing with Boeing.
I'm really crossing my fingers that they go with the light blue home jersey! And this is just coming from a hockey fan, not specific to the Jets.
I think the logo would look great if they put "JETS" across the top of their jerseys similar to Vancouver's.
I like how the Maple Leaf resembles a Jet when it is turned upside down
When I first saw the logos, my first thought was, "these are bad"! However, after a few hours of studying them they began to grow on me. I printed the logos out and have had them up in my office for a few days now. I now quite like the primary and secondary logos, but am still not sold on the wordmark.
Visually the primary logo is very simplistic. The Roundel circle, the Maple Leaf and the fighter jet. However once you study the logo for a while many hidden elements begin to emerge. This is the point where this logo becomes interesting. Great logos in sports are the ones that are visually pleasing but have alternate meaning to what's obvious at first glance. Yes it is apparent that the nose of the jet points north, tying in True North S & E as well as the northern location of the team with respect to most of the NHL. But when studied closer you begin to realize that the entire logo is a compass and there are actually arrows pointing North, East, South and West. Forget the leaf for a second; look at the top two red points and the bottom red point and draw lines between them. This is the exact arrow you would see on a compass if this was the only element in the logo. It's pointing directly South. The tips of the leaf, right and left, are pointing directly East and West. Why is all this significant you ask? Take a look at a map of North America. Look where Winnipeg is in relation to the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Circle, and the bottom of Mexico. Winnipeg is essentially the geographic center of North America. This logo very subtlety represents the city that the team plays in and is truly unique to only Winnipeg. Further, if you look to the point of the jet's nose and the two points of the leaf to it's right and left, you will see a "W". If you then drew a line from the jet's nose to the tip of the point on the jet's left wing, you will see a "J". You can spin the logo around and find numerous "Ws" and "Js" throughout the logo. There are literally dozens of them if you spend the time to look.
So you might say that there is, "More than meets the eye with this logo"! Many have judged and dismissed it without considering what else it represents (including Chris). The Roundel and the Canadian Air Force is not all that the new brand plays on. Many have stated that they feel this logo looks rushed and was not thought out very well....I believe the people at True North are waiting for people to discover more with little smiles on their faces.
I say, "Well done Chipman and Co.!!! Well Done!"
When I first saw the logos, my first thought was, "these are bad"! However, after a few hours of studying them they began to grow on me. I printed the logos out and have had them up in my office for a few days now. I now quite like the primary and secondary logos, but am still not sold on the wordmark.
Visually the primary logo is very simplistic. The Roundel circle, the Maple Leaf and the fighter jet. However once you study the logo for a while many hidden elements begin to emerge. This is the point where this logo becomes interesting. Great logos in sports are the ones that are visually pleasing but have alternate meaning to what's obvious at first glance. Yes it is apparent that the nose of the jet points north, tying in True North S & E as well as the northern location of the team with respect to most of the NHL. But when studied closer you begin to realize that the entire logo is a compass and there are actually arrows pointing North, East, South and West. Forget the leaf for a second; look at the top two red points and the bottom red point and draw lines between them. This is the exact arrow you would see on a compass if this was the only element in the logo. It's pointing directly South. The tips of the leaf, right and left, are pointing directly East and West. Why is all this significant you ask? Take a look at a map of North America. Look where Winnipeg is in relation to the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Circle, and the bottom of Mexico. Winnipeg is essentially the geographic center of North America. This logo very subtlety represents the city that the team plays in and is truly unique to only Winnipeg. Further, if you look to the point of the jets' nose and the two points of the leaf to its' right and left, you will see a "W". If you then draw a line, following the outline of the jet, from the nose to the tip of the point on the left wing, you will see a "J". You can spin the logo around and find numerous "Ws" and "Js" throughout the logo. There are literally dozens of them if you spend the time to look.
So you might say that there is, "More than meets the eye with this logo"! Many have judged and dismissed it without considering what else it represents (including Chris). The Roundel and the Canadian Air Force is not all that the new brand plays on. Many have stated that they feel this logo looks rushed and was not thought out very well....I believe the people at True North are waiting for people to discover more with little smiles on their faces.
I say, "Well done Chipman and Co.!!! Well Done!"
what a disappointment... THIS logo represents the ICONIC Winnipeg Jets? I thought there would be so much to it... it's just as bad as the OKC Thunder logo!
I like the logo concept, but the jet itself doesn't seem right. I think it could be the outline color being too close to the fill color. I feel saddened to write that it seems ... amateurish.
That lighter blue is the same color as the RCAF ensign (flag) - at least according to Wikipedia page on RCAF.
Chris , You praise the hell out of the most boring and done before Lightning jersey's ( Detroit being the team that has the same template ) telling us oh you will get used to it , it takes time , And i dont mind the Tampa jerseys at all , But then you hate on this , A simple classic Canadian look . Y? And you haven't even seen the logo on a jersey yet chill , Maybe you need to tell yourself it takes time sometimes to get used to a look .
Jordan & everyone else who's brought it up: I respect that some people like the new Jets logo. I'm just saying I don't. And not because I'm not used to it. I'll get used to it, of course. We all will. Doesn't mean I'll change my opinion on it. It's just a poor, rushed design if you ask me. And I have explained why I think so. And the jersey design won't change my view of the logo. Though it's possible I could love the jersey but dislike the logo.
With Tampa, it's apples and oranges. You may not like the reduced color palette, but I've always thought the black and silver were extraneous. To me, the Lightning only ever needed blue and white. In terms of design, the logo is simple and well-balanced. If it evokes a superhero look to some, perhaps that's a good thing. It's a solid look. I agree the jersey striping lacks originality, but the team has already expressed a desire to fix some of their mistakes.
It's all right if you don't share my opinion. It doesn't make either of us wrong. It doesn't make either of us right. We just have different perspectives.
I absolutely despise the secondary marks, and as far as the main logo goes, I REALLY HATE IT.
Others may like it, but I don't and that's all that matters.
This logo set is just simply dreadful. I was in Las Vegas when these came out, popped onto Yahoo on my phone to check the news real. The second highest story was about the unveiling, and without so much as reading the headline, or enlarging the image, my first thought was, "oh, the Air Force did something." Then I saw the word "Jets" and I was just baffled. This logo while it does seperate itself from the original Jets with a different brand identity falls flat by maintaining the same basic color scheme as its predecessor. Not to mention using the most commonly used colors in the league. Not only did they fail to break the mold here, but the whole set is minor league at best. Which shouldn't come as a shock seeing True Norths only experience is with the minors. Is it that they thought the city of Winnipeg had been without professional hockey for so long that they could pull the wool over their eyes and fool them into thinking that this is what a hockey team should look like? And just as all the Transformers films are 2 hour army commercials, this team will be an 82 game air force advert. Sure, its nice to give a nod to a local part of culture and the men and women serving for their country, but, as a novelty. The fad in the AHL, ECHL and the like is to have specialty nights for their armed forces, it even hit the NHL, albeit only in warm-ups. But the Jets will be a full time pandering to the heartstrings of its hockey desperate fans. To make matters worse, management has done almost nothing besides re-sign Andrew Ladd to make the on ice product better, and hire a very suspect and untested coaching staff. So now, regardless of what the actual jersey will look like, you will have a mediocre team playing with a less than mediocre crest on their chests. There is fortunately precedent for this, with the New York Islanders, and the infamous "Captain Highliner" togs that became the lynchpin for all the teams shortcomings in the eyes of the fans. I hope True North gets inundated with complaints from the hoards out there dissatisfied with this bland, unoriginal "identity". I am in no way a Jets fans, but I am a jersey collector and a fan of the style of hockey, and this is just miserable. Sure, the Thrashers may never have gotten it 100% right as well, but at least they tried, at least they were bold enough to go with asymetrical sleeves, and never once had an entirely matching set of templates. Just as the team will struggle to compete on the ice and economically, this logo will struggle to find an audience outside of Winnipeg.
People in Buffalo didn't stand for this kind of lazyness when the Slug was unveiled, and neither should Winnipeggers with this plagerized half baked farce. Like really? All they did was slap an unused plane onto an already in circulation logo, and a notch, which is of course less of a nod to "The North" and more of a self agrandizing display of the True North company itself. You'd think with all that hype and all the money Mark Chipman and David Thompson have at their disposal, they'd try harder. And don't chalk this up to lack of time, cheap cop out. Did they Avalanche and Hurricanes create bland identities with similar time frames? They may not be the strongest, and may have been the product of the 90's fashion show, but they're still around, have unique elements and are instantly identifiable as being hockey teams. Sorry to rant, but I'm just tired of people "no, no, no, it's not that bad, i like....parts of it, like the....you know, jet and stuff. " Stop denying how god-awful it is. No amount of misplaced national pride can justify it.
^
Bitter Atlanta Hockey Fan Above - LOL
I really like this logo! The F-16 is certainly a better fit than the old school Winnipeg logo or even the NY Jets logo. The font style...ehh...I'm not sold on that.
A sandwich made of a maple leaf and a jet placed on a ceramic plate with a dark blue/gray border with a white chip in a center ."NICE LOOKING DISH" - let's folks in Winnipeg "enjoy" that dish for quiet some time...