NOTE: This is an archived version of the first incarnation of Brand New. All posts have been closed to comments. Please visit underconsideration.com/brandnew for the latest version. If you would like to see this specific post, simply delete _v1 from the URL.
Established more than 100 years ago as The Children’s Orthopedic Hospital, the institution has evolved to become one of the top ten hospitals for children, according to U.S.News & World Report. The hospital has already gone through five different names and four different logos, and this month it was introduced anew on both counts. It has gone from the broad Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center to a much more specific, memorable and relevant Seattle Children’s. And the new logo has vastly improved from an extremely dated ITC-esque sans serif to a wonderful new logo coupled with a simple sans.
And the whales?
They’re quintessentially Northwest, inspired by regional artwork. Our new logo depicts the compassion and trust that can be found in any number of relationships familiar to us at Children’s, including parent and child, family and community, hospital and generous supporter or care provider and patient. Plus, they are already featured prominently throughout our hospital.
— >Press release
I can’t say enough good things about the new icon, it’s endearing, it’s relevant, it’s contextually appropriate and it is beautifully rendered and executed. It also avoids the literal by being a metaphor for the security and care that, as a parent, you would want a hospital to have. One of the best logos that has come through these pages in a while.
Thanks to Kenneth Gow and Jon Selikoff for the tip.
Jump to Most Recent Comment
John McCollum’s comment is:
Way too long to decode.
On Sep.22.2008 at 08:58 AM
Nick Irwin’s comment is:
nice typography...the icon has a great idea behind it I feel as though the white spaces make some awkward shapes and it looks like the little guy is suffocating, but I guess that is just how whales hug I dont know...never seen it happen
overall nice improvement and good design I am always a fan of logos that have that idea of the sum of its parts is less than the whole ( ie - Unilever )
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:04 AM
madeo’s comment is:
It's appealing to adults and childen. Hospitals can be very scary for children, this logo might take the edge off. Well done.
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:16 AM
david gouch’s comment is:
I had a lot of trouble interpreting the bottom half of the orange whale.
My thought process:
1. (Looking at the small version) What's that white splotch? A circle? Why is it off center?
2. (Switch to big version) Oh, it's an anal fin. Wait, do whales have anal fins, that's just fish, right?
3. (After a long time) Oh! It's just the white stroke from the pectoral fin creating a pointy triangle shape!
Paul D.’s comment is:
I like the logo, but I had to stare at it a good full minute before I realized it was two whales curled up. Maybe I'm just tired.
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:18 AM
Keffer’s comment is:
I'm ok with the " Way too long to decode ".
Ok it's nice, sweet, beautiful, but you can't see the whales after 5 minutes of intense looking.
Not a really good work for me.
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:47 AM
JP’s comment is:
This is the first logo redesign I really like since subscribing to the Brand New RSS - everything about it is better than the original which can't be said for the previous 4 or 5 logos that have come through.
If I had to pick a niggle it would be the tops of the t & d - I see no reason why they have been lopped off at a angle, but overall it' a relay nice piece.
Does anyone know the font? The caps look very similar to Gotham.
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:49 AM
Remy Overkempe’s comment is:
Beautiful. It just works.
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:53 AM
Luke D.’s comment is:
It took me a while to figure out what was happening in the white space between the baby whale's tail fin as well....
Vast improvement, though.
Anonymous’s comment is:
when the logo was smaller I couldn't figure out what it was, but when I got to the inside page of the review, and it was blown up, I could see the whales.
It is a clever mark though - once you figure out what you are supposed to be seeing.
I guess for a children's hospital it is appropriate also.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:03 AM
minxlj’s comment is:
"Ok it's nice, sweet, beautiful, but you can't see the whales after 5 minutes of intense looking."
Am I missing something here? I saw the whales IMMEDIATELY, and that was on a tiny RSS feed preview. It works perfectly well for me so I'm struggling to understand the difficulties. Maybe it's something to do with the colour contrast, I dunno??
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:08 AM
Dale’s comment is:
I thought it was awesome....
after I finally figured out what it was.
I agree with Armin, but at the same time, I am interested to know if you Armin saw the whales right away.
Adios
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:10 AM
Markus Widmer’s comment is:
It might be interesting for you that the department for youth, children and family of the Vienna City Council (MAG ELF) has whales in its logo, too.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:18 AM
Marc’s comment is:
yeah I'm with minxlj here - I got the whales right away. Maybe we crossed our eyes just right? ;)
SUCH a huge improvement over the old logo, which is dull and cold.
And good on them for getting the message of caring and protection across while avoiding all the obvious cliches.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:23 AM
darrel’s comment is:
I echo John's opinion. Even after reading 'whale' it took me a good 30 seconds to decipher the icon. Maybe it reads better when in Seattle.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:24 AM
Armin’s comment is:
> I am interested to know if you Armin saw the whales right away.
Yes, definitely. I'm really worried about y'all's vision...
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:45 AM
damon’s comment is:
the larger whale needs to be more defined.
by making the tail curl around top of the baby whale, and showing its actual shape like the baby while it would have been more clear, also by having the bottom of the circle be the whales belly with the fin out it would have given the glyph a circular carrier shape they wanted, while still being an actual drawing of a while, rather than just a few lines to indicate one.
the baby is more complete than the adult, so I find that there's a disconnect in the drawing styles.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:48 AM
John Mindiola III’s comment is:
I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE WHINING ABOUT THIS LOGO. IT'S REFRESHING. ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL EXECUTION, NOT JUST VISUALLY, BUT SYMBOLICLY. MAKES ME THINK OF THE MOTHER & CHILD TYPE GRAPHIC. AND THE COMMENT ABOUT THIS MAKING HOSPITALS LESS SCARY IS 100% RIGHT. IT'S GORGEOUS. JUST SIT BACK AND TAKE IT IN. IT TAKES TOO LONG TO DECODE? PLEASE, JUST BE HAPPY IT'S A LOGO THAT YOU DIDN'T REJECT IN ONE GLANCE (I'M TALKING TO YOU XEROX AND CNET).
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:48 AM
damon’s comment is:
oh wait, now I'm seeing what they're doing.
haha, it needs to be a bit more defined....a little asymmetry would have helped I think.
it's neat, but too hard to see.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:50 AM
ScottS’s comment is:
Whimsical and meaningful logo at the same time. Seems very appropriate to the "business" and the locale as well. Nice work! I love the concept but I am not sure if the art is resolved. I agree with a previous poster that the negative spaces seem unresolved to me, a bit awkward and a little distracting. Even so, I like how this has a Northwest Coast Native American flavor to it, in its color palette and organic shapes. I noticed the whales but not instantly. Still, it was "fun" to discover them. And who doesn't love whales?
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:52 AM
Jeff’s comment is:
Undeniably cute and refreshing, but needs to read better at smaller sizes. Excellent type choice.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:53 AM
monostereo’s comment is:
Nice update but I agree with most....the mark could have used some refinement. It is a bit confusing. I got whales right away, but it took me a few minutes to decode the orange tail. Little orange guy looks claustrophobic to me as well.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:58 AM
CarlyM’s comment is:
I think this logo is great. Really cute and the design of the whales actually fits the concept, instead of requiring a lot of PR spin. It took me a second or two to fully understand all the mechanics of the baby whale, but I think that it's the sort of thing that people will understand once they "get" it the first time.
On Sep.22.2008 at 11:12 AM
Darrin Crescenzi’s comment is:
I definitely agree that the icon is way too difficult to decode, especially at small sizes. The idea is fantastic, but the execution needs refinement. I won't lie, but the first thing I saw was "fetus." I think maybe there's too many pregnant women in my workplace right now…
The typography is nice, though that wonky apostrophe is freaking me out a little bit.
On Sep.22.2008 at 11:24 AM
Mongoose’s comment is:
The old one decidely needed replacement. To me it doesn't say "Hospital" but "Mattresses" or "Discount Electronics".
This new one.. it has a few weaknesses. The baby whale's flipper hits at a weird angle with the curve of the body. I don't like the 'a' at all, though the subtle curves of the 'ttl' are very smooth. And I'm not entirely sold on 'Hospital * Research * Foundation' neither, but if you need to communicate all three of those.. then they've done it well.
But above all: we have a logo that emphasizes caring, protectivity, and that children will get a kick out of. The whales are even smiling! I can already see coloring books for kids featuring li'l whale going to the hospital to get better. It's a resoundingly great logo for that.
I got it very quickly, by the way, guys. It popped right out at me, especially with the blue and orange contrast.
I give the logo an A- (Just fix that li'l whale's flipper!), and the rebrand an A+. Good, good work, I love to see it.
On Sep.22.2008 at 11:33 AM
Thomas’s comment is:
The font looks like Gotham, with an alternate a which can be found in the glyphs table.
On Sep.22.2008 at 11:34 AM
Simon’s comment is:
The symbol looks a little like Nick Jr. (the younger Nickelodeon TV channel) same colours except Nick Jr. vary the animal/object. Nice though.
On Sep.22.2008 at 11:52 AM
Oliver’s comment is:
It kicks ass. I got the icon right away.
Anyone know who did it? I'm up here in Seattle, and I'd be curious to know.
On Sep.22.2008 at 11:57 AM
zim’s comment is:
love the type. I don't know what face it is, but I'm pretty sure that it is not Gotham. I looked but couldn't find the alternate "a" in the glyphs palette that Thomas references. The 't"s look different too. Any other guesses on what it is?
On Sep.22.2008 at 12:03 PM
John McCollum’s comment is:
Screamed John Mindiola III: "I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE WHINING ABOUT THIS LOGO. IT'S REFRESHING. ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL EXECUTION, NOT JUST VISUALLY, BUT SYMBOLICLY.... IT'S GORGEOUS. JUST SIT BACK AND TAKE IT IN. IT TAKES TOO LONG TO DECODE? PLEASE, JUST BE HAPPY IT'S A LOGO THAT YOU DIDN'T REJECT IN ONE GLANCE (I'M TALKING TO YOU XEROX AND CNET)."
---
Yes, dude. Caps lock is like cruise control for awesome.
All shrieking aside, I don't quite understand your disbelief, nor am I inclined to accept your admonition to "just sit back and take it in."
Are there any logos out there that are so perfect that every professional designer would agree that it's inherently wrong or insensible to quibble with a detail or two?
Look. Creation and critique of graphic design are intrinsically subjective disciplines. I think the mark takes too long to decode. You don't. I don't think you're an idiot for liking it, don't treat me like I'm one for thinking it could stand some improvement.
And please, oh God, please stop the screaming.
Mkay?
On Sep.22.2008 at 12:20 PM
Chris Rugen’s comment is:
I love it. This logo doesn't need to sell soda on a shelf, so I don't think an extended read time is damaging to all of the other qualities is possesses. I love the drawing, even though it abstracts into a nebulous shape a bit more than I'd normally like when seen at a distance. I'm not enamored with the type at all, but it is a nice, solid counterpoint to the very child-friendly and playful (yet sophisticated) mark.
Again, for me the execution of the mark overcomes all of the minor shortcomings. Bravo for embracing the unique concept.
On Sep.22.2008 at 12:25 PM
Willis’s comment is:
I don't get it. I mean, I saw the whales after a while, but it was very obscure and there was not enough white space to process visually in a beat or two, attributes which a good mark should have.
I also, and this is probably just me, thought at first it was a pregnant belly with a kid / fetus inside. Then the whales made me exhale a little bit.
I really, really think their strongest mark is/was:
Dale’s comment is:
I will say this - when I saw the illustration at a larger dimension, it was more recognizable to me. Initially at the smaller display it was a little difficult.
I still think it's awesome.
On Sep.22.2008 at 12:31 PM
Miles’s comment is:
I didn't have any trouble reading it as a whale and a whale baby at first glance, though it did take some time to figure out the details of the baby's tail.
But that just makes it more interesting, I think. Like a song you like the first time you hear it, but then as you listen more you realize it's way more awesome than you even knew.
On Sep.22.2008 at 12:32 PM
wooj’s comment is:
I'd say hand-tweaked Gotham.
On Sep.22.2008 at 12:34 PM
jack’s comment is:
This is adorable. I would like to hear what children think of it, if they see the whales right away or not. In this situation, does it really even matter if we can "decode" it in under 5 seconds? All this adult yammering makes me think of The Little Prince's "this is not a hat" lesson.
On Sep.22.2008 at 12:37 PM
Blue’s comment is:
Got the large whale relatively quickly from the small image - still involved a little puzzlement though - but couldn't decipher the smaller brown/orange image until I got to the larger image.
I thought it might be a 'brain'.
I think it's a great central idea with a slightly imperfect execution. A-
On Sep.22.2008 at 12:43 PM
Anonymous’s comment is:
The symbol is nicely drawn, however I feel it is too much on the pictorial side. It could be simplified more and still retain the idea, but perhaps not the novelty. Also, the white lines have a tendency to move in and out of foreground/background.
On Sep.22.2008 at 01:13 PM
Paul Lloyd Johnson’s comment is:
Great type... but the logo... well it's just not going to work on smaller scales. Nice idea...
On Sep.22.2008 at 01:25 PM
koyo’s comment is:
Nice Work.
On Sep.22.2008 at 01:32 PM
neil’s comment is:
I think it's excellent and refreshing, although like Darrin I first thought it was a whale wrapping around a fetus.
On Sep.22.2008 at 01:49 PM
Nathan’s comment is:
im not sure what size monitor you guys are looking at but even in the small picture i instantly recognized that they were whales. I think that people live to complain.
i think that this mark is fantastic. the possibilities for this logo are wide open. the whales could be easily made into key chains, stickers for kids, buttons, balloons...etc. its one of the best marks that i have seen for a children's hospital. most are just too cliche.
On Sep.22.2008 at 02:12 PM
Andrew Harrington’s comment is:
The type is Gotham, which [em]does[/em] have an alternate a glyph (as well as a 3 and Q). The t, l and d have been modified, though.
On Sep.22.2008 at 02:13 PM
Andrew Harrington’s comment is:
As well as the h and apostrophe.
On Sep.22.2008 at 02:14 PM
Tyler’s comment is:
Great post!
I saw this release last week and tried to find the firm/designer who created this mark. Anyone know who designed it?
On Sep.22.2008 at 02:49 PM
colormist’s comment is:
Your puns, they hurt.
The whales are adorable, though. I can't get past their cuteness to analyze anything else.
On Sep.22.2008 at 02:51 PM
Whaleroot’s comment is:
Gah! I'm a sucker for whales.
On Sep.22.2008 at 03:10 PM
Abe’s comment is:
whale done!
On Sep.22.2008 at 03:18 PM
Emily Charette’s comment is:
this is fantastic. And, I am really glad to see that this symbol is treated for what it is: a SYMBOL, not an illustration. It's recognizable and reduce-able and reproduce-able. I don't think it's all that it's a mama whale and baby whale -- what I love is that there's a story inside this great little mark; and a little ambiguity is left to keep the story interesting and flexible. very very nice work.
On Sep.22.2008 at 03:19 PM
DrewDraws2’s comment is:
Wow, this sure has elicited a lot of responses. I like it, and yes, I saw the whales immediately. I think the nurturing mother/baby appearance is going beyond just the whale (implying the fetus), but that's just my opinion.
The name change will be appreciated outside of Seattle and the whales will be an immediate link to the city itself, so I think it does a nice job going beyond the classic "happy kids" logos of most children's hospitals.
On Sep.22.2008 at 03:23 PM
JBIII’s comment is:
Seattle has a new aquarium?
On Sep.22.2008 at 03:45 PM
Michael’s comment is:
Thank God Blue said it first -- I didn't want to be the lone Hannibal freak. At first glance ... I saw an orange brain in a blue head -- like a brain scan. Abstractly, it's a small orange "kidney bean" inside a large blue "head". And all those thin curvy white lines = brain lobes. And to answer the monitor question, I'm viewing on a 1920x1200 LCD.
HOWEVER, It didn't take long to see the whales, forget the brain, and love the logo. This mark really works well to slow things down and start to tell a story ... be relational ... caring ... like the client it represents. I'm not concerned about my lengthy decode time because: A) Most people are quicker than I am with recognizing the whales and; B) If this is on the wall in the waiting room, I've got plenty of time to therapeutically decode the happy whales and try not to worry about my sick kid, or the fact that I see brains when I whale watch.
On Sep.22.2008 at 03:57 PM
Mr Posen’s comment is:
Actually it's kind of cute and my kid would love it, once I described it to him.
I think the tone and message, outweigh the need to read it instantly, it's a hospital logo, not a road sign.
On Sep.22.2008 at 04:29 PM
Mr Posen’s comment is:
Actually it's kind of cute and my kid would love it, once I described it to him.
I think the tone and message, outweigh the need to read it instantly, it's a hospital logo, not a road sign.
On Sep.22.2008 at 04:30 PM
Amaj’s comment is:
I saw an orange fetus at first, but as soon as I saw the larger image, I caught on.
On Sep.22.2008 at 05:21 PM
David’s comment is:
I saw the whales right away. I love the colors used and the logo itself.
But I had the same decoding process that david gouch did in regards to the odd white space formed by the baby whale. I think that could use some fine tuning.
On Sep.22.2008 at 05:58 PM
Niki V.’s comment is:
John Mindiola III's quote made me miss Maven.
On Sep.22.2008 at 06:09 PM
Eric’s comment is:
I agree with everyone else who expressed difficulty in deciphering the whales. I think the concept is too forced: they were determined to fit two whales into a circle, by god, and all they cared about was whether it looked right to them. I'm not wild about the typeface either; the style is very trendy lately but it will look very dated in a few years.
On Sep.22.2008 at 07:16 PM
Sergio’s comment is:
I'm with Armin, you all need to get you vision checked ;)
Maybe it's because I grew up on the oregon coast, but I instantly saw the whales. Mostly because it made my jaw drop how well crafted they interlocked the two of them.
Very cute and perfect for their audience.
On Sep.22.2008 at 08:51 PM
Clay’s comment is:
I think the baby whale would look less fetal if it weren't orange – maybe a screen of the adult's blue color would make it look more aquatic ... that's my fetal position on the subject anyway.
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:22 PM
Clay’s comment is:
I think the baby whale would look less fetal if it weren't orange – maybe a screen of the adult's blue color would make it look more aquatic ... that's my fetal position on the subject anyway.
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:22 PM
Clay’s comment is:
I think the baby whale would look less fetal if it weren't orange – maybe a screen of the adult's blue color would make it look more aquatic ... that's my fetal position on the subject anyway.
On Sep.22.2008 at 09:27 PM
Ed’s comment is:
I immediately saw the baby from Eraserhead in the middle. I'm also on the minority that thinks the icon is poorly rendered. The way the negative spaces and fin shape converge is really awkward to me.
That said, nice concept and if the kiddies like it, fine by me.
On Sep.22.2008 at 10:05 PM
Mark’s comment is:
good, but...
At first, I couldn't tell what the symbol was a first, maybe the eye needs to be a bit bigger, and that white spot should be a bit smaller, and less distracting.
That tail divot on the big one needs to be slightly tweaked it looks a bit odd.
On Sep.22.2008 at 11:24 PM
Mark’s comment is:
Also it reminds me of the old Mystic Marinelife Aquarium whale logo, that look similar to this one except it was a bowl shape and it faced to the left, it then got replaced by a swirl in the late 90's :P
you can barely see it in this photo from the Morgan Inn Website.
http://www.themorganinn.com/images/dolphs200.jpg
in that being said I'll go for any logo that has stylized smiling whales in it. :)
Mark’s comment is:
One more thing the 1963 logo looks plain creepy (straight of Stephen King) and it's name was long and clumsy, yeesh! "The Children's Orthopedic Hospital and Medical Center" try remember that name in your head!
On Sep.23.2008 at 12:19 AM
enna’s comment is:
Oh, wow. That's gorgeous, and fun. It's nice to see the hospital that helped me so much get a good new logo.
On Sep.23.2008 at 12:20 AM
david Downing’s comment is:
I saw this imagery immediately. I love it. Whales, Seattle, PNW. Great. In my opinion anyway ...
On Sep.23.2008 at 01:10 AM
silvia’s comment is:
Wow, at least at the scale I first saw it, it's awful. I studied it for a long time and all I could come up with was a fetus surrounded by a bird. And I'm a NW person familiar with all the whale, dolphin, seal, eagle, bird logos etc. Only after the clue "whale" on this site could I figure out what it was. Clearly, a lot of people are not going to get it, just based on this site as a "poll." It doesn't do any good to criticize those of us who couldn't tell without help what it was. Perception is reality and for some of us it is a mess.
Let's be frank. Childrens wants to be seen as one of the top in the country. So it needs a name like Dallas Childrens, Houston Childrens, LA Childrens. It's not good enough anymore to be known as Childrens here in its own back yard since its audience is the national MD recruiting pool and research fund raising. Children's is moving ever farther away from evidencing its highest priority is care for the children of our local community.
On Sep.23.2008 at 01:36 AM
GregT’s comment is:
It's nice, though it strikes me as a logo for an aquarium.
By the way, the logo timeline is incorrect. My mother did volunteer work for this hospital when I was growing up, and this logo...
http://www.seattlechildrens.org/home/images/logo_1924.jpg
...was in use at least until the '70s.
This logo...
http://www.seattlechildrens.org/home/images/logo_1963.jpg
...does not look like something that was done in 1963. I'm guessing 1973.
On Sep.23.2008 at 02:37 AM
illusio’s comment is:
Stylistically this logo delivers but when it's scaled down, the fetus tail gets lost. I'm curious if the designer experimented with thicker strokes to compensate for smaller sizes. Think shapes, not lines.
On Sep.23.2008 at 04:27 AM
AL’s comment is:
Very nice but the symbol needs some work, especially the big whale.
On Sep.23.2008 at 05:00 AM
mao’s comment is:
very endearing and refreshing, specially in these days that every brand out there goes to the saturated and tiring trend of gradients and transparencies.
On Sep.23.2008 at 07:20 AM
Chris’s comment is:
Saw the whales immediately. I love this.
Regarding the orange color of the baby - on a whale watching trip a few years ago off of Washington's coast, we saw an orange baby Orca. Apparently most baby whales are born jaundiced and grow out of their orange tinting over the first few months of their lives. That is an inspired touch to the logo.
I love that it immediately conveyed (to me as a parent) what it intended, before I even read the press release. I "just got it." That is the highest praise I can offer.
On Sep.23.2008 at 09:55 AM
Rob’s comment is:
My kudo's to the designer/firm for a job well done. The new mark in a huge leap above and beyond the old one that it's impact, positive, should be immediate.
As others, I do have some concerns about how the logo reproduces at smaller sizes. Not sure if it's a screen issue or not, but it is a bit more difficult to comprehend two whales for my tired eyes.
Enough quibbling. Overall, it works very well and I only hope it sticks around for a long time.
On Sep.23.2008 at 11:15 AM
Anonymous’s comment is:
looks like an alien fetus to me.
On Sep.23.2008 at 11:45 AM
José Roseva’s comment is:
The color scheme seems odd to convey medical research and investigation, it´s ok to ease the kids stress to medical centers but its not communicating to other publics, specially designers as it can be proved by the preceding commentaries. It´s too local idiosyncratic to be considered an awesome design, sorry but in global media times design becomes an international issue, at least that´s the idea with design blogs isn't it? Whales are big mammals, therefore the association to human beings seems accurate, but in a society where more than half the population is overweight, the subliminal ideas can be easily misunderstood.
On Sep.23.2008 at 12:37 PM
Paul Ducco’s comment is:
I love it.
I also see an S in the mark.
Vast improvement too.
On Sep.23.2008 at 10:22 PM
Amanda’s comment is:
Great. Not perfect, but Great.
I love it and that is all I can really say.
On Sep.23.2008 at 10:38 PM
mingshi’s comment is:
Huh? Pigeons for post offices, and whales for hospitals? What's next? Monkeys for schools?
Guess the kids will be disappointed their parents are not bringing them in an aquarium..!
On Sep.24.2008 at 05:08 AM
Sigmund’s comment is:
its not clear enough, i mean the stilization could have been taken further to make it even simpler.
some white outlines are fighting amongst each other, thus the whales arent reckognisable instantly..
On Sep.24.2008 at 08:46 AM
max’s comment is:
The whales are a major stretch.
The way they have the sub-copy it looks like a title that was separated by bullet points which doesn't seem to work well. Is it a Hospital research foundation or is it a:
1) Hospital
2) promote / do research
3) is a foundation?
If it is stating that the organization performs as 3 separate functions then they need to mix the wording up so it doesn't look like a mini-mission statement.
On Sep.24.2008 at 03:31 PM
pussytoof’s comment is:
I think I have to disagree majorly with Armin.
This logo has a nice cute idea, but terrible execution on the icon front. The circle-forced silhouette of the whales and weird white spaces... just does not work, big or small.
On Sep.25.2008 at 11:26 AM
Peter Whitley’s comment is:
The mark fires on all cylinders. It's not important that it's a whale...and if you COULD quickly see that it was a whale, then we'd all be asking what whales have to do with children.
The important impression is that there is one thing being protected by another. That's the message. "Oh, it's whales? Sure, whatever...though I prefer otters. Why couldn't it have been otters?"
Speaking of questions, what about the inclusion of a picto at all? Is that to the ID's benefit? Does it help or hinder the communication? Would a red cross drawn in crayon been better...and maybe "Children's" spelled with a backward-E?
To me it seems sophisticated but accessible. It's truly a thoughtful solution. (Way better than the "mummy-kid.")
Dig the "competition"... (Sorry about the sizes; I'd fix if I knew how.)
Oh...and for a refresher, let's look again at the new logo.
designscene’s comment is:
why whales?
its confusing and out of context. what do whales have to do with medical care?
On Sep.25.2008 at 11:40 AM
David’s comment is:
So, did Selikoff+Company create this mark?
On Sep.25.2008 at 01:53 PM
Jhames’s comment is:
I like the symbol, the colors are bright and warm and the imagery acknowledges the Pacific Northwest culture.
The wordmark needs more refinement. Kerning between letterforms could be better tightened, especially the distance of letters in "Children's" in comparison to "Seattle". I like the curves applied to the ascending stems, but the lowercase a stands out in contrast to the softer shapes. The registration mark would look better smaller and alongside the symbol.
On Sep.25.2008 at 02:14 PM
Peter Whitley’s comment is:
David: It was a combination of internal, Interbrand (concept and initial design), and Methodologie (final mark and brand guide).
On Sep.25.2008 at 04:08 PM
Paul Corrigan’s comment is:
I really like this mark. It's surprising and unique. Tells the story of care-giver and child in an unexpected but regionally relevant way. I would even say daring on the part of the client.
On Sep.25.2008 at 05:48 PM
Corey Buckner’s comment is:
Not being from the pacNW, and not being familiar with cultural signifigance of the whales I would personally be put off by this logo.
I am from the Chicago-area where the hospitals throw dirty seringes in the water and some of the strangest medical (and seperately some of the most beneficial) medical research takes place. Thus, seeing Children, Research, and depictions of whales combined in the logo says something TOTALLY different to me than what is intended.
When I saw the logo my first thought was animal/human DNA research. Not what I want to think about when taking my children to a hospital. I realize that I am in the minority on this one, but my 2 cents anyway.
On Sep.25.2008 at 06:37 PM
Sean Farrell’s comment is:
I absolutely love it and think its brilliant. The type is great. The icon is very unique, almost looks abstract, but after a couple of seconds you easily identify what's going on. Very good job
On Sep.25.2008 at 06:45 PM
LadyN’s comment is:
I know they're whales yet i STILL have trouble following the lines and shapes whenever i look at it over and over again.
:-/
On Sep.26.2008 at 03:42 PM
Anonymous’s comment is:
I don't like the execution. It's very difficult to understand. I couldn't figure out what exactly is the icon for a week. Later I red the comments about the whales, and only now I can see them.
A kid may think: If I can't see the whales, I can't see many things in the hospital, in the process of treatment and what the hell is in the minds of these doctors? There is too much mystery, I'm too little to understand so I'm very scared, I can't take it, It's too much for me, I'm gonna cry now.
On Sep.27.2008 at 03:41 AM
Kugelis’s comment is:
I don't like the execution. It's very difficult to understand. I couldn't figure out what exactly is the icon for a week. Later I red the comments about the whales, and only now I can see them.
A kid may think: If I can't see the whales, I can't see many things in the hospital, in the process of treatment and what the hell is in the minds of these doctors? There is too much mystery, I'm too little to understand so I'm very scared, I can't take it, It's too much for me, I'm gonna cry now.
On Sep.27.2008 at 03:42 AM
Len’s comment is:
Love this logo. Conveys care, comfort, and the northwest.
I saw the whales right away. Perhaps because I was born and raised in the northwest where I gained an appreciate of Haida native American art, which I recognized as the inspiration for the whales.
Jesse Wallace’s comment is:
awful logo.
such a terrible idea and its confusingly and poorly portrayed.
kebBot’s comment is:
I love it. As someone in healthcare communications, so many of our logos go for the obvious and inane. This is a beautifully rendered and thoughtfully designed logo.
On Sep.29.2008 at 07:04 PM
David’s comment is:
Very cute, proper, obviously evokes protection, womb, parenthood yet fragile, from a moment it might feel like egg-like-yolk. I love it.
On Oct.01.2008 at 03:05 PM
Fabian Marchinko’s comment is:
This is beautiful and warm a wonderful vision of a mothers natural nurturing instincts.
On Oct.03.2008 at 11:59 PM
Chris Mills’s comment is:
The concept is nice. However, at first glance I couldn't tell what the icon was. That alone makes the follow through less than desired.
On Oct.07.2008 at 03:43 PM
Designor’s comment is:
Interbrand did it.
It's good people.
tim’s comment is:
I thought it was a fetus.
On Oct.20.2008 at 12:51 PM
Justin’s comment is:
Overall, I think people are going to remember an orange circle within a blue circle.
If you've ever visited the hospital (which I have on many occasions with my son), the logo blends very well with all of their overall design. However, I feel that there needs to be more space between the two animals. Perhaps don't try to squish them into a circle?
On Oct.20.2008 at 03:44 PM
Brand Ambassador’s comment is:
Interbrand huh. . .? I've got sources that disagree.
I've heard alot of names floating around, most Notably Girvin & HADW
Michèle Champagne’s comment is:
This fantastic logo was conceived and designed by Interbrand. The whales are site-specific: they represent North West culture, specifically Haida mythology.
On Jan.24.2009 at 10:22 PM
John’s comment is:
It's a great logo - for an aquarium maybe. I get the link to local culture, but whales don't equal medical care to me.
On Feb.27.2009 at 12:56 PM
Comments in Brand New, V1.0 have been closed.
