Results tagged ‘ re-branding ’
All Will Be Revealed
This blog is rife with non-sequiturs, bizarre tangents and all manner of self-indulgent nonsense, so it’s likely that no one batted an eye at the intro to yesterday’s post.
But my motives, they were ulterior. The stylized and oversized “A” that began the post was no mere homage to the reading habits of my youth. Rather, it was the latest clue in an internet-wide scavenger hunt currently being staged by Jason Klein and Casey White, the duo behind logo design and “creative ideas” company Plan B Branding.
Or, rather, the company formerly known as Plan B Branding. In a move most meta, this branding company is currently re-branding itself, and the scavenger hunt is a creative way in which to unveil the new name. Here’s how Casey and Jason are explaining their current endeavor:
Over the last decade we’ve made a number of great partners and now they’re helping us celebrate the unveiling of our new company name.
Each day a letter from our new name will be posted on one of our partner’s Websites. Clues will be posted here daily at 10am Pacific Time, to help you find the website featuring the letter of the day. The first person to email us the website and letter of the day will be our daily winner. All daily winners will be entered into a grand price drawing: we’ll dream up the winner’s very own personal logo.
The “A” posted here yesterday was the second letter to be unveiled, and the new name is currently listed as:
What could it be? Flatwhale? Placate Me? Beastmode? Your guess is as good, and most likely better, than mine.
Regardless of what the name ends up being, it seems to me that Jason and Casey are setting a good template for other teams and companies who may wish to re-brand themselves. This is creative, interactive, and fun. And, best of all, it gave me something fresh to write about in November!
Finally, it’ll be interesting to what the winner’s “personal logo” ends up looking like. The options are limitless; personally, I’d insist on finding the middle ground between “lighthearted whimsy” and “crushing existentialist despair.”
And since we’re (somewhat) on the topic of design, let me bring your attention to an email I recently received from reader Jeremy Reiss. Reiss, a Louisville-based designer and art director, writes that he “recently completed a project I think you might find interesting. I took all the slang words and phrases surrounding the hitting aspect of baseball and illustrated them into a 12″ x 12″ letterpresses, 2-color print. For those interested, I’ve made a limited edition (50) available for purchase online.”
This is my kind of thing, aesthetically:
For more info, or to order a print, check out Reiss’ website. And, remember, if you have something that might be of interest to readers of this blog then never hesitate to get in touch.
Let’s go ahead and end today’s post with a video sure to make you feel old. Everett’s latest edition of “Meet the AquaSox” features players born in the late ’80s and early ’90s talking about music made before they were born.
I was in fifth grade when New Kids on the Block were at their peak, and at the time I was offended by their very existence.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
twitter.com/bensbiz
A Plethora of Elevated Pursuits
It’s important to stay grounded, but nonetheless it’s become apparent to me that this blog is over-reliant on terrestrial perspectives. In order to shake things up, then, today’s post will feature some aerial views before returning to Earth.
We’ll start things off in flyover country, as the Indianapolis Indians recently staged a pre-game stunt that was (almost) out of this world. A squadron of Navy “Leap Frogs” parachuted into Victory Field prior to August 16′s ballgame, with Rear Admiral Scott T. Craig throwing out the first pitch. What follows is the video of their practice run that afternoon, giving us a bird’s eye view of the arduous journey from air to ground.
Not quite as high-flying, but airborne nonetheless, are our fine feathered friends the Great Lakes Loons. The team staged their annual “Raining Money” promotion on August 5, in which $2000 in one dollar bills was dropped onto the field from a helicopter. This year, the mad cash scramble was preceded by an excellently-produced short film entitled “The Sleepover,” which segued flawlessly into the promotion itself.
Seeking to retain this elevated position for as long as possible, we now travel to Lakewood, NJ. On August 20 the BlueClaws held their annual blood drive, an event preceded by an awareness-raising stint of roof-living by the appropriately-named “Roofman.”
“Roofman” is also known as “Ryan Ragan,” COO of the Central Jersey Blood Center. He spent five days on the roof prior to the drive, which resulted in a prolonged period of local radio and TV news attention. Here he is, in quieter times.
91 people ended up giving blood at the BlueClaws’ drive; meaning that the Roofman’s efforts were simultaneously not in vain and “in vein.” Life sure can be funny sometymes. And, yes, that was an intentional spelling error in the previous sentence. In the spirit of the blood drive I was attempting to be “typo positive.”
We’ll conclude by focusing on a team whose spacebound aspirations may soon come to an end: the Akron Aeros. This traditionally aerodynamic entity is currently staging an online “re-branding contest,” with voting continuing through September 1.
While the option remains to keep the “Aeros” name, other possibilities include Gum Dippers, RubberDucks, Tire Jacks, and Vulcans. All of these names allude to Akron’s industrial past, primarily its status as a leading producer of rubber.
While I generally like team names that incorporate local history, it is my opinion that the alliterative pizazz of Akron Aeros remains superior to the new contenders. Will the voting public agree? Do you?
For now, things remain up in the air.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
twitter.com/bensbiz
Headed In A New Direction
A couple of weeks ago, I asked my vast cadre of loyal readers to assist me in a most important task — the creation of a new blog head shot.
The response to this request was robust, which I very much appreciate. Still, I have put off sharing the submissions because I am wary of seeming narcissistic. Usually, I hide this off-putting trait beneath a cloud of false modesty and groan-inducing wordplay.
But the moment for action is now. What follows are some of the new profile pics I now have at my disposal.
Boomer and Me — Spending some quality time with the Williamsport Crosscutters’ inimitable mascot:
A Classic Updated for Modern Times
Fair Condition
The Worst Player in Yakima History
Grating American Zero
Pasta My Prime
Reality
On My Way to the Barber Pole Factory
Attired Out
J-I-N-G-O
It Was Just A Phase
You Can Do What You Wanna Do…
I plan on using all of these headshots — and more — throughout the season. But, starting tomorrow, my identity will be this:
What can I say? To see my face juxtaposed onto a Weird Al album cover is a dream come true.
Thanks to Chris McConney of the Reading Phillies for the Weird Al shot, also big thanks to:
Sarah Budd, Williamsport Cross
cutters (shots 1-2), Danny Wild, MiLB photo guru (3-5), Lauren Wombacher, Yakima Bears (6-7 and snowglobe), Cameron Wengrzyn, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (8-13), Jake Goldman, Astoria Astroplaneteers (14), Allison Moore, Greensboro Grasshoppers (15), and Robert Peters (16).
Feel free to keep sending ‘em and thanks again. I really appreciate it.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
twitter.com/bensbiz
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