Super Bowl XLIV: From a Designer’s Perspective
February 5th, 2010 by Tweet
Super Bowl XLIV has been analyzed, dissected, examined, studied, and picked apart from every angle possible to see which team is superior. Though I love sports, I am by no means an expert on the subject, so I decided to examine the two teams from a unique perspective, the Designer’s Perspective. I have always thought that the right colors, style, and logo can give any company that “it factor.” Design can go out of just the graphic and web worlds, and into almost any facet of life. Thus, I decided to look at these two teams, the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts, from the Designer’s Perspective, by looking at their official logo, additional logos, team colors, and all in all style. All images and team colors are copyrighted by the NFL. Enjoy! And as always, please feel free to leave your comments, as they are always welcome, and enjoy the game!
New Orleans SAINTS
The New Orleans Saints are the 2010 NFC Champions, and this is their first Super Bowl in the history of the franchise that dates back to 1967. The team plays their games in the iconic Superdome, which is most famous for housing Hurricane Katrina victims. The Saints will be marching to Miami lead by Quarterback, Drew Brees, in their black and gold uniforms with their Fleur de Lis logo on their helmets.
Indianapolis COLTS
The Indianapolis Colts are the 2010 AFC Champions, and this is the team’s third Super Bowl and has one Super Bowl win to their name. The team plays in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts will be marching into Miami lead by their Quarterback, Peyton Manning, in their royal blue and white uniforms with their horse shoe logo on their helmets.
LOGOS
The Elements of a Good Logo Design
You can read an explaination about each of the elements of a good logo in our post: The Elements of a Good Logo Design.
For a logo to be exceptional, the logo must be: Timeless, Simple, Unique Consistent, Immediate and Lasting Impression, Appealing, Shows Proper Image, and Comprehensible and Logical.
Lets Look at the Team Logos
New Orleans Saints LOGO
The Saints logo definitely has all the elements of an exceptional logo design. It is surely timeless because it is classic and has changed little through the years of the organization, yet it still looks fresh and new years after it was first designed. It is very simple, which makes it so popular and successful. As far as being unique, it is original because it stems from New Orleans’ French history, and no other NFL team could have a logo of a Fleur de Lis. I have discussed previously that the logo is consistent and has given an immediate and lasting impression. As far as the Saints logo being appealing, I do not think there is a question there. The Saints logo is currently being fought over by local New Orleans store and the NFL, because so many people want to get their hands on the Fleur de Lis logo merchandise. All in all, the Saints logo does a great job of showing who the Saints are and I consider it a very successful logo design. I just cannot help but love it!
Additional Saints Logos
Official Indianapolis Colts LOGO
The Indianapolis Colts logo is also a very interesting and successful logo. The logo is timeless because it has not changes since the start of the Colts in 1984. In 1984, it was probably a very cutting edge style, but still more than 25 years later, the design is still very fresh and interesting, thus making it very consistent through the years. The logo is very simple enough for even a novice artist to paint, and but not so simple as to be boring. The Colts logo is very creative and unique because it gives a new twist on the old horse shoe design. It places the horse shoe upside-down and incorporates seven small white holes, which is very clever, given the luck attributed to both horse shoes and the number seven. (Very interesting detail!) Finally, the logo is very appealing and demonstrates the teams style, thus making it too a very successful logo design.
Additional Colts Logos
COLORS
You can read an explanation about the use of color in design in our post, The Meaning of Color for Designs.
In general, for a sports team to use successful logos, you should use contrasting colors on the color wheel because you want a stark variation between the colors. Contrasting colors can have a great effect when trying to cause attention and make something noticeable. Many sports teams use contrasting colors in order to invoke excitement and high visibility. For example, the LSU Tigers with their purple and gold team colors, and the Florida Gators with their blue and orange team colors, both of which are contrasting color schemes.
Lets look at the Team Colors
Black and Gold Saints
The Saints have a very original and interesting color scheme with the black and gold team colors. Black is not on the color wheel, but like white, it contrasts with every color thus giving excitement and high visibility. In addition, the colors contrast each other because black is usually considered a cold color and black is a warm color, which makes for an appealing contrast. According to The Meaning of Color for Design the color Gold is associated with the following: wealth, god, winning, safety, masculine power, happiness, playful humour, prestige, wisdom, love of spirit, meaning, purpose, awe, spiritual love, quests of the heart, desire for power, mystic powers, higher mathematics, sciences, attainment, concentration. The color Black is associated with the following : protection, repelling negativity, binding, shape shifting, power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, classy, wealth, power, mystery, fear, evil, anonymity, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, underground, modern music, space, high quality, bad luck, formality, reservedness, dignity, elegance, secretiveness, fear of the unknown, night, emptiness, dirtiness, sophistication, strength of character, dramatic, authority, prestige, grief, anger, reliability, strong, classic, strength, anti-establishment, modernism, serious.
The Blue and White Colts
The white and blue makes for an interesting and contrasting color scheme as well. Also, the white and blue make for contrasting color so they are exciting and highly visible. According to The Meaning of Color for Design the color Blue is associated with the following: good fortune, communication, wisdom, protection, spiritual inspiration, calmness, reassurance, gentleness, fluidity, water, sea, creativity, peace, calming, higher thoughts, mystery, sky, formality, travel, devotion, progress, quiet wisdom, freedom. betterment of humanity, love, trust, loyalty, intelligence, reassurance, artistry, compassion, inner strength, devotion, depression, sadness, tranquility, stability, unity, truth, understanding, confidence, acceptance, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, comfort, cold, technology, devotion, harmony, depth, faith, heaven, piety, sincerity, precision, intellect, sadness, consciousness, speech, messages, ideas, sharing, cooperation, idealism, sincerity, empathy, relaxation, affection, inspiration, friendship, patience, contemplation, infinity, harmony, non-threatening, dependability. The color White is associated with: White : spirituality, goddess, peace, higher self, purity, virginity, reverence, simplicity, cleanliness, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, sterility, cold, clinical, sterility, clarity, perfection, innocence, virginity, goodness, light, fairness, safety, positivity, faith, coolness, charity, successful innovations, union, self-sacrifice, holiness, feminine divinity, pristine, chastity, positivity.
Enjoy the Super Bowl and remember when you watch it to look at it from a Designer’s Perspective! Art and Design are all around us!
Teylor Feliz is a well-known XHTML/CSS/JavaScript enthusiast from Dominican Republic. He has more than 10 years experience in the computer programming, graphic design, and web development world, including 2 years teaching computer science. Teylor has a degree in Applied Sciences from the University of Louisiana and is completing a Master’s degree in IT with a concentration in Web Design and Development, at the University of Denver.
Subscribe to our RSS
Please help us to promote this article.
Sponsors
A Leading B2B platform with 10 years history. Compare & Inquire with Trusted China Suppliers (SGS certified). Log on & Order now!
