COLLABORATION

Rationale

This portion of the Thesis: will present and go over the feedback offered by instructors and peers and self-assessment conducted. It will explain the worth of these insights and the refinements made as a result of each insight while presenting the initial and the revised concept.

Content

Brand Vision Board
1. Attributes
2. Onlyness Statement
3. Imagery
4. Theme
5. Tagline
6. Typography
7. Texture 1
8. Texture 2
9. Readability
Metaphor
1. Flame
Pattern
1. Lucky 7
2. Hockey Vectors
Logo
1. Development process
2. Vector Evaluation
3. Proximity

Brand Vision Board

Attributes

Instructor: The brand attributes are being confused with characteristics.

After defining the characteristics versus the attributes, unity was included as part of the brand core attributes.

Initial Concept:

Revised Concept:

Onlyness Statement

Instructor: The onlyness statement needs refinements and details to communicate features and benefits.

Initial Concept:

Las Vegas Enforcers is the only ECHL Hockey Organization Team that is committed with Las Vegas, Nevada’s local communities and to bring the new spirit (the spirit of the enforcers) and provide a sense of belonging and team affiliation with our loyal fans to create excitement and involvement in a fast, intense, and community-friendly environment fueled with thrilling emotions.

Revised Concept:

Las Vegas Enforcers (LVE) is the only ECHL Hockey Organization Team committed to bring back The Spirit of the Enforcers to Las Vegas Nevada. The Spirit of the Enforcers is about bringing unity to the families and local communities of Las Vegas in a fearless and relentless atmosphere.

Imagery

Self-assessment: Reflect on the decision making and starting using the assets in a more strategic way to effectively communicate the specific message to the specific audience.

The decision here was to pay closer attention to the placement of the images. The content presented should match the images to tell the message cohesively. Using imagery of the iconic welcome to Las Vegas sign while placing the image in such a big size makes the brand go on the focus of how great the city of Las Vegas is instead of communicating the brand’s message. The imagery used on the initial concept did not communicate unity, therefore, the focus when selecting the images needed to be strategic

Initial Concept:

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Revised Concept:

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Theme

Instructor: The theme needed to be refined.

The Spirit of the Enforcers was identified as the theme and spirit. It was important to have cohesiveness on the elements presented on the vision board and the message intended to be communicated. The theme stepped away from the initial western idea to focus more on the spirit of the Enforcers (The Library of Congress, n.d).

Initial Concept:

Sport team (hockey) – community

The spirit of the Enforcers – about community resilience and success.

Revised Concept:

The Spirit of the Enforcers

Tagline

Instructor: The tagline needed to be updated to align with the brand core attributes.

The feedback provided was an opportunity to reflect on the other possibilities for the tagline. The expected outcome with this tagline was inspired by the mission statement of offering a unique and fearless experience in a relentless atmosphere. The source validates the ability of this this tagline to conveys the brand’s mission and attributes effectively. Taglines also can convey the essentials of brand character, revealing your core values and the consistent qualities expected from your brand (Swartz, 2006, p. 37). It also proves that this tagline conveys a characteristic and personality of the brand while fulfilling the need of diversion and desire of being entertained.

Initial Concept:

All bets on spirit

Revised Concept:

Relentlessly Ignited

Typography

Instructor: Think about the different medias where the typography will be used.

The feedback provided was an opportunity to reflect on the other possibilities to use a typeface that can provide versatility and can be read across media.

Initial Concept:

Revised Concept:

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Texture 1

Instructor: This texture might clash with the text.

Using the Rubi as a texture was a way to use its meaning to represent The Spirit of the Enforcers and communicate that message. Ruby’s inner glow seems to hint that perhaps it contains an inner fire. Stories are told of rubies that emit their own light. One was even described as shining like a torch (Braid, n.d., para. 5). The Rubi stones, often represents life and fire and it was a perfect symbolic and abstract choice to represent spirit.

Initial Concept:

Rubi

Revised Concept:

Fire

Texture 2

Self-assessment: Finding a way to communicate the spirit of the enforcers in every different medium.

Sequin was selected to communicate the same spirit through the uniforms, add differentiation and uniqueness so the local communities and fans could relate positively. Using sequin and glitter as textures and potentially on the players’ uniforms can be another point of differentiation and to communicate the brand's theme in every media application.

Initial Concept:

Sequin

Revised Concept:

Glitter

Readability

Instructor: The text is hard to read.

The text on this brand vision board lack clarity for readability. The feedback provided by the instructor helped on the decision of eliminating the Rubi as part a texture and find another way to communicate the intended message of spirit and unity while improving the legibility of the text.

Initial Concept:

Revised Concept:

Metaphor

Flame

Instructor: Find a way to communicate that message and find a ways to use a metaphors and avoid being too literal.

The spirit of the enforcers needed to be expressed regardless of the medium Research provided a way to the flame as a semiotic to represent the spirit and the fire was added as part of the textures for the brand becoming one the main texture used across media mostly on prints and backgrounds (Content Marketing, 2012).

Initial Concept:

Revised Concept:

Patterns

Lucky 7

Instructor: The excessive use of the lucky 7.

The pattern left room for misleading the audience causing confusion that could lead to mistaking the brand for a casino instead of a hockey team. Although the feedback suggested the elimination of the lucky 7 found on the jackpot, that feedback was discarded. That decision was based on sketches of the logo development process presents the usage of the number 7 as a starting point and reference. Using the seven as a pattern was appropriate for the identity of this brand since the logo’s initial idea came out of that number and connects with the initial three elements associated with Las Vegas. A slight change of the lucky 7 pattern was made for a more subtle, versatile, and appropriate choice to avoid causing confusion on the audience.

Initial Concept:

Revised Concept:

Hockey Vectors

Self-assessment: Using a pattern related to the sport.

The other pattern was the lucky 7 and the brand needed another pattern to add balance and versatility. Using the hockey vectors as a pattern was an opportunity to target a specific demographic within the target audience which are children under 14.

Initial Concept:

Revised Concept:

Logo

Development Process

Self-assessment: Size consideration

Placing the letters inside of a circular shape might look good on a billboard, but they might not look good when shrunk to a smaller size. This brand had the imperative necessity of working on the threat of lack of reputation for being a brand-new team. The initial idea was to place the team’s name (Enforcers) each letter inside of a circle in the attempt to create certain similarities with the Las Vegas sign and placing the logo in a shape similar the shape of a hockey rink to add familiarity and resemblance. Using the iconic sign as a reference, worked as a symbol for instant recognition based on similarities but also to create an easily association between this team and the city of Las Vegas.

Initial Concept:

Revised Concept:

Vector Evaluation

Peer evaluation: Lack of Readability

This vector was used to perform a usability test on a group of 15 participants (Piernik, 2019). The purpose of this test was to determine the effectiveness of the placement of the word LAS VEGAS to ensure the audience was able read the correct name. The initial concept lacked readability and created confusion when reading the team’s name. During the usability test, the participants mistakenly associated the brand with a fuel company instead of a hockey team. The problem with that design was the audience was reading “LAS GAS” instead of “Las Vegas”. This design did not solve the problem; it created another one. The data gathered from the usability test, helped determine that the best decision was to design a different solution for this brand. On the new design solution, the brand’s name was place on a different position, using typographic hierarchy and color to create contrast making the text easy to read.

Initial Concept:

Revised Concept:

Proximity

Self-assessment: Gestalt principle

The Gestalt principle and the Law of Proximity has a very important role on this design. The purpose of using this law was to communicate what this brand is all about in a more strategic way (Charlotte Jirousek, 1995). Placing the letters of the logo together aims to an effort of communicating unity and allows the viewer to read the three letters on the logo while paying attention to the details of this design. This logo is mostly made from lines and the proximity of the letters was not the only aspect taken in consideration. The self-assessment included analyzing the proximity of the flame as well. Placing the flame distant from the E give perspective making it easier to read. Separating the letters moved away this initial idea of unity that this brand is all about.

Initial Concept: