Marketing douchebags ruin another jersey
I’m not sure which designer they consulted to create the new jersey template for the Canucks, but that designer seemingly came from the same class of dumbasses that loves wordmarks (or the jackass that brought us the Flying V). Similar to Nashville and LA, the Canucks now have the word VANCOUVER stitched across the top of the logo. In a sport where the team logo is the primary identifier, and where often the simplest jerseys are the best and most elegant looking (see: Boston, Detroit, Montreal), some marketing douchebag decided to go against the grain and try to make it “unique.” In doing so, he/she has effectively told all hockey fans “You are a dumbass” by putting the city name on the jersey. Why not put a goddamn map on it while you’re at it, and REALLY tell people where the team is from? Can’t confuse it with Vancouver, Washington now, can we?
I’m not sure if it’s some idiotic 2010 marketing ploy or if it was some silly idea to try to combine as many past jersey elements together to form the new look, but the VANCOUVER wordmark completely ruins the look of the jersey. Now it’s cluttered, distracts from the logo and puts letters too close to the captain’s letterings. What are they going to do, increase the size of the C and A in VANCOUVER to identify the captain and alternate captains?
Taking 30 seconds with Photoshop’s clone tool yields this. Isn’t that much better? The logo has less colours, making it more brandable. That satisfies the idiot marketers. The team identifies with the logo. The colour scheme is awesome. IT’S NOT CLUTTERED. This whole silly campaign of Reebok trying to put its stamp on the jersey market after buying out CCM is retarded, and it’s letting deluded executives and drugged up designers come up with horrible after horrible idea. Vertical piping? Lacing on a modern cut? Off-coloured sleeves? Numbers on the front? This is not basketball. Frankly, with all the stupid “Let’s combine everything in the past into one!” ideas, why not go all the goddamn way?
God willing, there will be enough of a public outcry to remove that stupid wordmark. But who am I kidding? It’ll sell out because people are excited about the upcoming season, a season that follows a division championship and a semi-extended playoff run. Don’t even get me started on the new pricing scheme for jerseys, brought to you by the asspirates at RBK. That’s for another post.
The C in the hockey stick/rink shape was plain, elegant, simple and classy. It shouldn’t have been changed in the first place.
August 30th, 2007 at 5:49 am
I won’t be buying one, that’s for the sure.
The general consensus of those of us in Ontario is that it is the fugliest thing they could have come up with. And yes, the map thing, the map thing, thank you. Although someone in the Canucks LJ community pointed out that someone could confuse us for the Hartford Whalers if the Vancouver wasn’t splashed across the front. LOL.
In either case - you won’t catch me buying one. I hope there are still some white retro ones left over somewhere. I prefer it. Like you said, why mess with a good thing?
August 30th, 2007 at 7:59 am
You can try EBay or Craigslist for some of the vintage jerseys. I’m not sure how many white ones there are, but I got a blue Luongo for $50, and it’s not a screen print either.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:34 am
Wow. Pfizer’s god mad design skillz (sic).