Seahawks Logo Design

Seahawks Logo Design - Case Study

Announced to the public on June 17, 1975 the Seahawks logo design was coordinated by General Manager John Thompson and the owners group of the Seattle Seahawks football club; D.E. (Ned) Skinner, Howard S. Wright, M. Lamont Bean, and Lynn P. Himmelman. Short listed names were submitted, by the club, to NFL Properties Creative Services Division for possible logo/helmet designs. Blue and Green Kwakiutl/Haida stylized Seahawk(Osprey) was selected, along with the silver helmet.

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NFL Properties Design Team

::David Boss - Creative Services Director::

David Boss, who as vice president of publishing and creative services for the National Football League started “PRO!” magazine, which served as the league’s preprint in all game day programs.Trained as a photographer, Boss graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Arts and went to Los Angeles, working for the Los Angeles Rams and the team’s public relations director and then-general manager Pete Rozelle. Boss went to work for NFL Properties after Rozelle became the league’s commissioner in 1960. While with NFL Properties he designed the official programs and posters for the first 25 Super Bowls. He designed the NFL logo a red, white, and blue shield with the letters NFL.

In 1965 Boss began the creative-services division of Properties, which provided design aid to licensees, clients and the teams themselves. In 1975, Boss was the creative director that oversaw the development of logo and uniform design for the Seattle Seahawks, along with the team owner's group and NFL propertie's design team.

::NFL Properties Design Team::

Amy Yutani

David Johnston

Influences

Although, stated as indigenous to NW coastal indian art, some elements of the design seem to be borrowed from other artistic forms. One notable area seems to be in the eye/brow region. Although, you could make a case that certain lines resemble the Kwakiutl/Haida in expression; i.e. round pupil, curved brow and socket region. Its does seem, however, that these lines more closely resemble elements of the 'Sky God' Eye of Horus. Not surprising since this is a powerful and popular symbol derived from the Egyptian hieroglyphs to represent their Falcon. Most other areas of the logo resemble more closely to the Haida form, however, loose in it's interpretation. The Osprey is linked firmly to the design due to the indigenous moniker; 'Seahawk', as well as, in image via the auricular feathers (covering the ear) with it's bold horizontal lines. The aquiline beak portion of the design is clearly Haida Eagle in form.

Pioneering artist and best selling author Barry Herem, who has worked in the Haida style for many years, evaluates the original 1976 logo design;

"The design is Kwakiutl in feeling, although it is a good bit more inexact even than most Kwakiutl work. The design is typical of those who design outside the "system" which underlies formline art. This could be a more detailed and interesting discussion. Suffice it to say that the logo may still be "in the ballpark" so to speak."

Though, the Seahawks logo does not entirely represent the Kwakiutl form in every sense, it does well in exuding the over all feel of the NW Coast Indian art style. To elaborate more on the accurate "system" Barry explains; "Most of us who know this art say nothing about the endless parade of hideous totem poles - for instance - which keep being cranked out by native and non-native artists who entirely miss the "system" I am speaking of and which so elegantly dominates flat design on the Northwest Coast up until about 1890 - 1910. With the demise of the classic eras of the past the art fell into disarray after this period until 1965 when Holm wrote his watershed book "Northwest Coast Indian Art: an analysis of form." He showed how the classic northern forms were put together, revealed the 'system', and it changed everything. Within five to ten years native and non-native alike were doing excellent formline work. It's quite a story and so far untold."

Other notable artists:

Bill Holm

Bill Reid

Susan Point (Stadium Public Art)

Jody Wilson (2002 Seahawks revised logo derivative)

1976 Seattle Seahawks Logo Ideation