One of the things that makes Minor League Baseball so appealing and unique are the team names. Names that usually represent something and give Minor League Baseball its local feel and attachment. For the Minor League Baseball team logo designers of Brandiose, images play just as important of a role. They are the visual representation of not just the team, but the city, town, and community as well.
We emailed the design team of Brandiose, Jason Klein and Casey White, and asked them a bunch of questions including the importance of logos, how they come up with the great ideas they have had, and whether or not they've gotten some free swag.
Bus Leagues Baseball: So how did you guys get into doing Minor League Logos?
Jason: The two of us grew up in San Diego, and have been best friends since kindergarten. As kids, we loved telling stories and bringing creative ideas to life.
Once in college, we started designing high school logos out of our dorm rooms. We then sent letters to 150 Minor League Baseball teams, and only one got back to us: the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. They told us, “If we like it, we’ll buy it.” That summer we set out with the same goal we have today: Doing whatever it takes to make teams famous.
BLB: Why Minor League logos?
Jason: Minor League Baseball is the story of America. Hardworking people who are looking to relax, and bring their kids out for family, fun, entertainment. It fits with our DNA and we love working in this world.
BLB: What are your artistic roots?
Jason: Casey studied Painting at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and I studied Advertising and Graphic design at the University of Alabama.
BLB: What are some of the things you consider when designing a logo for a team?
Jason: Each club likes to believe they're all the same : Family Fun Entertainment, but we found this isn’t the case. Each club has a unique story, a unique community, and their own special type of fans. We focus on this Brand Story. By communicating the story, the brand will better resonate with fans - which translates to higher loyalty and retail sales.
BLB: Do you feel you have more creative freedom with Minor League teams as compared to Major League teams or other businesses?
Jason: Major League Baseball brands have to reach a larger audience than Minor League Baseball clubs. As a result, MLB logos depict less of a narrative than Minor League logos. There's a little bit of storytelling in there, but not as story heavy as Minor League looks. The Minor Leagues are certainly influencing the Major League clubs in their fan experience. You see the Major League clubs adopting a lot of the showmanship that the Minor Leagues have displayed for years: the crazy promotions, the intimate ballparks, the activities for the kids, etc.
BLB: How important is it to have the freedom to design as compared to having someone tell you exactly what they want?
Jason: Because our process is a true collaboration, ideas come from us, from owners, operators and interns. We love brining all these ideas together because we believe no idea is a bad idea!
BLB: How does process work from start to finish? Do teams seek you out or do you pitch proposals to them? Do you get a second chance if your first idea isn’t what they are looking for?
Jason: We begin by visiting the team in their home town, meeting with fans, eating a local restaurants - becoming honorary citizens. We want a firsthand account of local traditions, icons, stories, and the community's personality. We tour the city, absorb the city's color palate, meet with mayors, visit local history museums - anything we can to immerse ourselves in the community's heart and soul. Then we collaborate with the club on fresh ways to tell the community's story through the ballpark experience. People love being told stories - and they love their hometowns. So clubs seek us out help achieve these goals and we always present several ideas!
BLB: Which logo is your personal favorite and why?
Jason: They're all great, because they all tell unique stories. Whether it's the Lakeland Flying Tigers paying homage to the WWII aces that trained in Lakeland, or the steel that forged America in the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs identity. They're all captivating brands. We find ourselves mutually agreeing with clubs on the concepts that best tell the story, so there's not a whole lot of discussion about rejected logos we liked. It's really focused on which tells the best story and why.
BLB: Do you get any free swag from the teams after you design their new look?
Jason: Every so often a real treat of a swag piece does show up at the studio. We just received a Bottled Water design that we dreamed up for the Mobile BayBears - it's the taste of champions!
BLB: What team or entity would you most like to work for? What logo would you most like to do?
Jason: I'm not sure I've ever really thought of this. We wake up every day and simply love the challenges that arrive at the studio, so I'd have to say we kinda love the mystery of not knowing what project is coming next!
BLB: Is there a different sense of satisfaction when you see fans wearing logos you designed as compared to the players and teams wearing the logos?
Jason: We love seeing fans wearing the look, because it means success for our friends at the clubs, Our goal is to make their brands famous, so the more we see the logos in the community, the better job we're doing.
BLB: Have any teams ever recognized you at a game as a token of appreciation?
Jason: Ha ha, not yet! However, we were honored that the Mobile BayBears have a permanent page that shares our collaboration together here.
BLB: I noticed you guys enjoy having contests on your site. How important is it to reach out to fans and other artists? Do they ever inspire new ideas?
Jason: Collaboration of any kind is really important to us. We were always daydreaming and doodling and dreamed of designing our own logos. So to have the opportunity to bring that dream to life for other artists is a great feeling!
BLB: What would a Bus Leagues Baseball logo look like?
Jason: Great question! I think you'd have to start with a poll of you readers and have them tell you what they think of your brand and personality to start!