What's in a badge?

03 February 2006

Quite a lot of money, probably, if you're a marketing man or a graphic designer paid to reinvent the wheel. Albion launched their new badge today in a little flourish of publicity, perhaps to take fans' minds off the fact that we've actually ended the transfer window even worse off for goalscorers than when we started, albeit with a tidy little profit in the coffers.

The Club claim that supporters were extensively consulted about the new design, and quote a few positive reactions on the web site - but elsewhere, reaction has certainly been mixed - from apathetic to downright disgusted in some cases.

So why the change? The article on the official web site says that it consolidates the clubs identity, with them having used six different badges on their shirts over the last 20 years, and that it will safeguard the club's identity for years to come. Which almost certainly means that it's a copyright issue to provide preotection of the new design as a registered trade mark and to make it easier to clamp down on anyone making inappropriate use of it. The major change is the addition of the club's name across the top, with the word Albion emphasised.

The article goes on to say that the club can now control its usage and ensure that it is reproduced to a consistently high standard wherever it appears. Sadly, those words fell on deaf ears at the icBirmingham web site, where the new logo was reproduced next to the old one for comparison, but changed to a lower resolution format and causing the brown of the throstle to be changed completely. Oh well.

Your reaction?

Hope this new crest is only a passing fad, as its crap, not half as good as the old one.

 - Steve

Surely I'm not alone in thinking our badge needed no change at all? We've reduced ourselves to the many other clubs who have made changes for change's sake. Is this a question of copyright, as it was with Arsenal? Or is it, as I fear, a question of two twats employed in Albion's marketing department trying to justify their salary? The club says fans have been consulted. Can they substantiate this? And if this were the case, how have they been able to keep it so quiet?

Some badges look dated. Remember that awful Leeds badge from the 70s, with the awful 70s-style writing? Bolton's looks dated and needs changing. God knows why Blues stick with theirs. Our badge is timeless. It doesn't need the words "West Bromwich Albion", as it is implied in the blue and white stripes and the throstle. It is recognised all over the country. Just as the Three Lions was enough to signify "England", our badge said "Albion". And now the club has done what the clueless f***wits at the FA did and included wording when it wasn't needed.

I am gutted. I love our badge, not just for what it means but for what it looks like. Doubtless the club will dismiss my rantings as a stick-in-the-mud sounding off, but I genuinely feel betrayed by this. It is yet more evidence of a club distanced from its fans.

 - John

Our present badge is instantly recognisable to most people local to the Brum area, and real footy fans. However, in the wider world (Thailand, where I live, for instance) most people look at the badge and say Spurs (because of the bird) or Newcastle (because of the stripes). If WBA want to market the 'brand' in other countries they need to make the badge instantly recognisable there too!

 - Adam

Its an absolute joke. I think that officially makes us the first team to have a cartoon style badge. Whoever had the bright idea of changing that will be getting an ear bashing soon enough I hope.

And to top it all off my mate had a tattoo of the 'old' crest done last week!! Hope he kept the receipt!

 - Russ

The club have made a smart move with the new badge in my opinion. They've produced something so f*****g horrible that nobody will want to copy it at any price.

 - John

Utter disgrace, trust me this mockery of a sham Fisher Price design will not stand the test of time, i hope the fans fury will force the clubs hand to bring back the old Crest.

 - Steve

Previous Stories:

  31 January 2006:  Earnie out, Quashie in?

  29 January 2006:  Super Kieron!

  26 January 2006:  Big Dave waves goodbye

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