*Update* Raptors re-branding v.1 - Focus Group

[gamer4Life]

Huskies just doesn't strike any fear.

Right...cuz I have always been afraid of Lakers, Jazz, Magic, and Leprechauns.

[TheProfessor]

Okay, I personally dont even like the idea of changing the name to the huskies. I think its stupid, either keep the raps or change to another name....But with that being said your design is superb. I would have no problem with a Huskies re-brand if your jersey design came with it. I am surprised something so good could come out of the Raptors Board.

[Los Manos]

Thanks again for all the great comments and contributions.

With the Huskies re-brand mostly only going down well with those open to a name change, I thought it appropriate to attempt my take on a Raptors re-brand and again get the thoughts of the fanbase during the design process. If the Toronto Raptors are to celebrate their 20 year anniversary in 2016, the only path I wanted to go down was to really get the essence of the original branding back while giving everything a much needed facelift. Included are Primary, Secondary and Third logo's along with a jersey script. This is a re-brand that very much embraces the franchises' 90's roots while doing a clearer job representing the city of Toronto and Canada.

Again it's a bit rough around the edges but I guess I'm most interested as to whether the original Raptors look is salvageable. I've not done any jersey designs that are satisfactory so I'm hoping you some of you try out the jersey script on a few designs of your own (I could use the inspiration!).

So once again let me know your thoughts.

[sweetcity]

There original huskies jerseys you came up with are amazing!

[Purple+Black]

Love the Raptors logo.

[Orsk]

I think your raptors logo is too "soft". I think it feels too kiddie and cuddly. My feelings on it.

[Los Manos]

I think your raptors logo is too "soft". I think it feels too kiddie and cuddly. My feelings on it.

I was trying to get a bit more aggression into it compared to the original, it's supposed to look like the Raptor has been caged and trying to escape.

I'm expecting a good % of fans would rather just do away with dino altogether and get a completely new look but I'm interested to see how many fans think the original Raptors charm could/should be rescued.

[supra2k8]

The stroke around the logo/raptors seems too thick, and I also get the soft feeling, because of the round shaped type and the flag part of your logo.

But your presentation is really good, I do prefer your huskies logo more, but at the same time, I'm one of those people who is against a name change.

[gp2015]

Not a big fan of the Raptors logo. The main logo looks like a flower. It's too round and cartoony.

[Double Helix]

LOVE:

- How you create the letters T.O. with the ball as the O on the hat. Great hat design.
- Incorporating the claws around the font. I like how that looks.
- The font is almost there and looks both classy and Raptor-esque. That's a hard balance to pull off and you've nearly done it.
- The incorporation of the CN tower. It's subtle and a nice touch.
- Trying to add the maple leaf in some way up top.
- Putting the emphasis on the Raptors face and away from his jersey, body and basketball. If we are going to keep the history it's his head that is most iconic.

DISLIKE:
- I don't like the look of the t thst looks like a looped L in the word Raptors. I think it ends up looking too much like Raplors because of the loop there and the different color of the line. I also think it looks like a strange tongue coming out of the Raptor's mouth. I see how you tried to pay homage to the 90s shape of the T but the loop and offset color, IMO, make it more difficult to see the T.I like the idea of red being used in some way in the lettering but I'm not sure that's it.
- As mentioned in the love, I'm glad you tried to incorporate the maple leaf but I feel like there might be too much going on in the bottom half. It seems too busy there with the 2 reds and All those lines. It's probably supposed to be a basketball being stretched but it looks a bit strange to my eyes. I like the top much better.

FINAL THOUGHTS
- I have been waiting for an update from you because your work is incredible. I like both designs a lot more than what we have today and think this Raptors one has potential with some minor tweaks.
- Love the creativity, the attention to detail, and the thought that went into these.
- Love how they feel more historic somehow.
- Great work!

[Los Manos]

LOVE:

- How you create the letters T.O. with the ball as the O on the hat. Great hat design.
- Incorporating the claws around the font. I like how that looks.
- The font is almost there and looks both classy and Raptor-esque. That's a hard balance to pull off and you've nearly done it.
- The incorporation of the CN tower. It's subtle and a nice touch.
- Trying to add the maple leaf in some way up top.
- Putting the emphasis on the Raptors face and away from his jersey, body and basketball. If we are going to keep the history it's his head that is most iconic.

DISLIKE:
- I don't like the look of the t thst looks like a looped L in the word Raptors. I think it ends up looking too much like Raplors because of the loop there and the different color of the line. I also think it looks like a strange tongue coming out of the Raptor's mouth. I see how you tried to pay homage to the 90s shape of the T but the loop and offset color, IMO, make it more difficult to see the T.I like the idea of red being used in some way in the lettering but I'm not sure that's it.
- As mentioned in the love, I'm glad you tried to incorporate the maple leaf but I feel like there might be too much going on in the bottom half. It seems too busy there with the 2 reds and All those lines. It's probably supposed to be a basketball being stretched but it looks a bit strange to my eyes. I like the top much better.

FINAL THOUGHTS
- I have been waiting for an update from you because your work is incredible. I like both designs a lot more than what we have today and think this Raptors one has potential with some minor tweaks.
- Love the creativity, the attention to detail, and the thought that went into these.
- Love how they feel more historic somehow.
- Great work!

Thanks DH. I've gotta say that assessment of the dislikes is pretty much spot on with my own at the moment.

I've changed the red tail to grey here, it's clearer that it's part of the 't' but maybe still not quite there:

[Los Manos]

The stroke around the logo/raptors seems too thick, and I also get the soft feeling, because of the round shaped type and the flag part of your logo.

But your presentation is really good, I do prefer your huskies logo more, but at the same time, I'm one of those people who is against a name change.

It is thick but was intended to hark back to the original 'Raptors' jersey wordmark:

[S.W.A.N]

very nice but...

that font drives me crazy. Hate the t even in gray, would be nicer with different font imho

how would the first image look if the maple leaf were a little more straight edged?

[whysoserious]

Nice work Los Manos. I like it a lot. I'll put some thoughts down later but great work overall refreshing an existing brand/logo.

[Raps in 4]

Not a fan of the Raptors rebrand. The logo is too busy and the cartoony dinosaur doesn't quite fit in. I much prefer the Huskies one you did. Perhaps you can try a minimalist Raptors logo (basically Huskies theme you made, but recoloured and with a logo of a raptor head instead of a husky).

I actually like the font with the thick border though, but without the Raptor head in there.

[Double Helix]

LOVE:

- How you create the letters T.O. with the ball as the O on the hat. Great hat design.
- Incorporating the claws around the font. I like how that looks.
- The font is almost there and looks both classy and Raptor-esque. That's a hard balance to pull off and you've nearly done it.
- The incorporation of the CN tower. It's subtle and a nice touch.
- Trying to add the maple leaf in some way up top.
- Putting the emphasis on the Raptors face and away from his jersey, body and basketball. If we are going to keep the history it's his head that is most iconic.

DISLIKE:
- I don't like the look of the t thst looks like a looped L in the word Raptors. I think it ends up looking too much like Raplors because of the loop there and the different color of the line. I also think it looks like a strange tongue coming out of the Raptor's mouth. I see how you tried to pay homage to the 90s shape of the T but the loop and offset color, IMO, make it more difficult to see the T.I like the idea of red being used in some way in the lettering but I'm not sure that's it.
- As mentioned in the love, I'm glad you tried to incorporate the maple leaf but I feel like there might be too much going on in the bottom half. It seems too busy there with the 2 reds and All those lines. It's probably supposed to be a basketball being stretched but it looks a bit strange to my eyes. I like the top much better.

FINAL THOUGHTS
- I have been waiting for an update from you because your work is incredible. I like both designs a lot more than what we have today and think this Raptors one has potential with some minor tweaks.
- Love the creativity, the attention to detail, and the thought that went into these.
- Love how they feel more historic somehow.
- Great work!

Thanks DH. I've gotta say that assessment of the dislikes is pretty much spot on with my own at the moment.

I've changed the red tail to grey here, it's clearer that it's part of the 't' but maybe still not quite there:

I just realized this morning it's actually a R and a ball on the hat. I could have swore it was a T with a ball to create TO but it was late when I saw it and I had had a few beers while watching the game.

I think TO with a ball like that would look great, btw.

[Viatical]

I really enjoy the perspective of the Raptor tearing up the logo, with the downward stroke of the letter 'p" hanging out of his ravenous teeth.

But the cross on the 't' looks a little out of place when it has to be cut in half due to the presence of the head. It looks like he has a sword coming out of his snout--which is awesome in itself--the sharks with laser beams of a new era--but I don't think that's what anyone is going for. Some of the cleanness of the design is lost when the letter 't' doesn't have the benefit of that beautiful sweeping cross-stroke, and we just see half of it instead.