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*A Long-Winded Ranking of ISFL Branding - ZodiacEXE - 03-19-2024
In a series of articles I'm working on for each of the 3 sim leagues I'm in, I'll be taking a deep dive into each team's branding. For the ISFL, this means tackling all 14 ISFL teams. No DSFL since my first article here was assigning each of them a Pokemon mascot, and I feel like I said what I wanted to say back then. I will be judging them based on the following criteria:
Mascot - The name of the team and whatever that name refers to. Rated based on originality and how cool I personally find it.
Logo - The design of the logo and whether it strikes the sweet spot of simplicity and style to be memorable.
Relevance to Location - How much connection the branding has to the team's location (be that a city, a state, or a region)
X-Factor - A branding's intangibles. What emotions does it make me feel? How do I like the whole branding personally?
The grades are just for fun, I'm mostly doing this because I want to learn more about the teams and how much went into deciding what will represent the franchise for seasons to come. So without further ado: ISFL team brandings graded and ranked!
Arizona Outlaws
Mascot - A
As far as names go, Outlaws is pretty dang good. I do wish we could get into specifics a bit more. Personally I'd be a fan of a team called the Rustlers, named after the crime of cattle rustling, but I can understand going for the outlaw name over something like the Bank Robbers.
Logo - B
The desperado makes for a nice focus, though I wish more of the body stood out against the black background of the triangle. The text is stylized fine, though the football at the bottom isn't my favorite thing. Basically, it's fine as long as you don't scrutinize it too hard.
Relevance - B
I mentioned the desperado in the logo. The branding calls back to the days of the Wild West, when cowboys, sheriffs, and outlaws roamed the land. The desperado is one such outlaw, often found in the southern portion of the western territories (i.e. around Phoenix). A notable outlaw who got his start in the Arizona territory is Billy the Kid.
X-Factor - B
The outlaw is menacing enough, which is a good fit for a football team. I do feel like that could be better brought across, but it's pretty good.
Overall - B
A decent start to the list. I enjoy the red and black scheming for everything, even if I feel there are some ways it could have been toned down.
Austin Copperheads
Mascot - A
Snakes are just cool, and I feel like they get underused as mascots. The Copperhead itself is venomous, and a deadly snake is even better as a mascot than a regular one.
Logo - A
While a pretty simple snake on a star background, it's the little details that make this logo. The single star references Texas, the lone star republic. The star also serves as a window, as some of the copperhead is behind it so that the focus points can pop out better. I think the effect could have been highlighted more, but overall it's a very well designed logo.
Relevance - B
The copperhead snake calls a pretty wide swath of North America its home. It is more of a common sight in Texas, so I'd still give it a B rating.
X-Factor - B
One of the main things the branding has going for it is the interesting shade of teal(?) used for the background. Instead of going too cartoony by changing the snake's color, Austin accents the snake's tongue and weaves it in well. Still, there isn't too much beyond that so a B is appropriate.
Overall - A-
Another very solid branding. I am a little biased since I'm a Copperhead myself, but I feel like I've done a fair job separating my thoughts from my loyalties here.
Baltimore Hawks
Mascot - C
While birds are a common sight, I don't hate the hawk as a mascot. I just think there are cooler birds of prey, and that the hawk itself has some fun subspecies that could make for a better mascot.
Logo - D
It's a very simple logo, which wouldn't be too bad if there was something else that made it stand out. Unfortunately, I just don't think it has much going for it.
Relevance - C
Unfortunately the state bird of Maryland was never an option for this team. The Baltimore Orioles already exist, so instead they took the hawk. Granted there are hawks in Maryland to pick from like the red-tailed hawk, the northern goshawk, and the northern harrier, but I feel like there are better choices. The NFL's Ravens have the same problem.
X-Factor - D
I just don't feel this branding. There are plenty of creative bird teams out there that manage to escape my feelings towards the concept, but unfortunately Baltimore just doesn't do it for me.
Overall - D+
Sorry Baltimore, a bird team for this city that isn't an oriole is a tough ask when it comes to branding.
Berlin Fire Salamanders
Mascot - A
The fire salamander is a threatened species native to most of Europe. It has a sleek black and yellow color palette. I think the mascot is a really good pick-- unique and memorable.
Logo - C
I love the dynamic pose for the salamander itself, but the giant text gets in the way so much that I have to look closely to even see it. The flames are cool on the outside, but the darker red with the black on the inside of the logo don't create enough contrast with the black lizard meant to be on the foreground. Lastly, I wish the tail didn't cover the "Salamanders" text. It's a cool concept, but there's just too much happening for my taste.
Relevance - C
While the fire salamander's habitat does include Germany, there is one animal that is the heart and soul of Berlin and can be found just about everywhere: the bear. Granted picking the bear probably results in a lower "Mascot" grade, but to pick a different animal over it that has spread across the majority of Europe is a mark against for sure.
X-Factor - A
The name "Fire Salamanders" creates some mystique in my view. Sure we know they're just regular animals with some poisonous attributes, but the use of so much fire makes you wonder if these ones breathe flames. It's a fun thought!
Overall - B
I want to like the Fire Salamanders branding more than I really do like it. If the logo was cleaned up a little bit then we could absolutely look past not having the bear as the mascot and say that this is really solid apart from the relevance side of things.
Cape Town Crash
Mascot - S
They could have just called the team the rhinos and been done with it. It would have been perfectly fine to just be the Cape Town Rhinos, but to name the team the Crash with the alliteration and the sport being played is a master stroke.
Logo - B
This is the first logo we've come across to go a bit cartoony and change the color of the mascot to match the team's primary. Honestly, I think it's a fine look; there are worse colors you could make a rhino than this shade of purple. The horns create a solid contrast, and the orange is a solid choice for the outline. I'd like the "Crash" text to stand out more, but otherwise it's solid.
Relevance - A
South Africa has long been a hunting ground for rhino poachers. Choosing the rhino to represent the team takes somewhat of a stand against it, taking the rhinoceros as a symbol rather than running them to extinction.
X-Factor - A
I'm still stuck on how awesome the name is. You take an animal like the rhino and have it crashing into the opposing team? That's just awesome.
Overall - A
This branding is great. Not many notes other than some personal nitpicks on logo design.
Chicago Butchers
Mascot - A
The butcher is a fantastic choice as a mascot. It has great relevance to the city (which we'll get to) and has a nice double-meaning to want to butcher your opponents.
Logo - A
There are a lot of details that make this logo work. The supposed focus of the image is in common black and gray colors so that the red pops strongly, especially the blood on the cleaver. I don't love the blood running down the "Butchers" text, but the six-pointed Chicago star accenting the cleaver is a nice touch.
Relevance - S
There were a lot of ways you could tie a team's branding in to the city of Chicago. The real life teams have their options, and a common theme in sim league teams based in the city is to go for the prohibition-era gangster angle. Not only do the Butchers avoid those entirely, but they go for perhaps the most iconic yet least often remembered industry of the city. It's just perfect.
X-Factor - A
This branding is just clever on so many levels, and I have to respect the heck out of it. The Butchers might be my personal favorite branding so far.
Overall - A+
I grew up in the Chicagoland area, so it's probably pretty clear I have a bias towards this branding (even though I don't actually like most of the Chicago sports teams).
Colorado Yeti
Mascot - B
The Yeti is a cryptid thought to inhabit the Himalayan mountain region (we'll get to it). It's not the most menacing mascot, as for the most part sightings have been attributed to other types of animals, but it's a fun idea to work from.
Logo - C
While it does lack text, which I tend to be a fan of, it's really just the Colorado state flag's logo with the silhouette of a yeti in it. It does do the thing where some of the yeti is in the foreground and some is behind the "C", but there was more potential in this idea in my opinion.
Relevance - D
The term this team was looking for was "sasquatch." The yeti, while often compared to Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest, is explicitly native to the Himalayas. There is no relevance to the location other than a resemblance to a different cryptid.
X-Factor - D
Honestly the misnomer kills this branding for me. I like the concept of the Yeti, and I love Denver as a location for a team (suffering Broncos fan that I am), but I think I'd like it a lot more if this team added more "International" to the ISFL. Maybe a move to Nepal to finally add an Asia-based team to the league?
Overall - D+
There's a lot of potential in this branding if some changes are made, but as it stands I'm not the biggest fan.
Honolulu Hahalua
Mascot - A
The hahalua is the name for manta rays in the native Hawaiian language. I like manta rays a lot as animals, and I think using the native language is a nice touch.
Logo - A
Solidly designed all around. Simple but memorable focus jumping through a ring punctuated with flowers, all with a beautiful blue and yellow color scheme. Honestly the only thing stopping it from being an S tier logo is the hahalua's face, which just makes me feel weird.
Relevance - A
The manta ray is a highly recongizable sea creature around the world, so just in that concept it isn't overly relevant to the area. However it is still relevant to the Honolulu area culturally, and going the extra mile to name the team after the native language name is really cool.
X-Factor - A
Honestly I don't have much else to add. The branding just works.
Overall - A
Honolulu seeps itself in great ideas, drawing a lot from its area to create an instantly recognizable and memorable team.
New Orleans Second Line
Mascot - B
For those unfamiliar, the second line is a concept in parades where people who aren't officially part of the parade follow along, dance to the music, and merrymake with the community. This is a mascot I think only works in one location, but it's cool enough for that location.
Logo - B
I love the color scheme on the logo, and a lot of the little details are nice touches. My main problem with it is that nothing pops out. You can point to little places and say "hey that's cool," but it's hard to choose what the focus is.
Relevance - S
New Orleans in sim leagues has an uncanny ability to produce some truly unique brandings. The Second Line is no exception, as NOLA is the heart of the tradition. It's a cool enough branding with the perfect location as a partner.
X-Factor - A
I'm a sucker for music and working that into branding, so I'm a fan of the second line being used as the mascot for a football team.
Overall - A-
You have to do some digging to learn just what's going on with the branding. Once you do, though, it's a really fun idea and executed pretty well.
New York Silverbacks
Mascot - A
The silverback gorilla is a great choice for a mascot. It has great physical strength and an appearance that can be intimidating if done well.
Logo - S
I don't have a bad thing to say about the logo. The gorilla is intimidating with its teeth bared. It retains a realistic coloring, but it contrasts very well against the brighter greens and golds of the background. The text is well stylized for the city, with the "Silverbacks" text having the largest size and a very nice touch of the sim-accurate founding year.
Relevance - C
There isn't much tying gorillas to New York City. There is a statue of one, and the Bronx Zoo has a couple. I think the biggest tie is King Kong which does somewhat fit with the stylization of the logo, but isn't super strong.
X-Factor - B
I'm lukewarm on the NYS branding. I love the concept and execution on their own, but I'm a big fan of relating to the location which I feel isn't there.
Overall - A-
There's a lot to like about the New York Silverbacks, and most of it covers the somewhat flimsy ties to the city itself.
Orange County Otters
Mascot - B
Otters, specifically the southern sea otters, are a marine mammal. Though the most common species of otter live in rivers, the sea otter can live exclusively in the ocean. They tend to be viewed as rather cute animals, though they can be dangerous if cornered.
Logo - B
The OCO logo is fairly simple, just featuring the head of the otter (or more if you look at the logo with text). What is there is very cleanly done-- good contrast between each feature and a sense of depth is well created.
Relevance - A
The sea otter used to be a common sight in the Orange County area, but overhunting gradually drove them away. Recently, however, some sightings have occurred to suggest that the otters are resurging. I like to think that by the time the sim takes place, they've made a full return and are a common sight in Anaheim once again.
X-Factor - A
I honestly really like the Otters branding, and I'm not even really sure why. It's simple, but it's very clean.
Overall - B+
Although some aspects are understated, sometimes the simplest idea executed well is all a brand really needs.
San Jose Sabercats
Mascot - A
Sabertooth tigers were legendary hunters of the prehistoric era with a menacing visage. It's a great mascot for a football team.
Logo - A
It may be a fairly simple logo, but there's a lot to it that goes unappreciated unless you take a closer look. The basic design is nailed yes, but the background being shaped like the tiger is tearing through is done super well.
Relevance - C
Sabercat is a very broad term, hence why I assumed we were talking about sabertooth tigers. They covered a wide swath of the Americas, so while they were likely in the San Jose area they were everywhere else too.
X-Factor - C
While researching, I found that this exact branding was used for an arena football team that folded in 2015. I haven't mentioned it for other teams because they were generic enough that it wasn't worth mentioning, but to specifically pick a "sabercat" over a "sabertooth" in the same location with the same general color scheme would be a pretty severe case of parallel thinking if it's not an intentional reference. It's nothing bad, but I grade it a C because I personally enjoy seeing original branding ideas.
Overall - B
The execution is very good, but there are a couple of points that I wish I didn't know that would make it a lot more fun for me personally.
Sarasota Sailfish
Mascot - B
While not a well known animal, the sailfish is a type of marlin that can be found in open waters around the world. It holds the record for the highest speed of sea animals, which does bode well as a mascot for a football team.
Logo - A
It's a commonly done pose for fish mascots, but the color scheme and the detailing was done so so well. There's a real depth to it, and the green shine works very well.
Relevance - B
Sarasota is known for its varied marine life including marlins, but the sailfish itself isn't a particular symbol of the city. It's solid, but not symbolic enough to be any higher than B.
X-Factor - B
There are things I like and things I don't like about the branding, and they average out to a roughly average grade.
Overall - B+
Solid branding all around with a bonus for the logo knowing when to be simple and knowing where to put all the little details.
Yellowknife Wraiths
Mascot - S
Ghosts are such an untapped market in sports team brandings. Yellowknife nailed it, picking a recognizable ghost with a menacing-sounding name to build from.
Logo - A
They didn't need to do very much to have a good logo. The death-inspired look with the icy blue eyes fits the bill of a spirit residing in northern Canada.
Relevance - B
Yellowknife escaped this fate, but many of the communities nearby turned into ghost towns after the gold rushes. So while the city may not be home to many wraiths, it would be wise not to venture too far away...
X-Factor - S
Restless spirits? Ghost towns? Icy blue eyes staring as if they'll rip my own soul out of my body? What's not to love?
Overall - A+
Possibly the best branding in the league, with everything you'd want except a slightly stronger connection to the city itself.
And just as a quick lightning round since I'm not doing DSFL teams, my long-awaited (by nobody) list of Pokemon mascots for the ISFL teams!
Arizona Outlaws - Krookodile (a sand crocodile that are described as very violent, often portrayed as criminal)
Austin Copperheads - Seviper (a copperhead is a type of pit viper, so the viper Pokemon seems to be the best choice)
Baltimore Hawks - Pidgeot (the closest I could really find to a hawk)
Berlin Fire Salamanders - Salandit (takes inspiration from salamanders and features bright markings, though not the yellow you'd expect. Also a fire-type Pokemon)
Cape Town Crash - Rhyhorn (arguably more rhino-like and intimidating than its evolutions)
Chicago Butchers - Bisharp (no real good "butcher" Pokemon, but Bisharp gets close and matches the red color scheme)
Colorado Yeti - Abomasnow (A cross between a yeti and an icy evergreen tree)
Honolulu Hahalua - Mantine (A blue stingray, slam dunk)
New Orleans Second Line - A group of Ludicolo (Recognizable for its constant dancing)
New York Silverbacks - Rillaboom (Gorilla that likes to play drums, maybe it'd get along with the Ludicolos in the Second Line)
Orange County Otters - Buizel (An orange otter-like creature)
San Jose Sabercats - Chien-Pao (I wanted to avoid legendaries, but there really is no other sabertooth Pokemon)
Sarasota Sailfish - Barraskewda (Surprisingly there isn't any good marlin Pokemon, so I've gone with a relative in the barracuda)
Yellowknife Wraiths - Froslass (Ice/Ghost spirit that haunts cold places)
Thanks for reading!
RE: *A Long-Winded Ranking of ISFL Branding - Chicken Lips - 03-19-2024
Personally want an alt NOLA logo that is a bit more streamlined. You lose the defails a lot when shrunken down for gfx.
Also I think chicago is my least favorite branding, cant put my finger on it but something just seems off.
RE: *A Long-Winded Ranking of ISFL Branding - Twenty6 - 03-19-2024
Quote:Yellowknife Wraiths
Overall - A+
Possibly the best branding in the league...
![[Image: tenor.gif]](https://c.tenor.com/jHLqieVAWhwAAAAd/tenor.gif)
RE: *A Long-Winded Ranking of ISFL Branding - ReverendOReily - 03-19-2024
(03-19-2024, 11:59 AM)ZodiacEXE Wrote: Baltimore HawksEdgar Allan Poe in shambles
The Baltimore Orioles already exist, so instead they took the hawk. Granted there are hawks in Maryland to pick from like the red-tailed hawk, the northern goshawk, and the northern harrier, but I feel like there are better choices. The NFL's Ravens have the same problem.
RE: *A Long-Winded Ranking of ISFL Branding - MMFLEX - 03-19-2024
(03-19-2024, 11:59 AM)ZodiacEXE Wrote: Honolulu Hahalua - Mantine (A blue stingray, slam dunk)HON's server image used to be Eevee riding Mantine... But @IceBear32 sux lmap
RE: *A Long-Winded Ranking of ISFL Branding - ZodiacEXE - 03-19-2024
(03-19-2024, 02:12 PM)ReverendOReily Wrote: Edgar Allan Poe in shamblesDidn't know that-- love learning something new about the thought process behind the branding!