[This post is part of Uni Watch Positivity Week. You can learn more about that here, and you can see all the UWPW posts here. — PL]
In the latest development from what has become a very busy day for NFL news, the Cleveland Browns have announced the winning design for their latest “dawg” logo. The new logo, shown above, was one of two finalists that were voted on by fans and team personnel. It is the third canine logo that the team has had over the past two decades:
The logo, which depicts a bullmastiff, was created by graphic designer Houston Mark (what a perfect name for a logo designer!), who loaded up the new dawg with lots of hidden details. Here’s a crib sheet:
According to the team’s announcement, the new logo “will be prominently displayed in future merchandise and other team uses.” No word yet if that might include appearing at midfield or in the end zone, but I wouldn’t bet against it.
The lineage of the Browns’ canine logo can be traced back to defensive back Hanford Dixon, who in 1985 dubbed himself and his defensive teammates as “dawgs.” The players would often bark after a sack or a big play, and fans began barking along, which eventually prompted Dixon and fellow defensive back Frank Minnifield to hang a “Dawg Pound” banner in front of the bleachers at Cleveland Stadium. The name stuck, although it would take another 18 years before the team actually commissioned a dawg logo, which designer Todd Radom based on his own pet bulldog.
Missed opportunity to make that dogtag look more like a “C” instead of the convolutions needed to work in a guitar pick and end zone reference.
It looks like the shape of their old stadium, which looked like a C, but funny that wasn’t mentioned in the design notes.
Also, why the brown space on right hand side rather than fully enclosing the stadium as shown on the description of ‘east end zone’
At a high level, I think that blends with the shadows on the viewer’s right of the dog’s face. The other reason is to create the “C” as mentioned in the East End Zone blurb of the story graphic.
And Ron, they did mention the C, but instead of it formed by the old roof line it’s formed by the end zone and two thirds of the roofline.
From an aesthetics point of view, I dislike the collar spikes.
From another point of view, designing a collar with eight spikes representing their eight championships makes it seem like they’re not planning to win a ninth any time soon.
agreed- there’s no room for extra spikes and they could have just as easily pointed to the 8 whisker spots and said those were for their past championships since those would be much easier to add a 9th
I miss Casey
Soooo the University of Georgia Browns?
Newfoundland Growlers
Under his nose the four dots and the lines cascading down his face immediately reminded me of the Ohio flag which used in the Columbus Blue Jackets logo. It’s as if he thought about it but decided it was a bit too much.
Looks a a copy of the U of Georgia’s secondary logo.
Bring back the brownie.
The dog is corny and played out.
Brownie the elf > Dawg pound.
100%
Reminds me of the Miller Beer Red Dog logo.
Oh lordy, hadn’t thought of that. Can’t “un-see” that now. Ugh. As I sort of predicted, they chose the one I liked the least. The other option they presented (the dog had eyes) was better in my opinion.
I like this logo for the Dawg Pound with all its hidden messages. But Brownie holding a football is still my favorite Browns logo.
Agreed. The Browns own anything dog related in the NFL, and I love how it came to be, but Brownie the Elf is superior to anything they can create dog related.
Sure, a spiked collar is tough and whatever, but doesn’t it also indicate that someone owns you?
I credit the Browns with not following recent trends toward both more overtly snarling, tooth-baring animal mascots and toward symmetrical shading on mascot heads. The staid, almost dour expression of the new dog logo speaks of resolution rather than fierceness, which is an appropriate vibe for a fan group.
Calling that shape on the dog’s right ear a map of Ohio is – well -imaginative.
I would call it a stretch, literally
And it definitely looks like several other previously mentioned dog logos, but I don’t hate it. If you told me none of the story telling elements I’d feel the same about it.
The story elements honestly make me like it less. Maybe I wouldn’t feel that way if there had been half as many forced story elements, but he totally lost me with the bridge “fortifying the bond between fans, team and city.”
If I had a nickel for every Browns fan who looked at the logo and, without being prompted, recognized the shape of the bridge in the jowls of the dog AND thought, “wow, this logo really gets what it means to be from Cleveland”, I probably wouldn’t have very many nickels.
As if there aren’t enough reasons to be totally embarrassed as a Browns fan. Jeez, how much more can we take? Give the dog thing a friggin’ rest. It’s stupid and 35 years gone.
This is how I felt every time somebody suggested Hogs, Red Hogs, Warthogs, Pigskins or some other variation on the Hog theme for Washington’s new name. With respect to Bostic, Jacoby, Grimm, etc., the Hogs O-line thing is about as old and played out as the Dawg Pound. Move on already.
im pretty sure none of the things that are supposed to look like whatever the graphic says that they are…..
I’ve always been more attached to and enjoyed Brownie the Elf. I do have one Dawg Pound thing – a hat that features Todd Radom’s logo design. Because if my fandom and his creative path cross, that’s a great combo.
The whole Dawg thing belongs to the fans, not to Browns, Inc. The marketing people did nothing to create it, and they should just butt out and leave it alone.
The Dawg identity best is manifested by the great costumes and other paraphernalia that you see in the stands. The fans are much more creative and fun than the marketing types. We don’t need this corporate junk.
BAD Dawg.
Not a Browns fan, nor a Clevelander, so I don’t have a “dawg” in this fight, but I like the creativity reflected through the hidden elements integrated into this design. Happy UW Positivity Week to all.
I think of the end-zone denizen known as “Big Dawg.”
This reeks of trying WAY too hard.
Truth.
Browns update logo.
Pic included.
Did they ever use the 2015-22 logo? I don’t remember ever seeing it on anything.
Lee
Wait, Browns are dogs? I always thought this team was named after the owner of their interstate rivals. Which is HILARIOUS.
The original dog was way better.
The need (need?) to incorporate “hidden elements” has resulted in some wildly inconsistent shading. Where is the light source? If the light is shining from the upper left of the image, why is the dog’s right ear in shadow? Just to make a kinda-sorta Ohio shape? And the “pound helmet” over his right eye makes him look like he has a Mike Tyson-style face tattoo.