I reload the ST forum page today, and its like I’m going back in time. Way, way back. 1995. 3 guys in a garage in bellevue, WA starting up the online juggernaut that has just recently switched its name from “cadabra” to “amazon.com”. after months of interviewing graphic designers to find a corporate logo, some guy with a friend of a friend emails us an idea. bezos loves it, i’m unsure but think its pretty cool, shel like it too. it is used for 2-3 years before the logo that most people are familiar with takes over. of course, nobody redesigns the packing slips from my initial version, other than adding some more info and a return slip.
And there it is! The upper left corner of every ST forum page … not an exact copy, but something so close as to be unmistakable. Intentional? Accident? Subconcious flattery? I suspect that only Slowman and Rappstar can tell us …
(yes, i really was one of the first 2 employees of amazon.com)
I would have liked to seen something more original, and also a logo that exhibited what Slowtwitch is about. I assume the “swoosh” is the back and legs of a cyclist, but it’s not doing it for me. If anything, this should have been a contest - I’m sure some marketing/graphic artist types would have submitted entries more inspiring. Sorry for being negative.
no it’s a negative “S” right?? and then the three points of the triangle stand for the three pillars of triathlon swimming, biking and running. Crap, okay, it’s slowtwitch, forgot, three pillars: biking, wheels and aero helmets;)
I just hope that Dan keeps the funky original ST logo versus the modernized font driven logo on top of the forum page. personally I like the modernized version but it doesn’t have the cool funk to it that the front page logo has.
I don’t mind the new look but I think I liked the old better. But then again if we keep it this way for a year and then switch back to the old we’ll all probalby be missing the blue and grey too;)
I was thinking that “ST” should have been incorporated, since that’s how the forum is referred to here, and in other forums. Type “ST” and everyone knows what that is, at least it seems that way. Just don’t make the “S” a cyclist -everybody does that. Yawn.
This web site is obviously driven by it’s forum - how is that conveyed?
I, of course, have no answers…nothing constructive. I just appreciate good branding, like when Federal Express went to FedEx - the arrow was brilliant. A logo should make you stand out, not make people think of every other logo out there, which this one obviously does.
As for the look…well, blue & gray seem to be the dominant forum colors so, again, I would say that the old colors made ST stand out from the rest. Now, it just looks like any other forum. I suspect you’re correct, however, that after awhile, if the old colors were brought back, we’d be writing, “Why did they bring this crap back?”
I would have liked to seen something more original, and also a logo that exhibited what Slowtwitch is about. I assume the “swoosh” is the back and legs of a cyclist, but it’s not doing it for me. If anything, this should have been a contest - I’m sure some marketing/graphic artist types would have submitted entries more inspiring. Sorry for being negative.
AOL was my first thoughts also.
The logo is really wrong and a step in the wrong direction.
With the Slowtwitch.com above and in the full width blue bar, it looks like its not part of the triangle (being off center does not help).
So there is this blue triangle with a river running through it. (ya now I get the S but this site is ST, maybe T is for triangle?).
I really like the new look, font and the new colors. It is sometimes of course really hard to let go of something you are familiar and comfortable with. Most of us regulars had just gotten used to the gold and maroon colors and the quirky logo, but what did it look like to new people who stumbled upon Slowtwitch or were told to come check it out? Did it look a bit dated?
" I would say that the old colors made ST stand out from the rest. Now, it just looks like any other forum."
could it be that the color change was made to please some of the advertisers? A neutral background will be perfect for any type of banner. Not that I care that much. I prefer the old version and agree that the triangle S is not very original, but I judge a book by its content, so all is still the same
I think alot of people here need to “get their hands off it” and start worrying about global issues like wheel choice and the real value of pointy hats.
Personally I like blue but hell, I’ll look at just about any colour as long as the Core of ST stays the way it is…US!
I’m off to the pool, you guys argue amongst yourselves
Hell yes. You got used to it but I remember the first time I found slowtwitch it felt like stepping back 5 years (and that was 5 years ago…). You hung around for the content, not the graphics.
