Designer: Michael Ulrich

When it’s time for a redesign, a fresh perspective from an outside source can be beneficial—particularly if you designed the piece that is to be made over. So when Wayne Township administrative assistant Andrea Stile had trouble generating a new board-approved logo for the northwestern Pennsylvania township where she works, she turned to DG. “I recently presented the board of supervisers with five new logo designs for Wayne Township,” Stile explains. “They voted to stay with my original logo design, so I thought getting a different graphic designer’s ideas might be helpful.”

DG creative director Michael Ulrich says the concept behind the current logo is solid, but the execution needs work. “I don’t think the grass/sun photograph works with the black-and-white barn,” he notes. “It isn’t that different styles can’t work together, it’s just hard to pull off. And the barn illustration is too casual to go with the romantic grass/sun picture. An illustrated sun with the barn would be OK—without the photograph.”

The drop shadow in the type treatment is also of concern. Ulrich explains, “Drop-shadowed type is one of those things that you must ask yourself not ‘can I do it,’ but ‘should I do it,’ and if the answer isn’t ‘absolutely yes,’ don’t do it ... ever. Not ever. I mean never.”

In keeping with the township’s rural/agricultural feel, Ulrich tried marks featuring illustrations like barns and fence posts before settling on one of a massive tree. But to truly capture the roots of Wayne Township, he suggests finding and photographing a recognizable landmark, like a historic tree in the area. Because of budget limitations—and quality-control issues that can arise when printing photographic images in media like newspapers and newsletters—Ulrich opted for a one-color, black-and-white logo in his redesign.

Further keeping with the spirit of Wayne Township and its residents, Ulrich paired his tree image with Bookman Old Style—a warm, friendly font that fits well with the rural township setting.

1. Original logo
The existing logo for Wayne Township is complicated, combining too many elements that don’t work well together.

2. Redesign
DG creative director Michael Ulrich simplified the mark, centering it around one powerful image.

3. Early options
Ulrich’s early designs featured traditional rural images like barns, fence posts and country roads.

4. Font
Bookman Old Style was chosen for its approachable, familiar look and feel.

5. Color
In keeping with budget limitations and the designer’s own reproduction concerns, the logo was kept as a black-and-white mark.