Logo state of mind
Monday, January 19, 2009 at 09:19AM 
Here is a collection of all the 50 state logos, at least tourism logos. I have long been fascinated in logos, and how important the look and feel of a logo, mark, or type treatment is in relation to the company, group or in this case state that it represents. More and more, I think people are getting the importance of branding, and not only branding but how that brand must follow through more than just all media outlets, but that it needs to also be an authentic representation of the corporate culture as well.
Authenticity, I believe, is the new branding staple. Tired of deception, dishonesty and corruption; the public is more and more yearning for integrity, honesty and authenticity. Say what you do, but be sure to do what you say. Embrace who you are, and be it to the core. If you are advertising to the public that you are a company who "Cares," then your employees must also feel well cared for. If your company educates, you need yourself to be on top of education. See your employees as your first customer, or in this case your residents.
From a design standpoint, we have a good mix of scripts, serif, san serif, and abbreviations. Various color combinations, and blue and earthtones seem to be popular. But is there one in particular that stands out? I don't know, there are a couple that I am more fond of Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi. But are they an authentic represenation of your state? I guess that is for individual residents to decide.
Which are your favorites? Are they being authentic to the residents or unique aspects of that state?
Check out more of Joe Ribaudo's notes on design, interwebs, and snarks here.
Due to the popularity of this particular blog post, I have collected screen shots for each of the 50 states Tourism Websites and have posted them here: http://www.ineedchocolate.com/states-sites/
Reader Comments (2)
Interesting that despite their friendly rivalry, North Dakota's and South Dakota's font type is shockingly similar ...
Yep, I notice that too, I don't recall the history, which came first? Wyoming is kind of playing that game a bit too.