L&T Logo Redesign Presentation

Life And Trust Logo Redesign

SEPTEMBER 12 2023 | OWEN ULMER

VISUAL IDENTITY

Current Logo & Redesign Goals • The interlocking shapes convey a feeling of security and trust, two traits people value in a bank.

• The chains are also a reference to the themes of the show itself (Conwell’s deal with the devil, the Houdini character, various characters trying to break free of the situations they find themselves in).

• In our redesign, we want to retain this reference to chains, as they get to the heart of both the theme of the show, and of the security of banks.

• We need to differentiate our logo. Our current logo bears a striking resemblance to Arnold Saks’ 1968 “Cultural Presentations” logo.

• Avoid shapes that suggest letters (other than LAT) – the “CP” logo means nothing to Life And Trust.

• Tie the logo more to the lore of the show.

• Tie the logo more to the architecture of the building.

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LIFE AND TRUST LOGO redesign

VISUAL IDENTITY

Visual Research: Conwell’s Origins While the chains are a reference to the broad themes of the show, the logo has little tying it to J.G. Conwell’s personal story.

As Conwell got his start selling medicine, we can look for inspiration in old pharmacies – apothacary labels, snake oils, and medical symbols.

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LIFE AND TRUST LOGO redesign

VISUAL IDENTITY

Visual Research: The Conwell Building Looking at existing imagery in the building, there are several motifs that overlap with the pharmaceutical imagery from Conwell’s origin story.

The Caduceus • Short staff entwined by two serpents • Symbol of Hermes • Traditionally been a symbol of commerce and negotiation, which calls to the Faustian bargain Conwell makes with the devil.

•Often confused with the Rod of Aspeclius, wielded by the Greek god of medicine.

•Many healthcare organizations continue to mistakenly use the caduceus.

• Caduceus is a phony medical symbol just as Conwell’s syrup is a phony cure.

• Snakes are also a reference to the many snake oil salesmen in the 1800s (including Conwell).

Flowers • Appear throughut the building, inculding on the façade and in the banking hall • Planned to be implemented generously throughout the set design of the show.

• The Poppy is the main ingredient of Conwell’s medicine • Poppy is the source of Conwell’s initial fortune, and thus the foundation of Life And Trust Bank

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LIFE AND TRUST LOGO redesign

LO G O # 1

The Snake Chain A direct descendent of the Caduceus, a snaking shape forms a chain-link pattern. The idea here is that J.G. Conwell’s pharmacies in the 1890s employed the caduceus regularly, through signage, packaging, etc. The bank logo is an evolution from those pharmaceutical roots, but reimagined to resemble the security of a bank.

The snake now twists to resemble chain links.

The twisting links vaugely evoke the dollar sign, and nod to the exchange of money.

The logo resembles a tripled infinity sign, a loop that nods to the cycle of commerce. This loop is also a reference to the loop of the show, in which J.G. Conwell goes back in time to relive his glory days.

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LIFE AND TRUST LOGO redesign

LO G O # 2

The Poppy Eight tightly interlocking chain links elicit the stability and security befitting a bank.

These eight links also form a blooming flower.

This logo is a callback to the poppy, one of the original ingredients in Conwell’s syrup, and the crop upon which Conwell’s initial fortune was built.

Finally, the arrangement of the links forms two crosses, one upright, and one diagonal. The cross is a universal symbol of health, and especially pharmacies.

The juxtoposition of the welcoming symbol of the flower and the severity of the chains hints that there is more to this logo than meets the eye.

Both the poppy and the 8-pointed star are elements that are repeated throughout the interior and exterior of the building, so this design would take advantage of the existing architecture in the building.

The 8-pointed star is also a symbol of The McKittrick Hotel, prominently displayed on the floor of the ballroom.

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LIFE AND TRUST LOGO redesign

LO G O # 3

The Evolution A direct evolution of the existing Life and Trust logo. A pair of three interlocking chains entwine, evoking a feeling of strength and security.

This logo also subtly references the caduceus, representing two snakes circling a central staff.

The original logo was tripled in order to omit all references to existing letters. While the original logo could read as the initials “CP” or even “CD”, the tripled version simply reads as a logomark.

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LIFE AND TRUST LOGO redesign

VISUAL IDENTITY

Additional Logo Exploration

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LIFE AND TRUST LOGO redesign