How the logo was born: story behind Broncos current logo with early concept sketches & designs

[Tned]

Rick Bakas sent me a link to his article via Twitter. He was a member of the design team at Nike who was tasked with coming up with a new logo and uniform design back in 1996. Here's a tease, with a link to the full story below.



The Denver Broncos Brand: Fifteen Years Later
January 12th, 2012 By Rick Bakas

As I typed the headline to this blog post it struck me how fast time flies. I still think of the Broncos identity as “new” even though it’s been around for fifteen years. When I look at the horse logo on the side of the helmet it still seems new and modern. Back in 1996 I was a 26-year old assistant designer at NIKE in a department called Team Sports. Team Sports was part of NIKE Apparel, and our mission was to outfit players on field head to toe with NIKE stuff. We created all the on field authentic apparel as well as sideline hats, sweatshirts, t-shirts, pants, jackets and other team gear. To strengthen partnerships with teams, we sometimes redesigned and rebranded them like we did for the Denver Broncos.

Pat Bowlen, owner of the Denver Broncos came to us at NIKE and asked us to design him a horse equivalent of the NIKE swoosh. In his words he said, “I want a horse that looks like it’s going to kick your ass”. In February 1996 a core team came together to give Mr. Bowlen what he wanted. Todd Van Horne was the Creative Director, Ken Black was the Art Director, David Odusanya was Lead Designer and I was the Assistant Designer.

Throughout the project we worked with other creatives from NIKE, but the four of us made up the nucleus of the rebrand team. The first thing we did in the creative process was research. We spent a month getting to know the Broncos as well as they knew themselves (or better). We summed up their entire existence into a brand research book.

Our research led us to identify uncontrollable forces in nature like lightning, waves volcanoes and fire. We came across a Native American legend of a “ghost horse” of the plains. The legend of this ghost horse was that it was so spirited it couldn’t be tamed or broken by man...

Read the full story, along with sketches of early logo and uniform designs at http://www.bakasmedia.com/2012/01/the-denver-broncos-brand-fifteen-years-later/

[MOtorboat]

That logo, and those uniforms completely changed the football world in terms of uniform design. The side stripe on the jersey and the continuation of the scimitar swipe on the pants are in nearly every design today, to some extent.

[BroncoJoe]

Nice read. Thanks for posting!

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[Dapper Dan]

Awesome read. Any and all Broncos fans should check that out. I liked the story about the ghost horse and the description of his eyes. It makes you appreciate the logo that much more. Even though it was already the most badass logo in the history or logos.

[MOtorboat]

A lot of people, and I mean a lot hated it, but it really was revolutionary, in terms of logo and uniform design and technological advances in the construction of uniforms.

A side note, it's going to be extremely interesting to see what Nike does and what the NFL allows Nike to do with the uniform contract next year.

[BORDERLINE]

I loved IT and still LOVE IT!!!!

I remember first seeing it on the Broncos website back in 5th grade. That year my elementary school started getting computers in every class. None of the students where really familiar with computers not even some of the teachers. I remember I got my first crack at the mystery machine and typed in www.superbowl31.com or something like that. I had seen it on TV so I clicked and all these Farve pictures came up.

I was basically the only kid in the class that really got a free pass to go on the computer during free time and none of the kids really cared anyways. So later in the school year i went on the Broncos website and that logo just popped out. I was like WTF is that!!!!!!!!

I swore that was the coolest thing I had ever seen. And when I actually saw them wearing them I was like AMAZING.

I wish we could incorporate the throwbacks once a year just for nostalgia. It's been a while since we wore them.

[BroncoBJ]

Good story :salute: ... Thanks for the post. Some of those designs on there were sick. I love old school bronco stuff though as well. I like it all I think. :elefant:

[sneakers]

I was hoping for more like this:

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/192_251/125_40/watch_out_by_blackm3sh-d3dtnx2.png

[iLands]

Well, the entire NFL is getting new jerseys next year and again, it will be a full redesign by Nike.

I wonder if we'll be sporting a new logo or a throwback logo next year.

http://cdn.jockpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Broncos-440x390.png

[igoe4broncos]

Cool story

[threefolddead]

Really interesting read. GHOST HORSE FTW.

[MileHighCrew]

thanks for the post. Great read

[MasterShake]

Well, the entire NFL is getting new jerseys next year and again, it will be a full redesign by Nike.

I wonder if we'll be sporting a new logo or a throwback logo next year.

http://cdn.jockpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Broncos-440x390.png

They are probably just going to tweak the cut or fit a bit of the jerseys. The image above is already confirmed to be fake. If everyone remembers, when Nike did the original re-design, it was rumored that when the linemen got down in their stance it was supposed to replicate the Nike Swoosh (from the legs to the inside of the arm). If that was the case, I'm surprised that when Reebok took over they kept the same design.

Nike or Reebok don't get to dictate who desings the jerseys or logos, that has to be approved by the team and the league. Can you imagine the uproar in Green Bay or Pittsburgh if someone just switched out those classic jerseys? :lol:

I'm waiting until April to get my Orange Broncos jersey for next year, I think thats when Nike starts rolling out their version. I think I'll get a custom one again, I love the blue one I have.

[The Glue Factory]

Even though it was already the most badass logo in the history or logos.


Maybe this has someething to do with that?




Pat Bowlen, owner of the Denver Broncos came to us... he said, “I want a horse that looks like it’s going to kick your ass”.

[Dzone]

Cool article. Thanks.
Hope our first year in Orange is just like our first year in blue in 1997.
Super Bowl Baby

[Traveler]

I'm probably in the minority, but I never liked the old uniform and logo. So much so, I never bought one of the old unforms. Partly because I don't like the color orange and partly because they were just ugly IMO.

When they changed the logo and color to the current unifrom, I was ecstactic! It seemed to change the entire view of the franchise. Many folks hated the the new uniforms. Some still do.

I loved them from day one. As Bowlen said, they were kick ass! Spent more money on uniforms for Elway, Shannon, TD, Atwater, Mobley, Alfred Williams, Neal Smith, Rod Smith, and Big Ed than at anytime in 40+ years in support my favorite team.

:banghead:Count me as one who will be sad to see them going back to predominantly orange again.:ahhhhh:

[Skinny]

I'm probably in the minority, but I never liked the old uniform and logo. So much so, I never bought one of the old unforms. Partly because I don't like the color orange and partly because they were just ugly IMO.

When they changed the logo and color to the current unifrom, I was ecstactic! It seemed to change the entire view of the franchise. Many folks hated the the new uniforms. Some still do.

I loved them from day one. As Bowlen said, they were kick ass! Spent more money on uniforms for Elway, Shannon, TD, Atwater, Mobley, Alfred Williams, Neal Smith, Rod Smith, and Big Ed than at anytime in 40+ years in support my favorite team.

:banghead:Count me as one who will be sad to see them going back to predominantly orange again.:ahhhhh:

The old logo is the sole reason i'm a Broncos fan. I thought it was the coolest looking one out of all the teams. It was eye candy to me.

[Tned]

I'm probably in the minority, but I never liked the old uniform and logo. So much so, I never bought one of the old unforms. Partly because I don't like the color orange and partly because they were just ugly IMO.

When they changed the logo and color to the current unifrom, I was ecstactic! It seemed to change the entire view of the franchise. Many folks hated the the new uniforms. Some still do.

I loved them from day one. As Bowlen said, they were kick ass! Spent more money on uniforms for Elway, Shannon, TD, Atwater, Mobley, Alfred Williams, Neal Smith, Rod Smith, and Big Ed than at anytime in 40+ years in support my favorite team.

:banghead:Count me as one who will be sad to see them going back to predominantly orange again.:ahhhhh:

Even though I helped with the petition and stuff, and wore an orange jersey to the KC and Pitt games the last two weeks, I don't particularly like the current orange uniforms. I like the late '80s/early '90s orange a lot, but not the current burn-your-retina orange. I actually think the blue jersey looks better. That said, I am in favor of the move back to orange, because there are too many teams with navy and the stands being full of blue uniforms is not as impressive as a sea of orange. So, from a team support, statement standpoint, I think the orange is better.

How many times has the mayor of Denver called for a Navy Friday?

[Tned]

The old logo is the sole reason i'm a Broncos fan. I thought it was the coolest looking one out of all the teams. It was eye candy to me.

For Christmas, my wife got me a few long sleeved Broncos shirts, one of them was a throwback style, with an old D logo and orange stripes on the sleeve. It's one of the shirts where they made it look weathered, with the logo and stripes 'cracked' a bit. I wore it a couple times last week in Denver, because I love the old logo.

[BroncoJoe]

Cool part of the article:


Fifteen years later it seems appropriate for Tim Tebow to be a Bronco. If there was ever a player that embodied the uncontrollable force in nature, it’s Tebow. He may not be the passer John Elway was, but like Elway he has power and fire in the belly which is what the ghost horse represents.

[Traveler]

The old logo is the sole reason i'm a Broncos fan. I thought it was the coolest looking one out of all the teams. It was eye candy to me.

For lack of a better term, the logo just seemed not "manly" enough for my taste. Similar to the old Buccaneers logo. Now those were some really ugly unis.

[MasterShake]

For Christmas, my wife got me a few long sleeved Broncos shirts, one of them was a throwback style, with an old D logo and orange stripes on the sleeve. It's one of the shirts where they made it look weathered, with the logo and stripes 'cracked' a bit. I wore it a couple times last week in Denver, because I love the old logo.

I love those type of shirts. All my Broncos T-Shirts are vintage logos, I have one from each era.

I remember when the "new" uniforms came out, and I was neutral on the design but its grown on me since. I remember where I worked everyone was flipping out because the "D" was off of the logo and there was rumors the team would be moving.

[BroncoJoe]

I liked the old uniforms, but was never crazy about the logo. The new logo is awesome, and I'm all for going back to the orange uni's.

[Tned]

While I like the old orange, I like both the new and old logos. I have a place in my heart for both. As much as I liked the old D, and still have it on things, I thought it was cartoonish, where the new logo is meaner. That said, it wouldn't break my heart if some day they went back to the old one, because as I said, I like them both.

[Skinny]

For lack of a better term, the logo just seemed not "manly" enough for my taste. Similar to the old Buccaneers logo. No those were some really ugly unis.


Yeah, i get what you're saying. I was 7 years old when i picked us out.

[Skinny]

The new logo is awsome. I don't think we could have done better. It's perfect.

[Shazam!]

Great read and great story, thanks for sharing it.

Im probably one of the few who like the classic Broncos uniforms better. Hopefully one day, our next unis will be a redo/modernization of the classic D logo and colors.

[BroncoJoe]

Like/love both, but really. There's no comparison.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTae5tITm1H4_9qN6PdKQEx7RoI4INew i8xIKW56S5e-JQ2hIoW http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSpsjuWcW3JJMp53AP2Tco6oPkfVVSNU 8dn2aWWAzCgvE5Eg5vpuQ

[Dzone]

Chrome Helmets , with the new orange jerseys

[camdisco24]

wow awesome read. I was pretty young when we switched to the new logo, but there are a few pics of me as a 2 year old with the old D logo. I love the new logo though, I think it looks exactly how Pat Bowlen wanted it to look... like it is going to kick your ass.

[Traveler]

The new logo is kick ass!

I painted both the ghost horse and alternative logo on the wall in my basement. See below:

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/Papi728/Logo2.jpg

[RickBakas]

I really appreciate all the good feedback from Broncos fans about the logo design. I was born and raised in Arvada and grew up a Broncos fan, so it gave me a great deal of pride to work on rebranding the Broncos.

There's so many more sketches and logo explorations that I may post here to share with you all.

Presenting to Pat Bowlen was a memorable experience. He knows his stuff for sure and knew was decisive on what he liked or didn't like.

After I worked on the Broncos logo the next project I worked on was redesigning the Oregon Ducks back in 1998. I have nothing to do with the new uniforms for the Ducks, but I did do the O.

[MasterShake]

I really appreciate all the good feedback from Broncos fans about the logo design. I was born and raised in Arvada and grew up a Broncos fan, so it gave me a great deal of pride to work on rebranding the Broncos.

There's so many more sketches and logo explorations that I may post here to share with you all.

Presenting to Pat Bowlen was a memorable experience. He knows his stuff for sure and knew was decisive on what he liked or didn't like.

After I worked on the Broncos logo the next project I worked on was redesigning the Oregon Ducks back in 1998. I have nothing to do with the new uniforms for the Ducks, but I did do the O.

Man what a cool job to fall into. I do a lot of design work for my job and freelance, but its always dumb crap I don't care about.

[RickBakas]

Man what a cool job to fall into. I do a lot of design work for my job and freelance, but its always dumb crap I don't care about.

It was dumb luck landing that job. I was hired at NIKE by submitting samples of my clothing line I had back then. From 1993-95 I had a skating brand that I did all the designs for. They like the designs and gave me a shot.

The rest is history.

Over the years people have asked for advice and I always use the baseball analogy about keep stepping up the plate. Keep swinging (trying things) knowing sometimes you'll only hit a single or a double. Once in a while if you're in the right place at the right time you might just hit a homerun.
it's a cheesy analogy but it's so true. Even pitchers hit homeruns from time to time which means you will too if you keep trying.

[MasterShake]

It was dumb luck landing that job. I was hired at NIKE by submitting samples of my clothing line I had back then. From 1993-95 I had a skating brand that I did all the designs for. They like the designs and gave me a shot.

The rest is history.

Over the years people have asked for advice and I always use the baseball analogy about keep stepping up the plate. Keep swinging (trying things) knowing sometimes you'll only hit a single or a double. Once in a while if you're in the right place at the right time you might just hit a homerun.
it's a cheesy analogy but it's so true. Even pitchers hit homeruns from time to time which means you will too if you keep trying.

Nah, that sounds too hard. I'm just going to continue living my life believing that things should be handed to me, and then complaining when they aren't. :lol:

[Joel]

That logo, and those uniforms completely changed the football world in terms of uniform design. The side stripe on the jersey and the continuation of the scimitar swipe on the pants are in nearly every design today, to some extent.
I never noticed the new logo/uniforms were introduced for the first Super Bowl season, probably because I didn't pay much attention to Denver until that year (note: PRIOR to the start of the regular season (i.e. when the Broncos were just the team that had homefield through the playoffs but went one and done to a two year old expansion team. ;))) I also didn't know they originated the NFL swoosh (which, incidentally, I still hate; love the blue uniforms though.) The old horse was pretty scary, too, but the new one looks positively vicious, and wild.

[Dapper Dan]

My favorite color is orange. Juss sayin.

[Joel]

My favorite color is orange. Juss sayin.
Mine is blue. For that matter, in HS everyone in my math class had to do a stat survey, and someone did colors: Blue was thrice as popular as anything else. Also, orange makes me think of UT, which I loathe. :tsk:

[Fullback32]

Great article and enjoyed the read.

I love both the old and new logos. The new one is awesome and aggressive. It was a great update. I do enjoy it when the Broncos play in their throwbacks though and wish they'd do it more often, so long as they are not the horrible brown and yellow monstrosities. I do wish we could forget that those ever existed.

There are some teams that I hope do not update their logos or uniforms as they are so iconic now that anything else would just be weird: Dallas, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, San Francisco, Oakland and Miami. Other teams might get away with it, but not those IMO.

Some teams should not have changed. The Vikings just look goofy now and so do the Cards. I remember 49er fans being very upset with the changes and also hear they are glad they brought back the older design. Going retro was good for the Giants and Jets as well.

Other teams like the Broncos, Philly and Tampa Bay changed for the better for sure. I'm looking forward to orange coming back.

[Fullback32]

Also, orange makes me think of UT, which I loathe. :tsk:

Now see, all was well and then you had to say that. All I can say is HOOK 'EM BABY! \m/ At least tell me you are not an Aggie or a Sooner. Goodbye A&M...don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out to the SEC...losers.