BY Armin

The 20-Year-Old Hornet

The New Orleans Hornets — celebrating its 20 years in the NBA, shared with the recently nip-tucked Timberwolves — have updated the logo that has basically remained the same since 1989. It even survived the move from Charlotte to New Orleans for the 2002–2003 season. Could we be experiencing a new trend? Of designers, marketers and team owners recognizing equity where there is some? Instead of swatting away known icons for the sake of change? Anyway, there is really not much information about this logo, other than this post, so like the Timberwolves logo, it’s nice to just look at a before and after and dig on the evolution. The old hornet was rather campy with its Mickey Mouse gloves, perplexed expression and funky shows, while the new one is smirkily confident, has better kicks and lost the gloves. The drawing of the basketball is much better too. The typography remains as funky as the old one, it’s neither good nor bad, it just seems to revel in oddity and awkwardness. A nice update all around.

The big logo below looks like it was taken from a Flash animation, which usually mangles vector artwork and would explain the squiggly lines. I really doubt the actual logo would be like that. So I would suggest not railing on the vector work.

Thanks to Jon B. Bradie for the tip.

\n\nThe New Orleans Hornets — celebrating its 20 years in the NBA, shared with the recently nip-tucked Timberwolves — have updated the logo that has basically remained the same since 1989. It even survived the move from Charlotte to New Orleans for the 2002–2003 season. Could we be experiencing a new trend? Of designers, marketers and team owners recognizing equity where there is some? Instead of swatting away known icons for the sake of change? Anyway, there is really not much information about this logo, other than this post, so like the Timberwolves logo, it's nice to just look at a before and after and dig on the evolution. The old hornet was rather campy with its Mickey Mouse gloves, perplexed expression and funky shows, while the new one is smirkily confident, has better kicks and lost the gloves. The drawing of the basketball is much better too. The typography remains as funky as the old one, it's neither good nor bad, it just seems to revel in oddity and awkwardness. A nice update all around.

Many thanks to our ADV @ UnderConsideration Partners