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October 12, 2007
When Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani decided the 95-year-old agency would set out to be the “cleanest, greenest, most energy efficient” port in the nation, he understood the sweeping changes this goal would create, and its ability to energize the organization.
“There is nothing more powerful than a clear and definitive goal…that each and every member of your organization can embrace and contribute to,” he said. He wanted that goal be center stage in a new brand identity, which would include a new logo design.
The Port has had four logos since its inception (see sidebar). By their very nature, logos are tricky things. They may not even include words, but they can say more about an organization – a public agency or a private company – than a whole book can tell.
The best of them work on an emotional, rather than intellectual level. They represent not just the organization, but the relationship between the organization and its customers, constituents and stakeholders.
That’s a lot of pressure to place on a little symbol or some stylized lettering. And the temptation to poke fun can be hard to resist – even for insiders. For example, a Port of Seattle employee newsletter article about a new logo introduced in 1971 quipped:
“It is hoped you will not have any difficulty in adjusting to your new identity. Should you suffer psychologically during this transition from yesterday’s established traditions into tomorrow’s fearful unknown, just remember that this new design is supposed to stimulate you to greater enthusiasm in your job, increased pride in yourself, hope for mankind, onward and upward, Vive le Port!”
Therefore, with a full understanding of the opportunities for both transcendence and travail new logos bring, the Port of Seattle introduces this:
The three bars of the logo suggest air, land and sea – the three realms where the Port operates – with green running through the center. They also represent the three parts of sustainability: economic development, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.
Yoshitani intends the logo to demonstrate to the community the Port’s commitment to sustainability, and also inspire Port employees to incorporate sustainable practices in everything they do.
The new logo is likely to spur discussion. Port archives reveal lively debates about past attempts to introduce new logos. One proposed design, inspired by Northwest Native artwork, showed an orca with what was variously described as a dot upon or a hole through its dorsal fin. There were impassioned pleas to retain a logo referred to as the “globe script.” Still other memos pointed out the challenges associated with using a single design for a wide range of applications including letterhead, ads and printed materials, signs and even promotional giveaways such as neckties, key chains, cigarette lighters, playing cards and tumblers.
And of course other agencies endure similar controversy. When the Washington State Department of Natural Resources unveiled its logo in 1985, the Seattle Times derided the design in an editorial, calling it “both unnatural and unresourceful.” The furor, if ever it existed, seems to have died down.
Initially, some will embrace the Port of Seattle’s new logo and what it represents, others will balk. In the end, the logo won’t determine the Port’s image. Rather, the logo will reflect the identity that Port employees, commissioners and the community create as they work together to define the Port’s future.
