The ZehnKatzen Times: [logo design] The Look Of KGW Channel 8 In 1995ish

20 June 2010

[logo design] The Look Of KGW Channel 8 In 1995ish

2454.

Alert reader Casey Buck (thanks!) pointed out a logo treatment that KGW TV used in about 1995, and didn't stay around too long apparently. Either that, or I just wasn't watching much KGW TV at the time.

Portland's Channel 8 has had probably (as memory serves) more logo looks than any other Portland television station. In 1995ish, they settled on the approach of "Northwest Newschannel 8", whose signature look stablized in 1995-6, beginning with this arrangement by designer John Christopher Burns (who accomplished the visually-enjoyable "KOIN Local 6" rebrand approach last year):

PDX designer Jeff Patterson refined this look later on into an identity that stood for more than a decade, as memory serves:

Before that, there was a new look at KGW every few years or so. I remember 70s-licious and the big burly 8 that looks like it was carved into the side of a block.

But this look (following) didn't stay around very long. With my logo obsession, I'm sure I'd of remembered this one:

Good points: Nice colors, appropriate to our cool green NW; cute pointer in the upper right, pointing to cardinal NW: the eyeflow gets guided through "Northwest" to "NewsChannel", down through the 8 and arriving at last at the call letters. Aside from the 8, there's nothing but straight lines and 45-degree angles - notice that green (I'm assuming) mountain peak behind the 8.

Bad points: overall, it's kind of cold and way formal. JCB's NewsChannel logo mixed up the fonts, but not too much, and had a big of whimsy in the triangles - and the dash of warm colors is just enough. Jeff Patterson's design sleeked it up and kept the warm splash in and added a bit of dynamism by obliquing the whole deal.

The general pattern started by JCB and refined by Jeff Patterson is obviously a winner: the current now-KGW NewsChannel 8 logo is further refinement of Jeff Patterson's take. But this poor forlorn in-one-door-out-the-other look must be regarded, I think, as a noble failure. It is polished and accomplished, but looks like a logo that belongs in a smaller market than PDX.

And, for your logo design viewing, here are two links to YouTube videos: PDXers, be ready for a blast from the past with Kathy Smith, Bill Lagattuta (probably blew the spelling on that one), and ... Guistan Dart?

Thankfully the "overly-memorable name" trend in news anchors has apparently passed.

Oh, yes, the videos: