OUR SNORTING RAM LOGO USED TO BE JUST A HEAD!
SEE THE STORY OF HOW THE LOGO A GENERATION HAVE GROWN UP WITH WAS DESIGNED
The following is taken THE FIRST ISSUE of the 'Ram' Newspaper programme
a much despised publication by the programme collectors!
It took 250 hours of hard thinking, through more than 40 sketches, to transform the cuddly old Ram mascot of yesterday in to a snorting, head up, horns-aquivering Ram emblem which leads Derby County in to the new season.
Explains director Michael Keeling , who with club secretary Stuart Webb, spearheaded the campaign for a club emblem which projects the 1971 image of an attacking progressive Derby County: "The old Ram was part of the clubs' history. Our problem was how to replace it, and by what?"
The Ram incorporated in the arms of the County Borough of Derby and has been used by the club too, from it's earliest days. They have always been nicknamed the Rams.
"Clearly", Stuart Webb told us, "we had to go to a local firm to see if they could update the Ram figure for us ."
They went to Product Support (Graphics) Ltd , in Slack Lane, whose Commercial Manager Brian Coxon told them : "It's a tough one but we'll tackle it."
The firms creative Manager, Jim Lewis, admits that the creator who worked with him on the new Ram, is a L**ds United fan. "But that only made him more determined to conjure up a little fella who would endear himself to all Rams fanatics around him." In the end after more than 40 tries artist Tony Hoyle produced the emblem you see higher up the page ...the emblem which pleased himself, Jim Lewis, Brian Coxon ,Brian Clough, Mr Keeling, Stuart Webb and the Board of Directors.
Tony Hoyle ,at work above, outlined his problems, "The Ram as an animal is a curved curly and wooly chap ,apart from the two pronged effect of his horns .This cuddly image is opposite to the character of a Ram which is pugnacious and aggressive."
"We decided to use the character for our caricature, rather than project the animal itself. Bit by bit, through those 40 drawings , we changed the Ram in to what we finally produced.
We believe the final product exactly typifies the Derby County of Brian Clough."
We agree , we think you will too!
This article taken from the 'Ram' newspaper issue No1 v Manchester United 14th August 1971
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So there you have the story.
Would you go back to the old Ram?
Do you think we should have a new logo for the new Millenium?
Design one and send it to me in gif format and i'll show them on this page.
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