ALASKA
GOLDPANNERS
LAST BATS ON THE LAST FRONTIER.
Goldpanners baseball club dates back to its inaugural season in 1960. Over the years, the independent semi-pro summer collegiate team that makes their home on The Last Frontier has been a launching pad for the careers of numerous future MLB stars including Barry Bonds, Dave Winfield, Tom Seaver, and Bill "Spaceman" Lee. Dig into the team's archives and these are only a few of the most recognizable names you'll discover having occupied a roster spot within this legendary organization, which is also known for hosting the world-famous Midnight Sun Game each summer in Fairbanks, Alaska (an event which reached such popularity that it was co-presented by Major League Baseball in 2018).
And so, upon conducting research for, and conceiving of an Alaska Goldpanners visual brand identity update - it became immediately evident that the primary objective would be to create a system that, while conveying a freshened look and feel, still preserves the steely character, integrity, and history of the Goldpanners brand:
Gritty, yet playful. Contemporary, yet timeless. Evolutionary, yet iconic.
Drawing on franchise-tested themes of hard-fought victory, and old-west opulence, the updated brand identity system ties the club's legacy to its future with a modernized, yet emphatically nostalgic æsthetic that is equal parts ballplaying, and goldpanning - while being proudly Alaskan.
THE GOLD-TOOTHED GRIN OF VICTORY.
The objective of the “Happy Boy” mascot design is to tie together two ostensibly unrelated things - goldpanning and ballplaying - as tightly as possible using commonalities that can be found between the two which cleverly depict a fantasy scenario in which panning for gold and playing baseball actually do relate in such a practical sense that it can be conveyed visually to such an articulate degree, using only a single graphic and no words, that no meaning could be interpreted other than the intended one - GOLDPANNER BASEBALL - and, to do this in a way that is original, iconic, and marketable.
The primary commonality immediately identifiable between playing ball and panning for gold, is the chase of victory, and the joy, or eureka moment, that success elicits.
Supporting commonalities which allow for a compelling “Happy Boy Mascot” are wardrobe elements that are specific enough to be characteristic of a ballplayer or a goldpanner, but general enough that they allow for some fun cross-over, such as an old sourdough hat with a baseball logo on it, and a pair of baseball spikes that could just as easily pass for backcountry hiking boots.
Most fortuitous, is the perfectly recognizable actions of panning for gold, and fielding a batted ball on the run; a commonality that is compounded (thanks to Major League Baseball’s Rawlings Gold Glove Award) by the target demographic’s pre-existing awareness that excellence in fielding batted balls is synonymous with gold.
CENTER-PIECE “A”.
While digging into the history of the Alaska Goldpanners branding and uniform design, an element that stands out is this extremely fascinating letter “A” which appears in some of the retro uniforms. It is so unique in character, and carries so much personality that it would be critical to retain this piece of the brand in order to truly honor its history in a rebranding effort.
For all its odd beauty, the original “A” also lacks the discipline of the rebrand vision, so it would need to be rethought and redesigned without compromising its iconic essence.
While it gets no stand-alone spotlight in this identity system, the redesigned “A” is the center-piece around which the rest of the identity has been designed. Throughout this brand identity system, the “Center-piece A” appears recurrently, reshaped to fit its environment, while never losing its recognizability, and should be considered a mark in its own right.
Additionally, the “Block” typeface and number set used throughout the system is built around the “A”.
49-STAR CREST
CLUB CREST
FRONTIER CREST
The “49-Star Crest” is a ball club staple that incorporates use of the club’s iconic original “49-Star Logo”, encircled by custom “Alaska Goldpanners” block lettering to create a mark that pays respect to the brand’s lineage, while presenting a clean and bold, updated look.
DESIGN SPECIFICS
• Custom “Block” lettering ft. “Center-piece A”
• Original “49-Star Mark”
The “Club Crest” is a classic retro-inspired ball club emblem that communicates the complete brand message of the Alaska Goldpanners baseball organization.
DESIGN SPECIFICS
• Custom “Block” lettering ft. “Center-piece A”
• 8 stars representing the 8 stars of the Alaska flag
• Seams of a baseball representing the game of baseball
The “Frontier Crest” is reminiscent of traditional labor union crest æsthetic, while capturing a modern sports vibe, and reflecting the steely heritage which the Goldpanner brand pays tribute to.
DESIGN SPECIFICS
• “Throwback Name Mark” ft. “Center-piece A”
• Original “49 Mark”, surrounded by 8 stars of Alaska’s flag.
• “1960” lettering, signifying the club’s inaugural season
• Seams of a baseball in reference to the game of baseball
• Jagged mountain range representing Alaska.
OLD WEST OPULENCE.
Looking back through the Alaska Goldpanners uniform lineage, there is a conspicuous absence of jersey marks featuring the team’s nickname, Goldpanners. Speculating that at 11 characters, the name had previously been considered too long to fit across the front of a jersey, the objective of this mark became to produce a primary nickname mark that would work for jersey usage.
Having already established that the “Center-piece A” mark would run throughout the entire brand identity to tie assets together, there was an excellent opportunity with the word Goldpanners to feature the “Center-piece A” mark dead center of the word and give the mark a real proprietary presence.
Featuring the club’s “Center-piece A”, the Primary Name Mark gives the “Goldpanners” nickname the spotlight with a brand mark that is old-west, yet timeless in style, and instantly recognizable.
With two highlight variations that double down on the gold rush theme, the mark is given a striking and opulent treatment that reflects the character and personality of the ball club and its origin.
HOME STATE ADVANTAGE.
The Alaska “State Mark” takes the new block throwback lettering and gives it some motion and movement, creating a state insignia that is bold, recognizable, and fast as all get-out.
With strong state representation providing the backbone of the Alaska Goldpanners brand, the “State Mark” is a versatile asset with utility as a road jersey mark, alternate jersey mark, and even alternate club mark.
