Team/website motto/logo

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:10 pm

All web sites have a motto after the site name in the header of the browser. I reckon that is a good starting point. Here are my two suggestions:

Free Spirits: Every metre counts.

Free Spirits: Fat or thin, fast or slow...just row.

As for logo I love the cartoon webberg uses (below) - can we get it bigger?

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:56 am

Thomas, I cribbed the picture from the web and adjusted its size in Powerpoint. I have the original that can presumably be scaled up again as it was much bigger. Happy to PM this to you if you need it.

Have you seen the poster ad for the latest CD by Fat Boy Slim?

This has a picture of a fat boy with wings. The name of the album is something like "#1. So why try harder?"I'll try and get a picture and post it on here for comments.

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:03 am

webberg wrote:Have you seen the poster ad for the latest CD by Fat Boy Slim?

This has a picture of a fat boy with wings. The name of the album is something like "#1. So why try harder?"I'll try and get a picture and post it on here for comments.

This is a link to the image on the Amazon.co.uk web site:

Not convinced by the cigar but the belly looks about right some of the free spirits (me included).

jonboorman · Post by **jonboorman** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:00 pm

Eat. Sleep. Row. Repeat.

Stan · Post by **Stan** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:23 pm

jonboorman wrote:Eat. Sleep. Row. Repeat.

I like it

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:04 pm

jonboorman wrote:Eat. Sleep. Row. Repeat.

I like it too - but does it stack up to the Free Spirits ethos?

Hang on, what is our ethos??

Post by **redshell** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:31 pm

I like Jon's suggestion

Shell

PSims · Post by **PSims** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:14 pm

Eat, sleep, row, repeat is on a t-shirt on one of the Mariners profiles - so we shouldn't use that.

I invented "Virtually, the best"

Virtual team - we are top.

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:19 am

PSims wrote:Eat, sleep, row, repeat is on a t-shirt on one of the Mariners profiles - so we shouldn't use that.

I invented "Virtually, the best"

Virtual team - we are top.

Yes, I like that - nice and subtle.

Free Spirits Rowing
<<<beautiful and witty logo>>>
Virtually, the best.

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:40 am

Sweet is Pleasure after Pain - cribbed from a rowing shell ad.

All men are created equal, some are just faster than others - pro mountain bike rider.

"If a man does his best, what else is there?" - Gen Patton

gunslinger_ · Post by **gunslinger_** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:59 am

Yankee suggestions:

"OW!"

"...Because it feels so good when I stop!"

"Not tonight, honey. I'm trying for a PB tomorrow."

"You wouldn't understand, it's a rowing thing."

Now, we need to discuss a team song...

"The Stroke" Billy Squier

Gooner Neil · Post by **Gooner Neil** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:40 pm

Eat
Sleep
Row
Repeat

This is a T shirt designed by the number 2 team Iron Oarsman. If you go into their site under one of the lads entries is a thread which takes you to their shop. Best we don't use that or any others they have.

My wife reckons the above is apt for warring couples Row prounced as in a fight. geddit?

Like Gunslingers 'not tonight dear.....'

I'll happily follow the herd as long as its not cheesy any Rudyard Kipling etc just doesn't do it for me. We could have Ronaldo cheating portuguese b@stard as a topical limited edition?

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 2:31 pm

I like Paul's idea on the logo.

As for a picture I was going along with the spirit as in ephemeral, ghost like, i.e. not physical, i.e. virtual theme.

There is also the figurine on the front of the RR cars which is called the Spirit of Ecstasy which I thought might be included.

My attempts at cutting and pasting pictures of said figure with boats/ghosts/C2's have resulted in nothing publishable.

On a completely offbeat theme though I have a picture of a man in a scull. He is starkers (back to camera) and standing on his head on the seat whilst on the river. Very free and spirited.

Post by **redshell** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:54 pm

Gooner Neil wrote:Eat
Sleep
Row
Repeat

This is a T shirt designed by the number 2 team Iron Oarsman. If you go into their site under one of the lads entries is a thread which takes you to their shop. Best we don't use that or any others they have.

My wife reckons the above is apt for warring couples Row prounced as in a fight. geddit?

Like Gunslingers 'not tonight dear.....'

I'll happily follow the herd as long as its not cheesy any Rudyard Kipling etc just doesn't do it for me. We could have Ronaldo cheating portuguese b@stard as a topical limited edition?

I like 'not tonight' !!!
You leave Ronnie alone...what about that Cheat Henry - let's try for a penalty & succeed! Come on Portugal!

jonboorman · Post by **jonboorman** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:46 pm

Apologies on the 'eat sleep row repeat' suggestion, I have a t-shirt with it on which i got from http://www.cafepress.com, which I thought had no affiliation with any team, but I think you are correct on the iron oarsmen thing, although they don't officially have a motto or anything... which brings me to the question that no-one seems to be asking so i'll do it - why do we suddenly feel the need for a logo or motto/slogan?

Having got to No.1 why are we now trying to embrace the corporate model of others? I thought the very reason we started this whole thing was to be free of all the politics, rules and bureaucracy that comes with corporate branding. Exclusivity by definition excludes people.

In my view as soon as you start having logos/mottos/slogans etc you are creating an identity or brand which inevitably will not appeal to some of our members, at some point someone will feel alienated, offended or simply not identify with what you are portraying. Think about when you write a CV (resume), the more you put under hobbies/interests the more you give someone a potential reason to not like you or to have a bias against you. It is very hard with such a diverse global team to come up with anything that will be interpreted and viewed in the same way in every country - except it seems simply being 'Free Spirits'. I think the fact that we have no identity and wish to be 'free' of such things is precisely our appeal and why we have probably the most diverse collection of people of any team in the world.

None of this is meant as criticism of our efforts so far in this regard, I think the website is an excellent innovation and everyone is to be congratulated on the astounding continued success of the team, I simply thought I should broach the subject before we get too far down a road we never intended to travel when we formed this team.

I would suggest that if we do have a logo it should be something universally understood without any ambiguous connotations, something ethereal without being too spiritual that it might appear religious (i think the rolls-royce style 'spirit of ecstasy' figurine is the best idea so far) and a motto/slogan other than 'Free Spirits' may not even be necessary.

Sincerely,
Jon

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:06 pm

I hear what you are saying.

The idea of a motto was just to have something other than "Free Spirits Rowing" on the home page.

And the logo comes from the same idea, though it might look nice on a T-shirt

I don't want to get in to deep philosophical arguments about what we stand for really. I just want to beat Gregor (hanging in there).

Maybe it should be "BeatGregorRowing.com"

Gregor Andrews · Post by **Gregor Andrews** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:32 pm

thomaswp wrote: Maybe it should be "BeatGregorRowing.com"

I'm just dreading when I have to go offshore for a month on a boat without a concept2 rower.

Gooner Neil · Post by **Gooner Neil** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:45 pm

I hear what John is saying and when we DO bring out the limited edition twin texture dri fit T shirt with Ronaldo crying on it with a little swoosh under our team name then yes we could quite rightly be accused of becoming all that we fear. (sorry Michelle but THs was a pen Allez les bleus!) May be because I don't get out much I have a great sense of pride in the collective strength and dtermination of THE team. And maybe wrongly I want to show that off. But John has a valid point.

We are a truly international multi lingual team. To truly represent all will be difficult. However I don't feel or sense there will be a facism to make everyone sign up or purchase the brand.

Thomas has already created one poll, and I know we are never going to gain full approval but any design could be discussed and voted on.

If a design is agreed then individuals can use this individually or in a group how they see fit. Self regulation and wise words from posters on this site will I think stop us from coming arrogant.

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:25 pm

Gregor T Andrews wrote:I'm just dreading when I have to go offshore for a month on a boat without a concept2 rower.

I don't mind if you want to discount metres I row whilst you are off-shore (assuming your ship has no ergo). It sems unfair for me to get a free run at you! We could keep some sort of adjusted race going in the forum somewhere.

Mind you, if you are 30k ahead when the ship sails I may have other ideas!

Gregor Andrews · Post by **Gregor Andrews** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:38 pm

thomaswp wrote:
Gregor T Andrews wrote:I'm just dreading when I have to go offshore for a month on a boat without a concept2 rower.
I don't mind if you want to discount metres I row whilst you are off-shore (assuming your ship has no ergo). It sems unfair for me to get a free run at you! We could keep some sort of adjusted race going in the forum somewhere.

Mind you, if you are 30k ahead when the ship sails I may have other ideas!

No, not at all. I have a lot of time off with my job (over 200 days off a year) so I should be rowing more than someone who as to go to work during days when I am here.

I still managed 800,000m last season so as long as I beat that I'll be happy, although I am looking to do 1,000,000m a season. (Said in my imaginary Lord Wombat voice)

jlemon · Post by **jlemon** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:07 am

Just curious, if the ship does have a concept2 rower aboard, are the meters rowed counted as 'on' or 'off' water meters?

gunslinger_ · Post by **gunslinger_** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:04 pm

As with any organization, there are going to be particulars that each individual may not agree with. The benefit of the whole outweighs the little irks. That being said...
The generic shirt/logo could just have <stylized> "Free Spirits Rowing" "Virtual Rowing Team" (love the idea of the photo from behind: rower wearing a picture of a rower wearing a picture....)
And list the countries of the participants.

The only thing we all have in common is that we row, and enjoy the motivation of our Free Spirit peers. Let's keep it simple.

PSims · Post by **PSims** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:06 pm

Had another idea. As we have people from all over the world, how about a globe for a logo, with a spirit (ghost) gliding around the edge. We are free to join from anywhere after all.

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:41 pm

Gregor T Andrews wrote:I have a lot of time off with my job (over 200 days off a year) so I should be rowing more than someone who as to go to work during days when I am here.

This is the quietest time of year for me, but even as a teacher I do not get 200 days off a year! I have been able to spend all the time on this at the moment because all the exam classes are out, the baby is getting older and more predictable... I will be interested to see whether I can keep the metres going in the long winter term with full timetable and mountains of marking

I guess where there is a will there is a way.

Oh well, year ten are lining up outside my door. Better warm up the Van de Graaff!

Gregor Andrews · Post by **Gregor Andrews** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:15 pm

PSims wrote:Had another idea. As we have people from all over the world, how about a globe for a logo, with a spirit (ghost) gliding around the edge. We are free to join from anywhere after all.

I like that idea.

I don't like the idea of listing the countries where everyone is from - it's just asking for trouble as new folk join all the time (and existing members might leave).

Team/website motto/logo

Team/website motto/logo

Free Spirits logo

Re: Free Spirits logo

Motto

Re: Motto

Re: Motto

Slogan

Re: Slogan

Logo suggestions

A vote for Mr Sims

Logo

Re: Logo