Giving back to our community by helping a new local high school in West Salem with their quest for an identity.
Back in 2001, we offered our services to the Salem-Keizer School District when we heard that a new high school was being built in West Salem. It was a gesture of goodwill, community pride, and the obvious fact that it would be awesome to see our design plastered all over Salem.
District officials, committees, and the usual suspects pondered over what the school’s mascot should be. Many names floated about, but the one that rose to the top was the Titans. Very fitting for an area known to be the home to Vikings, Saxons, Celtics, Olympians, Royal Scots, Crusaders, Cavaliers, and Pioneers. Selecting a name was the key element that allowed us to begin creating an indelible image for West Salem High School.
We began the design process as we do with most logo projects… by meeting to discuss what they were envisioning. There was plenty of input from student focus groups, committees, and other interested parties. Colors were nailed down from the start… green, black, and silver. Ideas about the logo itself were varied, but most leaned toward the likeness of a warrior and a lightning bolt.
All of that brainstorming gave us the direction we needed to create and present several logo samples. One particular logo was an immediate hit. With a few tweaks to the headpiece and some adjusting of typestyles, we finalized the logo and sent our baby (see below) out into the world of sporting events and fan paraphernalia.
We not only designed the mascot logo but were given the opportunity to create West Salem’s coat of arms which is being used for the academic side of school functions.
While we didn’t have any control over how the logo would ultimately be used, other than a few design suggestions leading up to its release, the creativity in its use over the last seven years at West Salem has been fun to see.
We couldn’t be happier being able to help the West Salem Titans create their identity and bring a community together with unyielding pride. Go, Titans!
Below are photos showing a few of the many ways our logo has been used by West Salem High School…
Photos by Joe Gottsch
“To succeed… you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.”
— Tony Dorsett