Solutions Current Issues > January/February/March 2007 > BEHIND THE SCENES
Email LinkOur New Logo
As you may have already noticed, we at RL Hudson have changed our company logo. We hope you like it! We didn't do this without a great deal of thought, however, and we’d like to take just a moment to step you through the development process for the new-look logo.
The obvious question is, “What made us decide to change?” The primary reason was to find a more universally useful design. Our previous logo – the maroon medallion we’ve been using since 1999 – was great, but several factors limited its broad use on parts, boxes, and in advertising. As a result, we had several goals in mind while thinking about a new logo. We wanted a clean, contemporary look. We wanted something with a strong, progressive feel. We wanted something that would reproduce well in a variety of print applications. And we wanted something flexible enough to be adapted for future needs.
With these goals in mind, we proceeded through several development stages. First, a number of revised looks were developed in-house. These concepts were then submitted to a branding expert, Kerry Walsh (see sidebar), for evaluation. Kerry reviewed the concepts and made suggestions for further improvement and streamlining. These streamlined concepts were then presented to Hudson management for approval and logo selection. And – voila! – our new logo is now debuting.
As Kerry sees it, developing a new logo is all about gaining a new perspective. “We’re always telling a story or developing a name or asking someone to look at something in a way that they haven’t before,” he says. “The new logo’s typography speaks to the simplicity and directness of working with RL Hudson even as it highlights the ‘H’ and the word ‘Hudson.’ Overall, the new logo is meant to visually represent the far-reaching global markets, and the excitement and enthusiasm the company brings to the table.”
EXPERT ADVICE When we at RL Hudson decided
to begin the process of developing a new company logo, we knew that we
had better seek some expert advice. We didn’t
have to look very far. Tulsa’s own Kerry Walsh has 
more than 35
years of experience in communications design. As president of Walsh Associates,
Inc., Kerry leads a branding firm specializing in corporate identity development,
brand positioning, and environmental signage and graphics. He and his
colleagues believe in design driven communication solutions that demand
attention and solve problems in clear and simple ways, solutions that
communicate by cutting through the maze of competing visual information.
The firm’s work has been recognized by Print magazine; Communication Arts magazine; the Type Directors Club of New York; the Art Directors Clubs of New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Kansas City, and Tulsa; the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC); and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Kerry was one of fifty U.S. graphic designers invited to participate in the book series "World Graphic Design", published by the respected Japanese firm, Kodansha, Ltd.
Walsh Associates' clients are comprised of national corporations located in the Midwestern region of the United States and represent the manufacturing, utilities, service, food and telecommunications industries.
Walsh Associates' recent and current projects include design of environmental graphics and signage for QuickTrip Corporation's new corporate campus in Tulsa; identity development, retail design and signage for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art; identity graphics and retail packaging for Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi; and national brand positioning campaign for CFI Transportation in Joplin, Missouri. Additional information on Walsh Associates can be found at WalshAssoc.com
