They tell you logo's are a symbol of 'what you are' ... but what happens when 'what you are' is ever evolving, diverse and literally set between two worlds? We may not have the answer, nor did we manage to fit everything in... but with the help of Jono from Smokey Lemon Design, we got pretty close. Scroll down for full the story!
This November, Project Reef South Taranaki (PRST) celebrated it's five year anniversary. Having run media for the project since it began in Nov 2015, I've observed first hand how this project's grown from a Facebook page with ten followers, to fifteen hundred. I like to believe that this growing interest stems from the way PRST communicates the amazing life on a rocky reef (11km offshore, 23m deep), within the community, in a variety of ways. Over this five year growth period, our team has wished for a logo... but it was always on the 'to do list.' And by 'logo' I mean a proper logo - not the one I made age seventeen when this Project began (the one where due to my lack of design skills, meant that every time my teammates presented they'd finish up sweating profusely down their backs due to a rather large, non-breathable square plastered on their backs!). Sweaty teammates aside, it'd always been my goal to have PRST represented by an image or graphic, similar to institutes who's ocean-esque logos I admired so much. Logo's like Pacific Whale Foundation, NIWA or Restore Taranaki.
This November, Project Reef South Taranaki (PRST) celebrated it's five year anniversary. Having run media for the project since it's creation, I've observed first hand how this project's grown from a Facebook page with ten followers, to fifteen hundred. I like to believe that this growing interest stems from the way PRST communicates the amazing life on a rocky reef (11km offshore, 23m deep), within the community, in a variety of ways. Over this five year growth period, our team has wanted wished for a logo. But it was always on the 'to do list.' And by 'logo' I mean a proper logo... not the one I made age seventeen when this Project began... the one where due to my lack of design skills, meant that every time my teammates presented they'd finish up sweating profusely down their backs due to a rather large, non-breathable square plastered on their backs! Sweaty teammates aside, it'd always been by goal to have PRST represented by an image or graphic, similar to institutes who's ocean-esque logos I admired so much. Logo's like Pacific Whale Foundation, NIWA or Restore Taranaki.
INSERT IMAGE OF OLD SHIRTS Over the years, during team-meetings we'd often sketch down thoughts... a SCUBA tank here... the South Taranaki Bight (birds eye view) there... but we never 'locked down' something we were happy with. To be fair, if you know our Co-Project lead Karen (also my mum), you'll know she's passionate about every aspect of the Project Reef she can get her hands on! Hence, condensing it all clear design which was still 'what we are,' was challenging to say the least...
You may think I'm exaggerating, but go take a look in Dad's "meat fridge," which has been taken over by Blue Cod heads (yup, just their heads) for students Otolith dissections. Or perhaps try heading out to our back porch for a sunbathe only to fight for space amongst the growing species of drying sponge and algae.
Blue Cod otolith dissections. (Hawera High School, 2019).
How does this anecdote relate to your new logo you ask? Let's find out! In X this year, I got in touch with Jono from Smokey Lemon, aware that the project was soon to turn five. We needed to get serious about this logo business! I sent Jono a layout of the project, and explained the struggle we had in 'representing it all.' Jono provided us with forms for each team member where we could collate our thoughts. Over the next few months (and a series of refinements later), we arrived where we are today. With a logo that represents some of the most important aspects of Project Reef ( which in case you hadn't guessed, includes Blue Cod & sponges! ).
1). THE SCUBA TANKS
Project Reef South Taranaki runs through the South Taranaki Underwater Club. Voluntary SCUBA divers are key, not only to accessing the reef, but in documenting it for our growing community. I don't know how many times our team have had to inform people that their wish to swim out and snorkel the Project Reef would be something of an impossibility at 11km offshore and 23m depth. Hence, you can spot two SCUBA tanks positioned on each side of our logo. 2). BLUE COD
3). SPONGES
4). SCARLET WRASSE
5). ALGAE
6). IT'S NOT DEEP OFFSHORE 8). PROJECT REEF SOUTH TARANAKI - THAT'S US
And that's a wrap on our new logo! Nga mihi Jono for all your hard mahi. We appreciate the time and energy spent in helping us navigate and synthesise Project Reef into a new (and breathable) logo! And perhaps, on a final note, another thank you to everyone who's helped us get to five years... What journey it's been so far. I can't wait to see where the next five years takes us!INSERT IMAGE OF OLD SHIRTS Over the years, during team-meetings we'd often sketch down thoughts... a SCUBA tank here... the South Taranaki Bight (birds eye view) there... but we never 'locked down' something we were happy with. To be fair, if you know our Co-Project lead Karen (also my mum), you'll know she's passionate about every aspect of the Project Reef she can get her hands on! Hence, condensing it all clear design which was still 'what we are,' was challenging to say the least...
You may think I'm exaggerating, but go take a look in Dad's "meat fridge," which has been taken over by Blue Cod heads (yup, just their heads) for students Otolith dissections. Or perhaps try heading out to our back porch for a sunbathe only to fight for space amongst the growing species of drying sponge and algae. How does this anecdote relate to your new logo you ask? Let's find out! In X this year, I got in touch with Jono from Smokey Lemon, aware that the project was soon to turn five. We needed to get serious about this logo business! I sent Jono a layout of the project, and explained the struggle we had in 'representing it all.' Jono provided us with forms for each team member where we could collate our thoughts. Over the next few months (and a series of refinements later), we arrived where we are today. With a logo that represents some of the most important aspects of Project Reef ( which in case you hadn't guessed, includes Blue Cod & sponges! ).
1). THE SCUBA TANKS Project Reef South Taranaki runs through the South Taranaki Underwater Club. Voluntary SCUBA divers are key, not only to accessing the reef, but in documenting it for our growing community. I don't know how many times our team have had to inform people that their wish to swim out and snorkel the Project Reef would be something of an impossibility at 11km offshore and 23m depth. Hence, you can spot two SCUBA tanks positioned on each side of our logo. 2). BLUE COD. 3). SPONGES. 4). SCARLET WRASSE. 5). ALGAE. 6). IT'S NOT DEEP OFFSHORE. 8). PROJECT REEF SOUTH TARANAKI - THAT'S US And that's a wrap on our new logo! Nga mihi Jono for all your hard mahi. We appreciate the time and energy spent in helping us navigate and synthesise Project Reef into a new (and breathable) logo! And perhaps, on a final note, another thank you to everyone who's helped us get to five years... What journey it's been so far. I can't wait to see where the next five years takes us! -R
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