Naval History and Heritage Command’s new logo. (Navy image)
When Naval History and Heritage Command ran a contest last year asking sailors and civilians alike to submit ideas for a new logo, command officials were careful to make clear that the winning logo wouldn’t actually be the NHHC logo, but it would influence the final design.
The contest winner’s design focused heavily on the frigate Constitution, with a compass rose in the background. The runner-up’s work involved a quill, symbolizing how the sea service recorded its important information in the days before multiple databases, dozens of logins and passwords, and the occasional moth.
So it should come as no surprise that the final logo, right, ended up looking the way it did: Old Ironsides atop a quill, with compass roses spicing up the outer ring.
A news release put out before the official unveiling Thursday afternoon outlined further symbolism: “The circular, infinite, rope border reflects how the Navy’s actions and decisions today will be judged alongside those of the past,” for example.
NHHC’s old logo. (Navy image)
“Together the elements of the logo capture NHHC’s mission – to reinforce naval history’s relevance to its leadership, the American public and sailors, past and present,” Capt. Jerry Hendrix, head of NHHC, said in the release. He was to unveil the logo officially at an all-hands call, but it’s already live and in living color on the Navy’s website.
What’s your verdict? Leave critiques in the comments below — the old logo is at right, for comparison purposes.
3 Comments
Looks like a few folks earned a new FITREP bullet. What ELSE is NHHC up to? Listening from the fleet, I hear crickets…
Keep the old logo. I’ve always loved the old Heritage recuting poster.
The previous logo looked like it was designed as part of an advertising campaign. And it was. The new design looks fresh 21st Century style but conforms to traditional heraldic features as well. Really think the use of the quill pen as a bow wave is a nice creative touch. Kudos for a professional graphic-design look and not an amateur artist sketch.