New Sandusky seal designs pay homage to old logo

SANDUSKY — Here's the deal on Sandusky's new seal:Two mockups pay homage to the current logo — and neither one looks anything like a rejected image detested by most community members.Best of all: Stakeholders want locals to pick which one should go on letterhead, documents, business cards, signs and other important city visuals.After receiving citywide backlash on a proposed logo change earlier this year, officials knew not to stray too far from how Sandusky's seal appears today. The rejected seal prominently featured abstract concepts, such as zigzagging lines forming Sandusky's Masonic street grid, which confused many people.Since the spring, lead designer Kyle Roth, who created the drawing renounced by most people, produced two new images. He developed both drawings based upon public input, or outrage, he received in recent weeks.Roth didn't receive a single cent for conceiving a pair of new seals. He did previously obtain $6,000 in city funds to, among other tasks, create a city logo.Among the proposed images:• Seal No. 1: A remastered version of the exact same insignia. Every element from the current design carried over into a more modern and digital friendly graphic.• Seal No. 2: An altered image incorporates some of Sandusky's most prominent features into the design, such as a roller coaster and a church steeple. A supersize Boy with the Boot silhouette, removed in the rejected sketch, now dominates the backdrop. In order to simplify and clean up the seal, several elements didn't make the cut, including a ferry terminal, a fish, the Erie County Courthouse and a rope encircling the seal."There was a lot of negative feedback about making a big change to the seal," Roth said. "We listened to that feedback and felt it was important to address the concerns by incorporating some of the iconic elements from the current seal while also tying into the bicentennial branding fonts and colors to give it a more updated look."Officials want a new seal to commemorate the city's bicentennial celebration in 2018.Part of this process, named after Sandusky's upcoming 200-year anniversary, offers short- and long-term goals to improve the city.The city is, however, keeping the rejected seal to help brand the bicentennial vision."I believe, with the updated seal, the bicentennial branding and the proposed wayfinding signage, we are starting to see how this complete package helps to create the identity of our city," Roth said. People powerFrom July 4-10, community members can weigh in and decide which of the two logos they want.Whichever seal receives more votes will be the one for Sandusky going forward.You can vote several different ways:• July 4: Visit the ADA booth during the Fourth of July Stars and Stripes Celebration in downtown Sandusky.• July 5-8: Stop by the city manager's office on the second floor of City Hall, 222 Meigs St., during traditional business hours.• July 4-10: Participate in a poll on the Register's Twitter account, which will be featured atop the page.• July 4-10: Comment underneath a posting on the Register's Facebook account for this particular story, which will be featured atop the page. Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOurielSandusky officials want community members to decide which of these two seals becomes the city's next logo. On the left is a remastered version of the exact same insignia. On the right is a new image incorporating some of Sandusky's most prominent icons and removing some "busy" elements not native to the city. People can vote from July 4-10.