They say that less is more, and there's a lot you can do with empty space if you're working with a well-known logo or brand image on custom made signs. The Boston Celtics are about to find out if this approach will work for one of their own logos, and since it's one that has been around for more than forty years, this may set a high standard that this new marketing campaign has to meet, with many fans familiar with the previous style.
A press release from the NBA team details some of the thought that went into changing the iconic image of a winking, pipe-smoking, basketball-twirling leprechaun leaning on a walking stick. This image dates back to a design created in the 1960's and the new one follows the exact same design, except instead of the image we see an outline of this figure.
While this might confuse people who have never seen the original picture, longtime fans of the Celtics will likely know instantly what the image is referring to, and those who don't might pick up some clues from the similar "shamrock shadow" logo.
This is the justification that the Celtics' Keith Sliney gave in a Boston Globe article on this recent change.
"We think of it more as extending the Celtics brand," he said. "Our existing logos are not changing. This alternate is an additional emblem for us to use on everything from print to web to fabric. It's very flexible."
The custom logo decals that your company makes after such a new campaign is introduced should follow this kind of pattern and be easy to connect to a major rebranding.