Project Objection

Time for another passion project! This one is very weird! I wanted to do something I don’t currently see in the market. An idea so out there that some may even wonder if it would sell. Yes, it would if done a certain way. You see, it’s all about the audience you’re selling to; what are their needs? Then find out how you can be the solution to their needs and stand out at the same time. You don’t want to do what everyone else is doing. People respect authenticity so much that they would buy it. Think about bands like Metallica. Most people aren’t into metal, yet Metallica is very well known far beyond the metal community. People who don’t listen to metal know them. Because they’re that good! And they paved the way for other metal bands. It’s sad some people accuse them of being mainstream. 

With that being said, Black Eclipse Amusement Park is an indoor, affordable theme park located in Portland, Oregon. It has a gothic theme and is directed towards a more general audience. This is the first project I’ve done that didn’t have a specific audience! I wanted to show it’s possible to market to this kind of client while having a specific theme. How many times have we seen companies rebranded into a very basic brand to fit the general audience? (Think PlutoTv and Tubi) Didn’t you wish they kept their fun logos and colors? I want to prove it’s possible to reach the general audience with a theme that they know of, even if the theme isn’t something they like. Think of famous WWE wrestlers. (I’m using them as an example because they target the general folks) Most people aren’t into goth and other alternative subcultures yet The Undertaker and Ultimate Warrior are well known. As long as it’s something they can put a name on it, it will reach them. When Becky Lynch had a steampunk gimmick, most people didn't make much of it because they were unfamiliar with that. Once she changed into “The Man”, her fan base grew tremendously! 

Okay that was an entrance! Black Eclipse offers a convenient experience. Most amusement parks aren’t in the city so those who have to enjoy it need to drive hours to a rural area. You also don’t have to break the bank like you do with Six Flags. Just have fun in your black and white striped leggings!

 I chose the name Black Eclipse because I wanted to choose something that wasn't scary and was familiar. I didn't want to reinforce the stereotype that goth is linked to Satanism. I personally feel that adding horror to the theme will perpetuate that so I choose something that goes with it and is familiar, like an eclipse. Everyone always gets excited when they hear there's one coming. I also added black in front of it because I want the color to be strongly associated with the brand. When people think gothic, they instantly think of the color black. Kinda simple of a name but keep in mind, this is for the general audience who only have a basic understanding of the goth subculture, they have to get it right away. I added the words, Amusement Park, not only so that they know what to expect but because the word, amusement, makes it a little lighthearted. This makes it work better for those with family. "Theme Park" doesn't have the same feel.

For the fonts, I chose Heavy Metal Rocking for the main, and Perpetua for the secondary. I knew I wanted a super out there font that's flashy so when I found HMR, I knew it was perfect. It's a very thick sans-serif font (meaning no strokes unlike Times New Roman) Instead of strokes, it's got sharp ends. I wanted a font that was edgy. It also gave a texture when mixed with two colors that I like. The lines on the inside made it look like metal. Metal is durable. I wanted the brand to be viewed as a strong idea that will last. I chose Perpetua as the secondary font because I wanted one that contrasts with the first, in order to continue the theme of two different things coming together. Unlike Heavy Metal Rocking, Perpetua is a thin, serif font.

Speaking of colors, I chose white, black, and dim gray. Black definitely tied into the theme so no surprise there. I chose white because it's the opposite and it represents purity. Again, I want to keep the theme gothic but also lighthearted. I also chose a dim gray because it's black and white combined, which ties into the eclipse imagery.  

Alright! Time to talk about logos! First up, the main. It's a no-brainer that the words, Black Eclipse, will be in the Heavy Metal Rocking font. They are in black and white to continue the contrasting theme. Black and white are polar opposites. It also somehow gives it a gray look, which is ironic, wow! I feel like it's self-explanatory why the words, Amusement Park, are in Perpetua. I put them in white because it contrasts the top words well. Once again, we want to do contrast. For the imagery, I went minimalist. I find that the style works well with the general audience. I used a black circle and gave it a white stroke to portray an eclipse. I also added a small white circle on the top right-hand side to portray a small speck of light. I've seen many images of total eclipses that have them so I knew it had to be on there. Boom, just like that, we're done. 

Like most secondary logos, this one is very simple. I removed all the visuals and put the text side by side. I already knew a logo this long would work for admission wristbands and I instantly got excited about making the mockup you see below! How do you like it?

For the submark logo, the visuals come back and the texts decrease. In the middle of the eclipse is B.E. in its respective font. That's all that's needed. Fans will see the font and eclipse and know what's up. lol.