Recently my graphic design class toured the Gear For Sports factory. First thing we need to talk about Gear is the recognizable logo!
The logo was recently reduced to the "g". The logo has all lower-case letters making it easy to read and presents a laid-back feeling in your mind. With lower-case letters you don't feel the logo screaming at you as it would in all caps. However, the "for sports" is stressed a little more with the slant and the upper-case letters which shows excitement and forward motion. The manipulated "g" makes the g a letter and an icon. This sets gear apart from the other sports companies such as Nike or Underarmour because it participates in the word mark as a letter and can stand by itself as an icon.
The identity is carefully managed. The logo is never apart from the identity of the company. The logo is constantly maintained on the catalogs, employee wear, business cards, etc so you will never forget what you are looking at.
The brand of the company is what makes gear so successful. They wanted to make sportswear comfortable, stylish, and affordable. They rarely ever miss a shipment date and precision is very important to the company. I believe their vision statement says it all- "Guided by our GEAR values, we strive to be the leader in quality and delivery of our customer’s image through marketing innovative sportswear, accessories and services." And here are the values of the company:
- Customers by exceeding their expectations.
- Excellence by taking pride and responsibility in everything we do.
- Employees by demonstrating respect and consideration for each other.
- Teamwork by fostering trust and recognition among all stakeholders.
- Professionalism by exhibiting integrity and proficiency.
- Innovation by embracing creativity and change.
- Social Responsibility by caring for and sharing with each other and our community.
- Respect for our environment by working toward a more eco-friendly global work environment.
Now here was the most exciting part of the field trip for me. Looking at the graphic design department. Every Gear For Sports graphic design hubs relocated to a big hub in Lenexa, Kansas. WAY TO PUT KANSAS ON THE MAP! Gear has all sorts of jobs for Champion, Under Armour, and Gear itself! Then within those there are people designing women t-shirts, resort t-shirts, hats, college wear, golf wear, and so much more! I was able to look over the shoulder of a designer who has been there right out of college! She loves her job and has been there for about 30 years! Being a t-shirt designer myself I was so excited to talk to her about her experiences and her love for her job! And that is who I aspire to be!