The Browns' new dawg logo has officially been selected by the fans and players — and it comes with a design that represents everything about the franchise and its fanbase.
The winning logo was Option No. 2 in the final round of the Browns' fan vote and created by Houston Mark, a designer who sought to create a logo that displayed the intensity and passion of the fanbase while including several symbols that highlight the history of both the franchise and Cleveland. The logo will be prominently displayed in future merchandise and other team uses.
"We are so excited to unveil a new dawg logo that perfectly encapsulates who we are as a franchise and as a city," Executive Vice President and Partner JW Johnson said. "Our fans have been asking us for a new dawg logo for quite some time, so it made perfect sense for them to select the logo themselves and decide how they want our team to be represented — and they made a great choice."
Mark chose to design the logo around a bullmastiff dog after the breed won the Browns' pre-contest poll asking fans which breed best represented the Browns. After the shape of the logo was decided, he worked to include several hidden symbols to create a more personalized feel to the franchise.
"The thing I really wanted to focus on was the fans and the relationship they have with the team," he said. "How can I make the Cleveland Browns fanbase the forefront of the design while also maintaining this aggressive, no-nonsense attitude?
"There was a lot of stuff in there I wanted to incorporate because there's so much history to Browns fandom in particular. It was really important for me to honor and respect the history of the fanbase, the championships and the pride that comes with being a fan."
Mark achieved that by including eight different symbols within the logo that give it a unique touch.
Ohio - The highlight in the top left corner of the mighty bullmastiff's right ear is in the shape of Ohio, where the Browns have called home for over 75 years.
Football - The nose of the dog is in the shape of a football, as just like the Dawg Pound, the mascot has a nose for the game.
East Endzone - The outline of Cleveland Municipal Stadium makes up the design of the tag, paying homage to the city by forming a "C," and the origin of the Dawg Pound with a highlighted East Endzone.
Guitar Pick - At the center of the tag lies a guitar pick as a nod to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Spikes - The collar features 8 spikes, evoking intensity in their form and tradition in number, with the Browns finishing champions 8 times in their history.
Guardian Bridge - Cleveland's Hope Memorial Bridge makes up the space below the jowls, fortifying the bond between fans, team and city.
Pound Helmet - As another nod to the original 1980's Dawg Pound, the iconic maskless helmet shell worn by Browns faithful at games is hidden in the top right highlight.
Helmet Stripe - As a nod to the iconic feature, the logo features a center stripe that adorns the classic Browns helmet.
During the early stages of the vote, awareness about the logo's story began to spread on social media. The symbols and fierce tone of the design all seemed to be a hit among fans.
"The fact that Browns fans felt represented by the logo was by far the most gratifying thing about this entire project," Mark said. "To see that so many people felt connected and that they saw themselves in it was just incredible. It's what you want to do as a logo designer."
That connection has been best evidenced by the logo winning the fan vote. It will now become another team logo for the Browns, joining the franchise's staple helmet logo and classic Brownie the Elf logos as official logos of the franchise.
"There were so many good logos that got submitted and made it far, so this a dream come true, and I can't stress that enough," Mark said. "To see my logo in an NFL stadium, on people's shirts and people relate this logo to the Browns is the most incredible feeling."
