Nearly two years ago, VTDigger set out to design a logo that blends our mission, storytelling and reach while being responsive and legible in every application. Our new look honors our past, strengthens our message and looks toward the future of our news coverage.
But how did it all come together? And what about the typewriter keys?
Longtime supporters of VTDigger recognize the typewriter keys spelling our name as our original logo, which represented the organization from its inception past its 10th birthday. Not only an important part of our history, the typewriter key was integral to the creative process that formed the new emblem that will carry us into our next chapter.
Oftentimes in years past, we found ourselves using the ‘V’ typewriter key on its own. We realized that we could benefit from an icon design, one that would elevate that lone key and work across many uses as a single and consistent representation of VTDigger. It would symbolize our work — and be readily identifiable when our full logo couldn’t fit.
We took that typewriter key, using its circle as a design concept, and expanded on different icon elements with keywords that embody our mission:
- A regional marker, much like you would see on a map, for our statewide reach
- A magnifying glass for our investigative reporting
- The state of Vermont to represent our community focus
- Our original typewriter key for our values
- A speech bubble to represent how we engage with our readers
We combined all of these elements to create the new icon. Our typewriter key is our icon’s circle and thickness. The triangle makes our typewriter key a speech bubble, a magnifying glass, a regional marker, or perhaps all in one — what do you see? Instead of a ‘V’ within the key, we chose the Vermont icon to represent our state, identifying our focus and reach with a recognizable symbol.
We also separated our wordmark — the text-only element of our logo — from our icon. This gives us flexibility to easily use them together or on their own depending on size and use. The typewriter’s influence appears again in the wordmark, which features a slab serif font inspired by typewriter text. By adjusting our wordmark to lowercase letters, we ensure the shape is perceived more quickly for new readers.
To read more about our overall redesign, check out the FAQ about our new site. Accessibility was at the forefront of our work, with all changes designed to increase clarity and usability for everyone who visits our site.
Thank you for supporting VTDigger! If you have questions or feedback, please email contact@vtdigger.org with “Redesign” in the subject line.