The Legacy of Pytheas
The final brand concept I developed for Wasatch Microfluidics centered on Pytheas, a mariner of Greek antiquity. I hope it was useful for informing the trajectory of the Carterra branding.
The legend, such as it has come down to us, is certainly something to admire. A scientist, navigator, explorer: not content with revising the astronomical figures of his day for calculating longitude, he put his calculations to the test, designed his own navigation tools, and set sail, using them to explore and report his findings to his countrymen and the known world. He exemplifies the catalyst and pathfinder I try to be in whatever project I join, and in every way the spirit of the technology that I spent the last decade developing. I have redeveloped the concept as a personal banner under which to highlight my past and present work.
Now that I have moved on, I still find the concept to be a fitting reminder of my past and equally suitable to my future research and design goals.
The Historical Figure
There are a number of texts on the history of navigation and astronomy which I found helpful in trying to piece together a broader sense of who the figure behind the legend might be. If you are interested in what is known about Pytheas beyond the wiki, you might like Barry Cunliffe's treatise. The truth is that most of what we know is from contemporaries or historians that came along years after his time. While his writings and exploits survive as secondary accounts, enough details survive for us to try to piece together a picture of his journeys.
Pytheas of Marsalla (modern day Marseilles France, then Greek colonial Gaul) was a geographer, explorer, and astronomer who famously mounted a voyage with the intent to explore the arctic circle around 300 BC. While the original account of his voyage (or voyages) no longer survives, his navigational data and/or observations are referenced in accounts by Pliny, Hipparchus, and Strabo.
He is the first on record to correlate the relationship of the moon to the tides, and is also credited with reaching Thule and circumnavigating Great Britain. His observations of the north atlantic, of the midnight sun, and other oceanic phenomena not found in the ancient world are also the first on record.
His name is synonymous with boldness, curiosity, exploration, scientific discovery and observation, and has remained largely untapped by modern marketing and corporate branding outside of a company in the financial sector and a French software services company. While more modern explorers are common references across many industries to this end, their ilk range from being perceived as much more mercenary and profit driven in spite of their boldness and achievements, to highly overused (Galileo, Magellan, etc.). Pytheas and the connotations of his voyages are much more aligned with pure discovery and boldness rather than colonization and trade (though it may have been wealthy traders in Marsalla that put him in command and financed the voyage, credit to them for selecting a scientist).
Brand concepts for the company and flagship integrated system
This is a collection of sketch work from the Pytheas brand and business direction concepts. There are two main motiffs: the simpler geometric and the busier, particle infused wordmark. I sketched up the particle concepts first, as it was a good use of indicating direction from a swarm of smaller, in determinate objects. But the simpler logo works much better at a range of sizes. Not necessary, but both provide some fun animation opportunities.
Summary of rationale for the concept:
•A single, 7 letter proper noun, the name of an explorer from antiquity, that conveys scientific observation, exploration, boldness, and discovery.
•Not overused and uncommon, easy to build a unique brand around, can be differnetiated easily with the addition of 'bio' or another descriptor.
•Easy to pronounce.
•Short enough to build a compact, easily recognizeable wordmark if you wish to pursue that type of branding, provides plenty of options to work with (better than the expansive WasatchMicrofluidics we were saddled with).
•Conceptually broad enough and disassociated from any overtly specific details about the company allowing room to grow under its auspices while still conveying everything that we strived to be and help our customers achieve by simple, association.