“We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails.”
Does our new logo make you scratch your head? Why a sailboat?
Over time our agency name and logo became outdated. We noticed that very few of our customers ever called us W. J. Phillips, Inc. (our formal name) or W. J. Phillips Insurance Agency. Most customers simply referred to us as Phillips Insurance. Over time, we did too.
The old logo worked well at a time when our customers referred to us a W. J. Phillips, but it was time for a change. Below are the two logos side by side. Quite a difference, eh?
So, why the sailboat?
We reviewed dozens of potential logos and none really seemed to fit. After all, what would make sense for an insurance agency logo? Talking lizards, cavemen, hands, and cool fonts apparently seem to work, but those were already taken. We needed something different. Then Zach saw a photo of a sailboat and the creative juices began to flow again.
From that one photo, Zach was reminded of fond childhood memories he has sailing with his grandpa and cousins.
He was reminded that sailing was a favorite past time of his family, dating back to the agency’s founder. He was reminded that the genesis of modern day insurance is goods being shipped from England to the world in the 17th century. He was reminded of the common phrase “smooth sailing”, meaning “progress or advancement that is free from difficulties, obstacles, or challenges”, which lends well to the agency’s mission.
There are other fitting correlations that can be made between insurance and sailing. Sailing a ship successfully requires specialized knowledge and training. Being the captain on a sailing vessel requires a degree of confidence in oneself. When a storm arises at sea, passengers rely on an experienced captain to see them through the storm safely. The captain of a sailboat can’t control the winds, but the sails can be adjusted to achieve the desired outcome. When sailing is a journey, you want to be sure to get to the destination safely, on time, and on budget. When sailing is a past time experience, it needs to be relaxing and free of trouble. Do you get the drift?