King and Country Creates Bold and Iconic Logo for History Channel’s Epic “Vikings” Series

Earlier this month, "Vikings,” History Channel's first full-length, scripted series premiered, arriving on the heels of the massively successful miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys,” starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton. To accompany such an insightful and engaging series, King and Country (K&C) designed a logo that captured the spirit of both the civilization and the show: embodying the different facets of “Vikings” in a way that is simple and memorable.

K&C used the letter “V” and elevated it to symbolic status by creating a logo that is bold and iconic at first glance, while also layered with great storytelling detail on closer inspection. The two sides of the letter utilize intricate, yet readable, designs that show the multiple dimensions of the characters.

The left side of the “V” tells us about the lesser-known aspect of Vikings: family and life. It seamlessly blends three key elements of their character: the upper section is efficient and almost scientific, denoting how technologically advanced they were, especially in ship-building expertise; the middle section is a graphic representation of brotherhood and unbreakable bonds, featuring art reminiscent of tribal emblems; the lower section is about growth and life, with an illustration that is similar to a section of weaving tapestry, taking visual cues from a family crest or coat of arms.

The right side of the “V” tells the story of war -- and the violence, death and conflict that were big parts of Viking society. Shaped like the blade of a sword, small chinks are hacked out of what would have been fastidiously hand-forged steel weaponry, stained from blood of the fallen.

“Brand symbolism has become even more crucial in the age of digital marketing and online communities,” explains Rick Gledhill, K&C Director and Partner. “People want to know what something is about with a quick and clear visual. Which is why a landmark television series like ‘Vikings’ needed a recognizable icon that would appeal to a broad audience. The ‘V’ is that symbol, able to live on its own in a variety forms and places, engraved on a multitude of materials and easily incorporated into merchandising.”

For the show’s custom font, K&C delivered a typography that balanced modern and traditional styles. It is clean, precise and rigorous, with a handmade quality that reflects the intelligence and craftsmanship of the Viking people. Small textural details integrated into some of the letters further demonstrate their skill and meticulous nature.

“Vikings” builds on K&C’s ongoing relationship with History Channel, having worked together on the logo design for the much-lauded scripted drama “Hatfields & McCoys.” The three-part miniseries, about a true and legendary American family feud, premiered in summer 2012.

About King and Country:
Since its launch in 2006, Santa Monica-based production company King and Country (K&C) has earned international recognition for breakthrough projects spanning commercials, original promos for major networks, and much more. The innovative production foundry, established by directors Rick Gledhill and Efrain Montanez and executive producer Jerry Torgerson, elegantly unites A-list talents representing every facet of production and post, delivering impactful films that blend original live-action content, 2D and 3D animation and seamless visual effects into new artforms. Drawing upon its principals' extraordinary creative capabilities, K&C takes deep pride in directing and producing spectacular projects from concept through completion, collaborating with others to add brilliant end-tags, visual effects and flawless finishing for any and all media platforms, and everything in-between.

https://www.kingandcountry.tv