Deepwater Logo Contest Winner

The McNaughton Group recently acquired Darnell’s Lake Resort and Deepwater Event Center. As part of their exciting refurbishment strategy, consideration was given to identity and the idea for a contest was conceived with the intention that they would receive a fresher look and unique perspective for a new logo by looking to their community as a resource rather than a professional design team. “We thought local art students would be able to come up with the freshest ideas for a new logo,” said Grace McClellan, sales director for Darnell’s Lake Resort and Deepwater Event Center.

The winning student, Amanda Van Diest, was selected from a field of 27 of her artistically gifted peers. For her winning entry, Van Diest was awarded a $1,500 college scholarship granted by the McNaughton Foundation. The McNaughton Foundation was formed by the McNaughton Group with a vision of improving youth education in the communities where they conduct business.

Everyone involved with the contest considered it a major success. “It was truly special to see the mission of the McNaughton Foundation used in such a functional and creative way,” stated McClellan. “We are pleased to see such a great design for the logo come out of the contest, but we are even more delighted to see how much joy and fulfillment all of the students received who were involved in this challenge” she said.

Van Diest design concept was to link two D’s to show that Darnell’s and Deepwater are connected. She made the D’s red because Darnell’s “D” is red and she wanted to retain that aspect. Amanda incorporated a picture within the D’s to showcase the amazing scenery viewable from the resort. The lettering for "Darnell’s" and "Deepwater" featured two different fonts to demonstrate that they are unique places but now one. Also in the lettering of Deepwater in the “E” it shows deepness. Not only was Van Diest’s winning design used as the inspiration for the new Deepwater Event Center’s logo, it also inspired the creation of a new logo for Darnell's Lake Resort. The new logos will be used on the website and in marketing materials.