For those who have known me for many years, you’ll know I’ve always had a love of dogs, cars, horses and boats. They’ve all been a big part of my life in one way or another, so when it came to choosing a logo for our family business, it had to be something that meant something to us.
One day, I was sitting in my office and looked across to see my lovely Black Labrador looking straight back at me. Loyal, patient and hopeful of an early dinner — or perhaps a trip to the pet shop, preferably not via the vets!
Although, in those days, he was rather fond of Nick Winn at Cathcart Winn — who was, of course, our vet. I’m not entirely sure whether that was because he liked Nick, or because he knew that Nick was always likely to make a fuss of him!
But that moment, sitting there in the office and looking across at him, was where the idea for our logo came from.
It just seemed right.
A Black Labrador represented so much of what I felt our family business stood for — loyalty, trust, reliability, character and a willingness to be there for you. And, perhaps most importantly, it was personal. It wasn’t a logo chosen because it looked good on a sign; it was chosen because it was part of our family story.
And what a brilliant idea it turned out to be.
Today, you’ll see his silhouette proudly displayed on our boards all over Farnham. Something that started with one dog sitting across the office from me has become a recognisable part of our business and, over the years, has taken on a life of its own.
Sadly, he passed away many years ago. After a year or two, we welcomed another Black Labrador into the family — this time a lovely girl. In many ways, it felt like keeping a little piece of the original story alive.
Over the years, I’ve occasionally thought about creating a dual logo and bringing our gorgeous Sprocker Spaniel into the picture. She certainly has enough personality to deserve one! But somehow, I’ve always felt it was right to stay loyal to the Black Labrador.
The Sprocker may yet have her moment, though… she’ll be the logo of our next business venture — whatever that may be somewhere down the road!
For now, the Black Labrador remains a very special part of our story, our family and our business.
Sometimes the best ideas aren’t found around a boardroom table or in a marketing meeting.
Sometimes they’re simply sitting quietly across the office, looking back at you and waiting for dinner.
Keats Fearn
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