Aquascape Unveils New Logo, Brand at Pondemonium

Attendees at Aquascape Designs’ Camp Pondemonium, a trade-only water feature training event, got a first look at the company’s new branding logo, which will be used starting in January 2007.

Aquascape President and CEO Greg Wittstock unveiled the logo during his State of Water Gardening Market Address to the 1,000-plus campers on July 13.

“We’re changing in order to more fairly represent the business,” Wittstock says, adding the brand is evolving more than changing.

Michelle Kurschner, director of marketing, also explained that the company was looking for a brand that better encompasses its growing number and scope of products.

“We need to stay strong in the market and be two steps ahead,” Kurschner says. “We spent a lot of time talking about who Aquascape is.”

The company’s logo will change from Aquascape Designs to Aquascape and the colors will be scaled down from the eight colors and three dimensions to two colors and dimensions. Instead of the three-dimensional frog, the logo will feature an outline of a green frog and a blue dragonfly, with a blue triangle in the background. “Aquascape” is below that.

The Nursery Pro and Ultra Pond lines will now fall under the Aquascape brand, while the ADI Pro Product line will become Aquascape Pro. Besides streamlining the multiple brands, the new brand looks classier, Kurschner says.

Those who sell Aquascape products might incur some cost switching over to the products with the new brand, Wittstock says. But the change will make the logo, now with fewer colors, less expensive for the company to print and embroider.

Wittstock stresses that the re-branding was not an easy decision to come upon. “It’s like re-naming your child,” he says. He chose Pondemonium to unveil the logo because those in attendance were the ones who cared most about the company, he says.

The 14th annual Camp Pondemonium was held in St. Charles, Ill., near Aquascape’s headquarters, from July 10-16, with Pond College, educational sessions for contractors, running July 13-15. At the Pond College, campers heard from speakers including Dr. Erik Johnson, a veteran who specializes in ornamental fish, Ed Beaulieu, vice president of field research and Judy Guido, who specializes in business management in the green industry.

Other events throughout the week included tours of Chicagoland ponds and Aquascape's new headquarters, Aqualand, as well as a five-hour waterfall building contest on Aqualand’s grounds. The 23 teams represented every region of North America. Social activities included a barbeque, karaoke and a roast of Wittstock, also known as The Pond Guy.

During his address, Wittstock outlined the history of his company from his first days in business 15 years ago in his parents’ garage. The story led him to talk about his shaky relationship with his father, Gary, who until earlier this year owned PondSweep Manufacturing. He was surprised when a cover story on him in a magazine mentioned the relationship.

He then announced that he and his father put their differences aside in March when Gary offered to sell the company to his son.

“Today my dad and I are working together again,” he says. “Now when I open a magazine, I no longer have to worry about negative family issues because there are no negative family issues.”

Greg says his father is a consultant for Aquascapes, which sends him on the road most of the time. “He doesn’t report to me, which is one of the keys,” Greg adds.

There will be two new lines added to Aquascapes, Wittstock also announced. Upscale brass and stone decorative pieces will now be offered. In addition, Aquascape will be the only water feature supplier to offer products from Tsurumi Pumps.

Aquascape Designs becomes Aquascape in January 2007. At that time, the Web site will change to www.aquascapeinc.com. Until then, information on the company can be found at www.aquascapedesigns.com.