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Sherwin Williams: Cover the Earth
My friend and I have been recently puzzling over the very bizarre logo of the Sherwin Williams Paint company. It features earth tilted on its axis (in some variants I’ve seen, the continents “Africa” on the left and “Europe” on the right are also marked with text), underneath an enormous bucket of paint (labelled “SWP”) pouring out over it.
But mostly, I think the paint tends to look more like blood than anything, which makes their “COVER THE EARTH” slogan really rather creepy.
The Sherwin Williams website reveals the “logic” behind their classic logo:
Our historical logo is one of the most recognized company logos in existence. Created in the late 1800s, the logo’s purpose was to represent the company’s desire to help beautify and protect the buildings of the world. It was a symbol of a young company’s enthusiasm, idealism and hope regarding its future and the possibility for achievement that hovered on the nation’s horizon.
Very quickly, our “Cover the Earth” logo became a figurative emblem signifying quality, integrity and service — the very same things it stands for today.
And several other websites I have found have remarked on the strangeness of this logo and slogan - pointing out that “covering the earth” with paint is a rather odd notion. But no one seems to remark on the similarity of the graphic to blood, nor the ominous tilting of the earth, as though the earth itself (especially Africa and Europe) were going to be covered with blood.
Nor has anyone commented on the fact that SWP is also the initials of the Socialist Workers Party, whose slogan is “Anti-Capitalism, Liberation, & Socialism.” And again, no one has followed through to the connection of the Bob Marley song, entitled “Revolution” where he talks about how it takes a revolution to “make a solution” and even uses the Sherwin Williams slogan: “Let rightousness cover the earth / like the water cover the sea.” That song also features the rather ominous line: “Kill, cramp and paralyse all weak at conception / Wipe them out of creation”, which if taken together with Sherwin Williams bucket of blood being poured out onto the earth, we have created a rather stunning (if absurdist) portrait of an alternate meaning of a corporate logo.
November 22nd, 2006 at 9:44 am
Its kind of an arrogant crazy thought about covering the Earth in paint. Maybe the person that dreamed up the idea originally was buzzed out on something , or just in a very strange mood that day.
As advertising jingles go , for some reason it reminds me of the Public Radio claim of their program , All Things Considered.
How can all things be considered . ?
November 22nd, 2006 at 9:47 am
lol, everytime I drive by the SWP store I crack up.
November 22nd, 2006 at 4:21 pm
I noticed that logo after reading Crowley’s Book of The Law.
The logo made sense in that context, given the references to worldwide bloodshed, baptising the Aeon of Horus; RED being the color of the Aeon, explainable cabalistically, red being the color of Mars, Horus, War, Blood, etc.
November 22nd, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Is the Book of the Law a worthwhile read? What year was that written?
November 22nd, 2006 at 4:43 pm
Wow! SWP (Socialist Workers Party) are famed among activists in the UK for their zealous paper-selling at marches and their well-orchestrated attempts to get everyone holding placards with their logo on. The logo works well for them - just a wash of simplisitic red politics splashed everywhere…
November 22nd, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Seems like their is a heavy “flood” component to with the red blood paint. Theweleit, http://www.amazon.com/Male-Fantasies-F...3-5636652-6715020?ie=UTF8&s=books, would have a field day with it.
November 22nd, 2006 at 6:32 pm
You folks really need to get out and find a life. All the logo is is a hope that a young company can sell enough paint to “cover the earth” and make a lot of money. All the stupid shit you guys have read into this is a riot. Do you not have anything better to do with your time? Christ you people are morons. The fact that you take the time to invent this idiocy makes me wonder about YOU, not SWP. Grow up, get a job, move out of your parents’ house, sell your Playstation 3, and support yourself and maybe you’ll understand.
November 22nd, 2006 at 7:00 pm
Wow, you really have a paintbrush up your butt, huh paint guy?
November 22nd, 2006 at 8:19 pm
While it might be interesting to speculate about these things and talk about causes that might have similar graphic representations, I really do think that it’s highly unlikely that this paint company has any ulterior motives in using the image. But as far as I can tell, you’re not explicitly saying that you think they do either. I think there isn’t enough evidence to warrant a real connection between the SWP and this paint company; it would be as if the man Sherman Williams who started the company was purposely given initials that would represent the SWP when “Paint” was tacked onto the end. Unlikely. Also, when was the SWP formed?
November 22nd, 2006 at 8:22 pm
Actually, it was founded by Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams in 1866, but my point stands: Did these two men get together solely so that their initials could represent the SWP?
November 22nd, 2006 at 8:59 pm
WELL OF COURSE ITS HIGHLY UNLIKELY!!
And no, I’m NOT explicitly saying otherwise. I’m simply having a bit of fun speculatively connecting things together. It is a hobby of mine, in case anyone hasn’t noticed.
November 22nd, 2006 at 9:32 pm
Whether or not the connections are intentional or not may be beside the point. It’s the connections themselves that are interesting —or at least amusing. Besides, just the fact that this thread pisses off Paint Guy so much makes it worthwhile exploring some more.
November 22nd, 2006 at 9:33 pm
I guess what I mean is that it’s very easy for someone like “paint guy” to come here and misunderstand what you’re trying to say (but granted his comment was quite out of line). I’m not saying you should do anything differently, but I don’t think it’s completely irrational for me question your intentions, because you might well know something that I don’t that would change the situation.
November 22nd, 2006 at 10:00 pm
Exactly…
Of course not and I have no problem with that. It happens all the time online (and in real life) that people judge the entirety of your work based on ONE blog post, or one comment over-heard entirely out of context.
No, of course not. Feel free. I’m just touchy about it I suppose because I’m so often criticized for it and it can become tiresome to defend it all the time. Nothing personal anybody! I’m just a little wound up lately.
November 22nd, 2006 at 10:44 pm
The thing about the internet is it’s so hard to tell what someone means when you can’t hear how they’re saying it and watch their body language. And I’m sure, like you said, that even with those benefits people in real life will assume they are omnipotent based on one little tidbit.
I firmly believe that 100% of arguments in the world are to some degree based on misunderstanding. Misinterpreting intentions, or misunderstanding the simple facts and rules of life; one of which being the golden rule. If you don’t understand the fact that you should respect others as long as they aren’t harming you, then you’re in a bad place, and that’s what starts wars and ignites jealousy and rage.
There’s a complete tangent, but back to your post… When exactly did the SWP become active? All the references I’ve found to the parties in different countries seem to show that they began around the 1950s or 60s, but is it actually a unified organization?
November 23rd, 2006 at 4:13 am
It is, but it’s pretty opaque without the commentary, unloess you travel in Thelemic circles.
November 23rd, 2006 at 9:54 am
Well If the could cover the whole earth with paint they would sure make a lot of money. I think that was there perspective. Unrestrained capitalism.
November 23rd, 2006 at 2:13 pm
“Is the Book of the Law a worthwhile read? What year was that written?”
The Book of the Law is the central sacred text of Thelema, written by Aleister Crowley in Cairo, Egypt in the year 1904. It’s comprised of three chapters, each of which was written down in one hour, beginning at noon, on April 8, April 9, and April 10.
I would recommend it only because it can be read in a single sitting.
The Book of the Law
Here are a few interesting excerpts
II,21: We have nothing with the outcast and the unfit: let them die in their misery. For they feel not. Compassion is the vice of kings: stamp down the wretched & the weak: this is the law of the strong: this is our law and the joy of the world.
From: Liber AL vel Legis - Chapter II
III,7: I will give you a war-engine.
III,8: With it ye shall smite the peoples; and none shall stand before you.
III,12: Sacrifice cattle, little and big: after a child.
III,18: Mercy let be off: damn them who pity! Kill and torture; spare not; be upon them!
In my interpretation of the book, the SWP logo is appropriate.
Jake
November 24th, 2006 at 11:47 am
Ha ha! I used to work across the street from a Sherwin-Williams store. Every time I’d look at the logo I would wonder what the intention was for the design, whether it be conscious or SUBCONSCIOUS.
Maybe my interest in symbology exaggerates my outlook on the the hundreds of logos(sigils) that surround us at any given moment. Then again, maybe not.
Where do ideas come from?
November 26th, 2006 at 5:42 am
have you seen that bbc docu power of nightmares?
i belieeevve its in there, (although it might be somewhere else) some straight anti communist propaganda where they show a Soviet dude pouring a bucket of red paint over a globe….
very odd..
so when you look it up, sup[posedly some dude named George Ford (a ad guy) designed the logo, oddly enough the only George Ford (ad guy) that comes up in google, as long as i felt like digging, was Harrison Ford’s father…
hope that helps the narrative
one
human?
November 26th, 2006 at 6:00 am
and word, the logo was made in 1890, socialist workers party seems to have been officially later than that…
and SWP also seems to stand for “Supreme White Power” although that must be new cause in 1890, that was still pretty much the way things were…
although it is interesting that the company was founded in 1866 and there isnt much info about either Sherwin or Williams around… 1865 was kinda a big year for the US…. and i bet alot of stuff had to be painted… and dude didnt straight found the company, he made it from another he had a stake in it seems…
weirdly frustrating that all the info i can find on the origin of a company with 5 Billion a year revenue is a 3 paragraph company written history.
probab;ly cause of all the lead lawsuits…. which the company seems to have issued a report on its toxic effects in 1904 and went on to make lead paint for a long time….
November 26th, 2006 at 6:21 am
i gotta learn to post AFTER im done thinking…
but yeah…
on a whole next level, it really significant that they make paint.
giving swp access to the home owner….
colors are light. i wouldnt be suprised if these guys knew what they were doing….
they arent just covering the world with paint, they are changing reality through color.
so although the logo itself might be innocent (albeit creepy) im gonna guess they had a vision… and it seems theyve been awfully successfull….