The Origin of the Point: A Legacy of Navigation
The Meaning Behind the Mark
My approach to brand strategy didn't begin in a boardroom; it began on the kitchen table, poring over the hand-drawn maps of the Superior National Forest.
My father was a surveyor for the US Forest Service. His world was one of boundary lines, topographical heights, and the vast, untamed wilderness of the Northwoods. In his work, a single mark could be the difference between being found and being lost.
The Surveyor’s Hand
Among the thousands of lines he inked, there was one recurring character that captured my imagination: the Draftsman’s Arrow.
In the rigid, mathematical world of forestry engineering, this "half-barb" mark was where the surveyor’s personality emerged. It was a flick of the pen—a moment of human grace on a document of cold facts. It wasn't just a pointer; it was a pathfinder.
Precision With a Soul
Today, I use that same mark as the foundation for my Compass brand strategy. It represents the two halves of what I provide for my clients:
The Vertical Stem: The unwavering "North Star" of data, research, and structural integrity.
The Hand-Inked Barb: The creative intuition and human "flair" that makes a brand unique and memorable.
A Heritage of Guidance
By integrating this symbol, I am honoring the legacy of the mapmakers. Like the surveyors of the Superior National Forest, my job is to look at a complex, overgrown landscape and find the clear trail through. We aren't just drawing lines; we are defining the territory where your brand will lead.
By integrating this symbol, I am honoring the legacy of the mapmakers. Like the surveyors of the Superior National Forest, my job is to look at a complex, overgrown landscape and find the clear trail through. We aren't just drawing lines; we are defining the territory where your brand will lead.
—Ken Zakovich