LOGO

History behind the Frome Ghostbusters logo...

The iconic Ghostbusters “No Ghost” logo was created for the original 1984 film by graphic designer and producer Michael C. Gross, working with artist Brent Boates. The basic idea of a ghost caught inside a red prohibition sign came from Dan Aykroyd’s original script, but Gross helped shape it into the instantly recognisable bit of paranormal warning signage we all know today.

Inspired by international “no entry” and prohibition signs, the logo was designed to be simple, memorable and readable at a glance. That mix of a friendly cartoon spook and a big red “absolutely not” circle helped turn it into one of the most recognised movie logos in the world.

Like lots of Ghostbusters fan groups around the world, the Frome Ghostbusters have taken inspiration from the classic No Ghost logo and given it a local franchise-style twist. It lets us fly the flag for Frome while making it clear that we’re an unofficial fan group and not affiliated with Sony Pictures, Columbia Pictures or Ghost Corps.

The first draft of our logo was literally drawn on the back of an envelope, in true “we’ve got the tools, we’ve got the talent” fashion, before going through a couple of changes. We wanted it to nod to the traditional Frome emblem, which shows St Aldhelm beneath an arch, because that image is tied to the town’s origin story.

St Aldhelm was the Saxon abbot sent from Malmesbury to establish a church, and later a monastery, at Frome around 685–701 AD. The settlement that became Frome then grew up around that religious foundation.

Because of this, Aldhelm is widely regarded as the founder of Frome, so it felt right to bring him into the logo rather than just slapping a proton pack on any old ghost.

The familiar image of Aldhelm standing within a Norman-style arch comes from historic civic imagery used by the town. The arch gives a nod to Frome’s medieval heritage and church roots, while Aldhelm represents the town’s founding story.

So, that explains the main look of the Frome Ghostbusters logo… but why the thumbs up? Well, no supernatural mystery there. It comes from a photo of the group’s founder, aged 10, giving a right-handed thumbs up after meeting the “real” Ghostbusters at the Spooktacular show at Universal Studios, Orlando, in 1994. Childhood memory successfully contained.