The SML logo conveys the channel’s connection to video game characters, but not directly, through symbolic forms and colors. It is associated with entertaining content and fun pastimes. At the same time, the emblem has a simple design, which allows the brand to remain recognizable among fans of all ages.
SML: Brand overview
Brothers Logan Austin Thirtyacre and Lance Thirtyacre have been passionate about video games since childhood. When Logan was in school, he first learned about YouTube and was inspired to create his channel. On December 8, 2007, the aspiring YouTuber registered on the video hosting site under SuperMarioLogan. It began posting videos inspired by FroggyCompany content: scenes where Nintendo characters as plush toys found themselves in comical situations. Nintendo was displeased that many videos contained profanity, crude jokes, and dark humor, so the company prohibited using its characters. Logan was forced to give up the plush dolls and switch to puppet filming. In 2021, he also had to create a new channel named SML because he could not change the URL of the old channel, which mentioned Super Mario.
Logan Thirtyacre’s adventure into the world of YouTube began in 2007, at just 12 years old, with homemade videos featuring Super Mario toys. What started as playful sketches quickly evolved, setting the stage for the SuperMarioLogan (SML) channel. This platform became a hub for inventive humor, engaging narratives, and a colorful cast of characters, all spun from the world of Super Mario.
In 2009, Logan’s creativity sparked the “Super Mario Got Milk” series, propelling his channel to its first taste of viral success. This venture began an expanded universe within SML, introducing now-beloved characters like Bowser Junior, Jeffy, and Charlie Chu Chu. These characters and Mario played pivotal roles in Logan’s growing narrative world.
As SML’s audience expanded, so did the content’s maturity and thematic depth, attracting a wider, older viewer base. However, this shift in tone brought scrutiny from YouTube, leading to demonetization challenges in 2017. During this period, he tested Logan’s resolve and creativity as he navigated the platform’s regulations while striving to maintain his artistic vision.
In response to these monetization issues, Logan established SuperMarioLogan.com. This website allowed him to freely share his content, supported by a subscription model that provided fans exclusive access to his work. This move underscored Logan’s dedication to his craft and community, ensuring the continuity of SML’s story.
Despite the hurdles, SML’s fanbase remained loyal, drawn to Logan’s continuous innovation and the evolving stories of its cherished characters. Collaborations with fellow creators, like Pablo Sanchez from ExplodingTNT, introduced fresh perspectives and expanded SML’s reach.
With over 9 million subscribers today, SML is a testament to Logan Thirtyacre’s relentless creativity, resilience, and connection with his audience. Facing and overcoming challenges, Logan has solidified SML’s place in YouTube history, proving the enduring appeal of his unique blend of storytelling, humor, and dedication to his fans.
Meaning and History
Until 2021, the visual identity of SML was built around one of Nintendo’s most famous heroes – Super Mario. First, the YouTube channel at that time was called SuperMarioLogan. Second, its emblems always featured the eponymous character. Nintendo did not like such a blatant copyright infringement and was even more outraged that the published content contained profanity and immoral humor. The company demanded that YouTubers remove any mention of its brand. Since Logan could not change the channel’s URL, he had to create another – this time named SML – and change his profile picture to a neutral one.
What is SML?
SML is a YouTube channel where Logan Austin Thirtyacre posts videos he has shot. The content is dedicated to video game characters and intended for an adult audience, but most viewers are children. SML is the direct successor of another channel – SuperMarioLogan, created in 2007 and deleted in 2021 at Nintendo’s request. The current SML was opened in 2021 in place of the Elaina Keyes channel, which had existed since 2012. Initially, the videos featured plush toys representing popular characters from games and cartoons. After Nintendo’s complaint, Logan began using puppets.
2007 – 2009
On December 8, 2007, Logan Thirtyacre registered the SuperMarioLogan channel. This name was reflected in the logo: it is located on the right inside a yellow rectangle and divided into three lines. The inscription consists of thin italic letters without serifs placed in lowercase. On the left is Super Mario’s face, which has a large nose, mustache, open mouth, blue eyes, and highly raised eyebrows. Fragments of clothing are visible: blue overalls, the famous red cap, and white gloves.
2009
Now, the logo features not a three-dimensional video game character but a plush doll that appears in the videos. It’s still Super Mario with a large nose and bushy black mustaches. The toy’s creators endowed it with recognizable features and dressed it in the costume of the famous Nintendo character to achieve maximum recognizability. The face is partially in shadow – light falls on it from the right, while the left side is darkened. This creates the impression that the doll is attentively looking at whoever is filming it.
2009 – 2017
In 2009, the channel introduced a new square-shaped emblem. In the center is a triumphant Super Mario, stretching one hand up and bending the other at the elbow. Here, he looks like a three-dimensional character from a game or cartoon. From this angle, his face is visible, and the famous red cap with the letter “M” on the forehead is visible. In the bottom left corner is a yellow “SML” inscription with slightly curved “S” and “M.” In the background are rays of yellow and orange colors radiating from the center and expanding towards the edges. At the top of the logo is a bright white light source.
2017 – 2021
The emblem’s creators retained the image of a jubilant Super Mario but lightened the colors and changed the font. Now, the acronym is written in even bold letters without serifs, making the brand name clear and recognizable.
2021 – today
In 2021, SuperMarioLogan was removed, and its owner had to create SML to continue posting his content. At Nintendo’s request, references to Super Mario were removed from the channel’s visual identity, so the new logo contains only the word “SML.” It is placed inside a square, from the center of which white, yellow, and orange stripes radiate. Each letter is painted in its color: “S” in blue, “M” in red, and “L” in yellow. Wide black shadows surround them.
Font and Colors
To reflect the entertaining nature of the YouTube channel, designers created a unique, playful font for its logo. It features uneven glyphs with curved vertical strokes. The right side of “M” is elongated downwards, and the external angle of “L” is cut off.
The palette of the acronym corresponds to the primary colors of Super Mario. The character himself is not in the logo due to Nintendo’s prohibition, but the combination of blue, red, and yellow reminds of him. The emblem also includes white, black, and several shades of orange.
FAQ
What happened to SML on YouTube?
The SML YouTube channel, or SuperMarioLogan, was a big deal because it made fun videos with Nintendo’s Super Mario toys. But Logan Thirtyacre, the guy behind it, got into trouble for using these toys because they were copyrighted by Nintendo.
In 2021, Nintendo told Logan to stop using Super Mario toys in his videos. So, the channel had to change its name from SuperMarioLogan to SML to avoid further issues with Nintendo.
Even with the name change, the channel’s web address still had “SuperMarioLogan.” Nintendo didn’t like this, and the channel was shut down on July 8, 2021. This was sad for a lot of fans who loved watching these videos.
People tried to save the videos by uploading them to other websites. This way, fans could still watch their favorite SML videos even after the channel was gone.
The story shows how tricky it can be to make videos with someone else’s characters. It’s a good lesson for anyone making stuff online to be careful about using copyrighted characters.
What does SML stand for on YouTube?
SML, short for “SuperMarioLogan,” was a YouTube channel by Logan Austin Thirtyacre. Born November 17, 1994, Logan became famous for making fun videos with plush toys based on characters from Nintendo’s Super Mario games. The channel was a big hit because it mixed humor with stories, using Mario characters and other toys to entertain people of all ages.
Logan’s videos were special because they felt like little stories or sketches, full of jokes and with the plush toys “acting” out different roles. This creativity made SML a favorite place for Super Mario fans and anyone who liked plush toys.
But there was a problem. He faced legal issues since Logan used Mario characters, which Nintendo owns. Nintendo sent him a letter telling him to stop using their characters, eventually shutting down the channel in 2021. Despite this, the spirit of SML lives on. Fans and maybe Logan have reuploaded the videos to other places so people can still watch them.
In short, SML showed how to use popular characters to make new, fun content on YouTube. Logan’s work with SML proves that creativity can lead to amazing things, but you must be careful when using characters you don’t own.
Is SML appropriate for kids?
Is SML, short for SuperMarioLogan, okay for kids to watch? Well, it’s a bit complicated. The videos use plush toys from the Super Mario games, which you might think are just for kids. But the humor and the language can get pretty grown-up.
Many of the characters in these videos swear and make jokes that aren’t kid-friendly. Jeffy and Goodman do it a lot, and even Mario, who you’d think would be more for all ages, gets in on it, too. Because of this, some SML videos are age-restricted on YouTube, meaning they’re not meant for younger viewers.
So, if you’re a parent, you should look closer before letting your kids watch SML. The toys and the Mario characters might seem harmless, but the content is often aimed at older audiences. It’s always best to check out the videos yourself to ensure they’re okay for your family.
Who owns the SML YouTube channel?
Logan Thirtyacre runs the SML YouTube channel and is the brain behind all the videos. He’s pretty well-known for making fun stories with plush toys, especially those from the Super Mario games. Logan has a knack for mixing humor with storytelling, and people really enjoy it.
He doesn’t do it all by himself, though. His brother, Lance, and a bunch of friends help him out. They do everything from voicing characters to filming and editing the videos. For instance, Lovell Stanton voices several characters, Chris Netherton is known as Cody, and Chilly Jimenez works behind the camera and sometimes appears in videos. Elaina Keyes, Audrey O’Mallie, Anthony Miller, and Tito Jimenez also play big roles in making the channel what it is.
Their teamwork is why SML is so popular. Everyone adds their own touch, making the videos fun and unique. Logan, his family, and his friends’ group effort have turned SML into a channel many people love to watch.