You’ve probably heard the stories: The famous Nike swoosh logo design was created for $35 by a college student (though she was later gifted $600,000+ in stock), and Google’s original logo cost nothing, since it was designed by company co-founder Sergey Brin.

Most of us, of course, can’t expect to create a globally recognized image on the back of a napkin—nor do we have deep enough pockets to spend the untold millions that can come with a branding campaign developed by one of the big name agencies.

As a result, the logo design process comes down to creating the best possible concept within the budget you’ve got. Smashing Magazine suggests 5 principles of effective logo design:

• Simple
• Memorable
• Timeless
• Versatile
• Appropriate

It’s an excellent list, but I’d like to dig deeper into #2, Memorable, and briefly discuss a logo project we did last year for Troon Golf. Their goal was to design a logo that would remind golfers of the importance of fast play. (Anyone who’s survived a 6-hour round can attest to how aggravating it is to wait on every single shot.)

Clearly, that mission really couldn’t be accomplished that with just an image, and it would be weak if it only used a phrase: It needed to deliver a message. The final logo incorporated the name of the program, Troon Values Your Time, with a stylized clock and a targeted impact. They want golfers to strive for a round that lasts just under 4 hours.

In essence, the resulting image acts both as a brand booster (“Who values your time? Troon does!”) as well as a specific call to action for golfers. The two components work hand-in-hand. It’s an unusual logo design in general, and a unique one within the golf industry.

Who created your current company logo and how long have you been using it? Are you satisfied with it, or are you hankering for a change?

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