Help us pick a new AWSA Logo

[JeffSurdej]

We have 3 days to pick the 8 finalist, when voting I would not worry about the design of the skier silhouettes b/c we can sub in cooler ones, try and decide what overall design you like best.

 

Vote on the top designs and help me pick a winner

 

I am in the process of running a logo design contest on 99designs and have created a poll with 8 of the best logo designs I've received.

 

Now, I need your help to choose a winning logo design. Simply click on the link below and give each of the designs a star rating out of 5. It will only take a couple of minutes to complete.

 

http://99designs.com/logo-design/vote-ahzb2r

 

Best regards,

Jeff Surdej

[Horton]

5 of them are great. One just ok. The other two. .. please no

[Than_Bogan]

Love the ponytail; hate the bent arms.

 

My ranking is similar to the overall ranking, but I liked the "swooshy" one a bit more than others apparently.

[JeffSurdej]

You can also see all 43 designs here if you think one should be in the finals. https://99designs.com/logo-design/contests/waterski-logo-nationals-governing-body-576082

[dchristman]

@jeffsurdej Yikes! I don't think so. Lovely Avenue is obviously the best designer.

[6balls]

#18 lovely avenue

[ThomasAlive]

Ack. My wife and I specialize in this (marketing, branding, advertising, design, web, etc.). I wish I would have known you guys were looking at having a new logo created. We would have done it pro-bono. I agree that Lovely Avenue is the best designer out of the group.

 

Let me know if you guys need any help. We'd love to contribute.

 

[ToddL]

Hmm... No matter the winner, it better look good as a white vinyl sticker on a car window.

 

Here's the top designs thus far...

 

 

 

[unksskis]

Why change it?

[lakeaustinskier]

I'm with @than_bogan about the "swooshy" logo. I'm not saying that I would have picked that logo as my first choice, but at least the swoosh wasn't just a reinvention of the current logo. And considering all the talk about trying to re-market the sport it was disappointing that there weren't some more "youthful" options. Unfortunately I really can't see any of these logos on the back of anyone's car window who is under the age of 45.

[MattP]

Those remind me a lot of the foundation logo.

[Than_Bogan]

@lakeaustinskier @JeffSurdej Hm, seriously consider a re-vote and only let people vote if they are under 25.

 

It's fun for me to rate logos, but who-the-F cares whether some old guy likes it? I'm already "in." If a logo serves any purpose at all, it's to attract the next generation.

[ToddL]

Random thoughts...

 

Brand = Meaningful, Distinctive, Future-Oriented, Modular, Protectable, Positive, Visual*

 

Branding Logos don't have to include letters and words. Anyone who is in AWSA already knows those letters. Anyone who isn't in AWSA has ZERO attraction to those letters. So, why include them? Maybe consider something without them.

 

What sport do you think this is?

http://www.teamusa.org/~/media/USA_Rollersports/Discipline%20Icons/Figure/USARS%20Figure%20Icon%20600x375.jpg

If you did that sport recreationally, would you be drawn to that logo?

 

Or focus solely on what defines us: WaterSki (leave off the A's)

WS! what can we do graphically with those two letters which represents skiing on the water?

 

If you were a water skier or extreme sports type of person, what image on the window of a car would make you interested to google it and learn more? What image would cause you to think - hey, whatever that is, I'd probably should find out about it?

 

http://famouslogos.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/top-100-brands-of-the-world-2011.gif http://1234kyle5678.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Fashion-Brand-Logos-1234KYLE5678.jpg

 

 

Types of Logos:*

Word Mark (Coke-a-Cola, Google)

Symbol/Icon (Apple, Nike)

Combo (AT&T)

Badge (Starbucks)

 

What type works for Millennials? (I'm thinking Badge and Symbols...)

 

I know we like the 3EV inclusion, but I'm pretty sure that about 80% of new competitors started off in slalom event. If 3EV is difficult, then maybe focus only on slalom imagery.

 

Maybe we need something very different?

 

More reading...

 

 

http://famouslogos.net/blog/

 

 

 

 

[Nando]

Give ThomasAlive a shot- give somebody else a shot!

[E_T]

Needs a tribal font

[Zman]

#14 But, then my vote shouldn't count, I'm one of those old farts @Than_Bogan warned about...

[Russell]

@ToddL has a point. I'm not sure about that sample logo, but something simple is best. I like them until I thought about a sticker on the car and then realize it's to much. Best logo in sports = Ironman logo. 3 events, but their logo is simpler and immediately recognizable.

 

[ToddL]

So, I hope that if a logo design is chosen, that AWSA will work with the artist to ensure that the skiers are truly 3EV skiers.

 

I see lots of wake board, snow skiers, one looks like a bare-footer in a toe hold. Should we assume that if the look is good, that the images will be replaced with representative images of true 3EV skiers in good form? I hope so.

[Chef23]

I agree with what @Russell had to say. I think you also want to think about what would look good on a tshirt. I am not sure any of the final designs would look great on a shirt. Unfortunately I am not a graphic designer so I have complaints and issues but no solutions. Maybe something that emphasizes the WS somehow.

 

[harddock]

I have no problem with AWSA - Personally like it better than USA Waterski. My kids ski in AWSA and INT League which I could never figure how that name could be associated with the sport. I'd buy a T shirt with any of those top 3 if only AWSA made them in 3x!

[JeffSurdej]

Yes if we choose one of these we will make sure they have great looking skier, some of these are quite interesting to see what outsiders think of our sport. I'm torn to go simple or make sure we have awsa and 3 events. On one hand, lets face it, we are not selling a product like apple, doesn't mean our goal is not to get big and develop a brand, but right now we have 7k members in awsa, and there are 5 billion cars in the world so I don't think this is going to become a global brand via any logo. The truth is the brand needs to be at USAwaterski level, we are a SD under them, our goal with this logo is much more centered around letting waterskiers know that we are the 3 event side of USAwaterski, or if thats too crowded at least the slalom side. Yes it will be on clothing and possibly cars but I wonder if its more important to make sure the logo signifies what we are as sport division or get funky and make a branded cool logo? Keep the advice coming. We have 5 finalist designer now so now we can make those designers work on new logos, i will have them try more centered around simplier logo like ironman, but what we cant really use words b/c we dont have one word to describe awsa so we need to go the apply way if anything.

[lpskier]

#14 by Abu Mu'adz is my choice. To me it says cool and hip. The blocky styles that have the votes just seem like more of the same as compared to the current USAWS logo. I think the logo needs to grab your attention, which 14 does for me. It is very reminiscent of Olympic logos (host city, not the five rings). The others would be fine if my goal was to fall asleep. it may not be the best image for a die cut sticker, but I see it making a great poster, shirt, letterhead, award, etc.

[lpskier]

I'll tell you one place where the Ironman logo really shines: a lot of finishers get it tattooed on themselves. I don't see any of the blocky "AWSA" logos making much of a tattoo!

[Broussard]

@JeffSurdej In my opinion, the light grey circular logo would appeal most to the youth.

[Fast351]

Most of the designs have far too many letters and not enough of a "badge" type design. (Like @ToddL and @Russell mentioned)

 

It looks boring and outdated. The fact that most of the logos have the abbreviation and the meaning thereof underneath it suggests that it needs explanation, which is not eyecatching.

 

Fast food franchises are probably the best example of this. Nobody mistakes the Golden Arches for anything but McDonalds. Other examples are Wendy's, Burger King, Taco Bell. All very recognizable.

 

Fun test of how recognizable stuff is. Drive down the road and look at the blue "food this exit" signs on the highways. See which logos you recognize while they're still a blob on a blue background.

 

[jcamp]

Well to be fair @fast351 those logos have each been supported by billions of dollars of advertising ...

[DW]

My vote would be to focus on making the product great, people will then know what the logo signifies.

[ToddL]

@DW has a point. Look at Yeti. People buy Yeti stickers, hats, and shirts. The brand is a status culture.

 

Back in the 80s, AWSA was a status culture that said, "I am a competitor."

[unksskis]

I appreciate what seems to be an attempt at inclusion of all 3 sports, but it makes it too busy, hard to decipher what is all in it, and I personally will not put a toe tricker on my car, boat, etc. Nothing is wrong with the original, why was it not an option to even vote on?

[DooSPX]

I know this is a little old and I like the Logo's but I agree with a lot of statements about them being busy. Also, about what @DW said. I believe the draw to the the 3EV of waterskiing is going to be Slalom and Jump. Jump more so than anything now really. On the outside looking in, the jump is the easiest to understand and it has that death defying monarch to it.

[Broussard]

@unksskis Because the old logo is outdated, looks like crap, and is not the right branding to move the sport forward and turn around a trend of declining membership. What we have now is clearly not working and something has to be done to turn this sport around before it completely dies out.

[Waternut]

I'd put a picture of a simple waterski or a silhouette of someone going around a buoy on my car regardless of whether it said AWSA or not. I would not put something on my car where the letters AWSA are the main attraction though.