What’s the Nike “swoosh” logo worth? – SCN Encourager 4/2/2014

I’m not sure I really want to know.

I’d get depressed.

Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers  – and his new $292 million contract – is better suited for this kind of extravagant daydreaming.

But still –

It’s hard to believe that a struggling graphic designer in 1971 was only paid $35 for creating the original Nike logo.

This icon represents a multi-billion dollar brand today.

I wonder if company co-founder Phil Knight is still fretting about having paid too much for it 43 years ago.

I doubt if he’s losing much sleep about it now, though.

But I’ll bet the unknown graphic designer (now in his or her 60s) sure has a regret or two.

Even if we haven’t had any experience in creating a new logo, we all know that a number of considerations go into the development of an effective one.

A logo is so much more than a mere visual identifier.

Once it becomes recognizable out in the public, it also evokes feelings of the brand’s unique culture, mindset, and organizational behavior. (aka trust)

Here’s an amazingly simple chart that delivers a host of logo-related insights, facts, and design did-you-knows.

Check out the article that precedes it, too.

Both the chart and the article will take up about 3-4 minutes.

As school leaders and communicators, the fact that logos are recognized by two and three year-olds will hardly surprise you, but there are some new takeaways for you to mentally cart off.

Even if it’s just down the road to your local pub for “Trivia” night.

Did you know that the Coca-Cola logo has been largely unchanged for 128 years?

The chart also highlights four other logos with no-change-ever rich histories.

Apparently, the Lions will win the Super Bowl before Coke will radically re-work its look.

But Coke has built a $60 billion brand since 1886 so maybe the lesson here is all about managing the use of a logo consistently INSTEAD OF changing the look of a logo frequently.

And yep… the article and chart about logos includes a tip for improving student scores on standardized tests.

It’s right there in the “You’ve got to be kidding me!” category.

My favorite place.

Tom Page, SCN