There hasn’t been any shortage of news around the 2012 Olympic logo and how it fails to deliver on the core message. However, I think Seth Godin comments miss the mark with what the purpose of a logo is.

He quotes:

“If you’re given the task of finding a logo for an organization, your first task should be to try to get someone else to do it. If you fail at that, find an abstract image that is clean and simple and carries very little meaning–until your brand adds that meaning. It’s not a popularity contest. Or a job for a committee. It’s not something where you should run it by a focus group. It’s just a placeholder, a label waiting to earn some meaning.”

Mr. Godin suggest that if you need to “find” a logo for your company you should just pick an abstract image and you will be fine. He is serious?

OK, I’m sure that works but is it putting your best foot forward? Also, the companies he writes about (Nike, Apple, Starbucks) have huge marketing budgets that do nothing but pound these brands in our heads. Also, I don’t believe none of those companies just picked a random image.

I do agree completely with his statement that a company shouldn’t have to spend a fortune to create a logo but to just pick some random image that doesn’t portray anything about your company is a mistake. Customers are quick to judge and having a logo that doesn’t portray your company accurately, or professionally for that matter, doesn’t seem to be the best idea.