What makes a good LOGO?

According to Lee Newham:
It’s describable
It’s memorable
It’s effective without colour
It’s scalablee i.e. works when just an inch in size
It’s relevant to the industry in question

Memorable. A logo must be memorable. Nike, AT&T, HP, Microsoft, etc., all have memorable logos. In fact, a logo defines a product--people associate positive or negative attributes to a company when they see a logo. Therefore, any enterprise must have a catchy, unique logo that demands attention and is easily remembered so that a person may associate his or her product with that logo. In my opinion, the "memorable" factor is the most important when selecting a logo. Color or no color, I want to see a logo that is simple yet creative, easy to read, and eye-catching.

Timeless. A logo must be timeless. It cannot be so specific that it would not adequately represent a new, innovative product. That logo should be a "blanket" for everything that comes underneath it, whether that be pages of information or listings of commodities. I would be confused if a company continually switched logos. Like the idea of people wanting prices to stay the same in a market economy, people want logos to stay the same--familiarity.

Relevant. A logo must be relevant. For example, a pet store that only sells dogs should not have a cat as a logo because it misrepresents its products and mission. I do not want to see an image and wonder why it is associated with a specific company.

GOOD LOGOS!

MSN- The MSN design has the company name in big, bold letters catching the viewers attention. Similarly, the butterfly complements the letters and is multi-colored. I like how the butterfly suggests movement, and thus innovation.

World Wildlife Fund - This is an example of an effective black and white logo. It is easily recognizable, and it's lack of solid "lines" allow it to be a flexible logo.

Univision - This logo takes a seemingly normal flag and makes it more interesting by curving the top left corner. The colors also attract the viewer's attention.

Apple - The rainbow colored apple is unique and stands out among the other logos. The apple logo is probably one of the most recognizable in the world. Apples are associated with knowledge, so this was a perfect choice for a successful, innovative computer company.

ABBA - Their logo is very simple yet demands attention. It adequately represents the band (the first names of the band members) and can easily be written on album covers and t-shirts. The backwards B creates a point of interest for the eye, catching the viewer's attention.