PDGA Updates Branding

[ChrisWoj]

Not exactly major news, but the putting dude logo is out...

https://www.pdga.com/news/dawn-era

Certain aspects of the "throwing man" mark make it clear that it was born into an analogue, print-based world. In the years since, digital, screen-based communications have become the dominant form of interaction between a brand and its audiences. Furthermore, more partners, media outlets, and product manufacturers, etc. exist than ever before, each of which may require the need to broadcast or create products featuring the PDGA brand. A new mark must be versatile for use on all forms of media, yet simple enough to ensure all parties use the mark in consistent ways.

In November 2021, the Media & Marketing team at the PDGA initialized research into the PDGA brand. The group looked at internal brand guides, including mission and vision statements, corporate values and core competencies (i.e. the PDGA's most overarching operational mandates). The team also explored other brands and brand markings in several categories, including international corporations, global sports associations, and disc golf organizations.

This lengthy exploration process led the team to identify a number of brand attributes that should be reflected in future branding and brand visuals:

Authority
Nature
Community
Innovation

As brainstorming and sketching progressed, it became clear the mark should be symbolic, but not complex. It was designed to be meaningful, aspirational, and timeless.

 

[chevis]

 

[Cgkdisc]

Take a close look at the putting man in the early red and blue logo versus the silhouette in the blue and teal logo. They "unisexed" the image a bit for the blue/teal version. With this logo update, they still refer to it as the "throwing man" logo, perhaps to avoid any transgender discussion, and not include that outline in the new logo. Seems like a good strategy.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Aesthetically speaking...not that I am a graphic artist by any stretch...I like the new logo better.

 

[ray1970]

Meh. So the logo is pretty much just "PDGA". Kind of boring. If you want to eliminate the "man" that's fine. In this day and age of not wanting to exclude or offend anyone, I get that. They could have at least included a basket or something. Certainly that piece of equipment that's vital to the sport wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Meh. So the logo is pretty much just "PDGA". Kind of boring. If you want to eliminate the "man" that's fine. In this day and age of not wanting to exclude or offend anyone, I get that. They could have at least included a basket or something. Certainly that piece of equipment that's vital to the sport wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings.

They did include a "chain link" with the DG pressed against each other versus the P and A.

 

[biscoe]

More from the article: The new mark combines lettering with negative space – where the magic happens. Within the arc spanning the width of the graphic, the eye may pick out several images:

The profile of a flying disc
The horizon of the earth
The dawn of a new day

And in the touching "DG":

The links of a basket's chains
The connection of the disc golf community

The blues and greens that will accompany the new logo remain familiar, but brightened. Green symbolizes nature, health, optimism and growth. Blue is professional, stable, sincere and trustworthy.

Thank Dog they pointed out all this... and here I thought it was some letters with a Frisbee silhouette.

 

[GripEnemy]

Thank Dog they pointed out all this... and here I thought it was some letters with a Frisbee silhouette.

Sounds like explaining a banana ducked taped to a wall

 

[BillFleming]

More from the article: The new mark combines lettering with negative space – where the magic happens. Within the arc spanning the width of the graphic, the eye may pick out several images:

The profile of a flying disc
The horizon of the earth
The dawn of a new day

And in the touching "DG":

The links of a basket's chains
The connection of the disc golf community

The blues and greens that will accompany the new logo remain familiar, but brightened. Green symbolizes nature, health, optimism and growth. Blue is professional, stable, sincere and trustworthy.

Thank Dog they pointed out all this... and here I thought it was some letters with a Frisbee silhouette.

I'm with you....all I see is PDGA with a ring going around it - kind of like the rings around Saturn. I was wondering what the point was.

 

[ray1970]

They did include a "chain link" with the DG pressed against each other versus the P and A.

Again, meh.

Not only do I not see the chain link but pretty sure their last logo also overlapped the D and the G so the new one isn't exactly revolutionary.

 

[uncle pennybags]

I get it. It's ok, but I want more.

I want the logo to be more obvious what sport they are promoting to the average person. A fair amount of them do. It feels a bit like all the players using the same idea for their personal branding, couple/few letters in some kind of geometric pattern.

 

[ray1970]

I want the logo to be more obvious what sport they are promoting to the average person. A fair amount of them do.

Exactly.

Unless you are already familiar with what the PDGA is, the logo really doesn't mean anything.

Professional Doorknob Guild of America? Proctologist Doing Good Acts?

 

[biscoe]

The only other thing by which dg would be recognizable is a basket. I used to be in the screen printing business and did a lot of disc golf shirts. Take it from me, it is ****ed hard to make a basket look good. I would imagine there is also some concern over having a basket look too much like one or the other on the market (no matter how generic it will either have a band or it won't). I have no issue with the logo itself, just with the accompanying tale of all its many and varied meanings.

 

[ray1970]

I have no issue with the logo itself, just with the accompanying tale of all its many and varied meanings.

Logos are a lot like jokes- if you have to explain it then it probably isn't a good one.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

Aw, man...The guy putting on the logo was modeled after a photo of somebody I remember from the old days, Ken Gill, brother of the "Blue Gill" course owner Joe. I've always liked the logo. It had a basket on it too, which is a big deal to our sport and you'd think ought to be on our logo.

Ken was one of the better Michigan pros back in the day. I remember him often at Brewer Park.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Tough crowd

 

[enragedmullet]

Aesthetically speaking...not that I am a graphic artist by any stretch...I like the new logo better.

as a graphic designer, I like it more too

 

[ChrisWoj]

Logos are a lot like jokes- if you have to explain it then it probably isn't a good one.

I don't think this logo needed to be explained. The disc profile is obvious. All the padding in what he copy pasted is... like... just excessive. It reads like the company hired to do the design is trying to justify what they got paid. I *do* see the things that are mentioned, like the profile of the earth in abstract... but... whatever. Its PDGA with a disc. Boom. Thats it. All the explanation needed, and I didn't even need that.

 

[Nova P]

This lengthy exploration process led the team to identify a number of brand attributes that should be reflected in future branding and brand visuals:

Authority
Nature
Community
Innovation

(Emphasis added.)

Uh-huh, go ahead and pull my other leg.

 

[ray1970]

The disc profile is obvious.

Is it though?

I bet if you showed the logo to a friend or coworker who isn't familiar with disc golf and asked them about the logo they wouldn't have a clue.