Introducing the new TC SURFSKI Logo
Our first logo was clever and unique, and has served us well for the past three years, but as the business and brand has evolved, I felt it was time for a make over. One of my all time best customers, Ulli Sherer, contacted me to get permission to embroider my logo onto some clothing and I mentioned I was actually in the process of considering a new logo. She quickly volunteered her son Riley (who works at Google in San Francisco) to assist with the effort. So the initial effort started last fall and we gradually worked together and refined it over the past several months. I couldn’t be happier with where we landed and owe it to Riley’s professional approach and amazing talent.
In my mind, the surfski is all about modern and sleek design, simplicity, and elegance, and I wanted this reflected in our logo. It is also about achieving that ever so desirable state of flow and always about balance, so I wanted to be sure we incorporated those concepts as well. Add to those fundamental aspects, the beautiful fresh blue waters we get to paddle in Northern Michigan and the swells we are forever chasing and you have the foundational aspects of our new logo.
Balance
The Ying Yang symbol served as an initial inspiration that represented the concept of balance. Physical balance is of course fundamental to paddling a surfski, but balance is also much more than than. We are all constantly seeking to achieve the optimal balance in our lives between family, work, health, hobbies, contributions, etc.. and much as it is with a surfski, in life this is never anything we perfect, rather something we always strive to improve, albeit sometimes at almost imperceptible levels. As in life and with the surfski, balance is learned, it takes concerted effort, it does not come natural to many, but it can be continuously improved by all.
Flow
Another concept I was excited to convey was Flow. Lately the concept of flow has received a lot of media attention in the positive psychology and mindfulness worlds. It is defined in the positive psychology realm as “a mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. “ While one person may find their perfect flow in the glassy early morning water of a small lake or river, another may find it in wind whipped waves that appear completely chaotic and extremely dangerous to an untrained paddler. The key point is that there is no right flow, it is unique to each and every person, but equally special. Having a flow experience on water holds even more power when you start to consider the brain’s connection to water and the positive neurological effects it can have.
Swell
The new logo can also be viewed as a perfect swell. There are many cool logos incorporating breaking waves, and I was very tempted by many of them, but truly with a surfski, we aren’t chasing big breaking waves, rather nicely formed swells. Once you have a few good downwind experiences, the vision of swell will be forever ingrained in your mind. I find myself drawn to swell anytime and anywhere, even looking out the window of an airplane at 30 thousand feet on an ice cold winter day, if I see swell on the water, it triggers happy emotions, and I want to be there!
Shades of Blue
If you’ve spent any amount of time on our website, you’ve seen the amazing shades of blue we are so fortunate to experience on the waters in Northern Michigan. I wanted to be certain our logo characterized this and was able to trigger those same happy emotions that come from seeing swells.
Simplicity
The new logo is intentionally very simple, less is more. This took me a little while to learn, but truly to symbolize the surfski you must keep it simple. In many ways the surfski is the ultimate unfickle watercraft and sport. You can paddle in virtually any type of conditions and always have a blast doing so. I wanted to be certain we captured simple elegance.
I hope you are as excited about it as I am. Keep your eyes out for some cool new gear sporting the new logo, that should be available this spring / summer.
