#1: Very Nice! I'd like to see a variation where all the words: OCEAN, DATA and SYSTEMS are given equal prominence (as you did in #6) to compare. As shown, it almost reads like the name of the company is OCEAN. But I have to admit I could be convinced that #1 is a better approach.
I also like the 3D artwork and shadow beneath on #3 and #14.
The only thing I'd experiment with on 3 and 14 are colors. The Blue and Green look great but just for comparison, stay with the BLUE where it is and maybe try changing the green to a different color or perhaps a different shade of green?
So far, 3 and 14 are the leaders. The graphic is striking, but i'd like to explore something that conveys the work we do.
Maybe I can clarify our business a bit. We design and build custom experimental "listening" and "sound generation" electronics for research in sonar and underwater acoustics. These systems are sometimes used near the surface (suspended from buoys) and sometimes are hidden on the bottom in water as deep as 20,000 ft. An example is a high power sound source that hangs off a small boat. The sound mimics navy sonars and is used to study the effect on Whales. A big part of our business is "towed arrays", which are long thin cables instrumented with hydrophones (underwater microphones). These are towed by both submarines, and lately by unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). UUVs look "torpedo-like". A graphic of a torpedo-shaped vehicle towing a thin cable might be interesting. A bunch of small, evenly-spaced dots on the cable would represent the sensors. This might be a smaller, more subtle graphic (maybe under the text). Don't want to get too cluttered, though. I'll rely on your judgement there.
It doesn't matter how much I think to come up with something on that 'torpido with wire' type of concept it kind of gives the wrong message... Abstract torpido doesn't make sense... Realistic one? makes you look like weapon dealer... Still on it though...
Meanwhile you can go ahead and view this one here #21
21 has the simplicity of that sampIe i sent in the .doc. Still prefer 3 and 14, BUT...I'm contemplating another line of test below the other 2, possibly separated by a horizontal line. Haven't finalized it yet but something like "Custom System Design and Fabrication" to give people a little better idea. That addition may look better on 21.
I like 26 alot! I have to work on that 3rd line of text. I think the phrase could be a little longer. I was going to suggest italics for it, but you beat me to it. Nice work! I'm going to move that one to the top when i get back to my PC (IPAD won't let me drag and drop for some reason).
I think the artwork of 26 (and secondarily 4) is what we should focus on. 26 may be a winner as is, but I'm still thinking of minor tweaks to convey "ocean", or possibly "sound", or the towed sensor array. There's a risk of making it too complicated, and my business isn't exclusively underwater instrumentation, so I don't want to go overboard, maybe something subtle?
Crazy idea....maybe that horizontal line could double as a thin sensor cable cable (or hint at it), and a minor tweak to the graphic could be (or hint at) a towing vessel? These sensor are also towed by surface vessels too. (The cable droops down from the surface and becomes horizontal).
36: not bad. Don't care for the vertical line w/dot between the words. It's interesting. Doesn't have the punch of 26 and 24 but could be a contender. Prefer it over 35 and 37 which don't convey "buoy" as well.
36 is better than 40, except let's get rid of the vertical lines between the words. I guess my earlier comment was about making the graphic in 36 a little bigger