Every day a person comes across hundreds of logos. They have become so familiar that few people think about what they mean. But in fact, creating even the simplest logos often takes months of work and millions of dollars, and almost every one of them has some subtext. Our review contains 10 famous logos with an explanation of their meaning.
1. Fedex
The logo of an American logistics company consists of 2 parts: the inscription "Fed" purple and "Ex" orange color. It seems like nothing special, so why has such a modest logo won dozens of awards? The solution is simple - the space between the letters "Ex" forms an arrow, which on a subconscious level is associated with the speed and professionalism of the company.
2. McDonalds
Most believe that the logo of the McDonalds fast food restaurant chain is nothing more than the first letter of the company name, painted in golden color. However, fans of Freud's theory argue that this letter shape evokes associations with a mother's breastfeeding breasts.
3. Museum of London
The Museum of London is dedicated to the history of this city from its founding to the present day. In 2010, the museum's management decided to update its image in order to become more attractive to a youth audience. The new logo was made in bright colors and is sure to attract attention. At first glance, the new logo immediately brings to mind a map of London. And each of the colored contours represents the boundaries of the city limits of the British capital in different historical eras.
4. Adidas
Name of famous manufacturer sportswear and accessories arose from a combination of the first and last names of its founder, Adolf Dassler. Over the 66 years of the company's existence, its logo has changed several times, but it has always had three stripes. Today the logo has three sloping stripes in the shape of a triangle, symbolizing a mountain. This metaphor means conquering new heights.
5. Mitsubishi
In 1873, Mitsubishi was founded as a result of the merger of two shipbuilding companies. The company's logo was created by combining the coats of arms of its creators - the three-leaf coat of arms of the Tosa clan and the three diamonds of the Iwasaki family. Three diamonds symbolize reliability, integrity and success, while the color red signifies trust and attracts customers to the brand.
7. Google
The Google logo looks very simple - just a regular inscription, the letters of which have different colors. In fact, when creating the Google logo, the designers wanted to reflect the company's sense of "rebellious spirit." The secret of the logo lies in the colors of the letters: the primary colors (blue, yellow and orange) are suddenly interrupted by a green letter that stands out from the scheme. So Google decided to highlight its unconventionality and unwillingness to play by the rules.
7. Animal Planet
Animal Planet's logo used to feature an elephant reaching with its trunk toward a miniature Earth. However, in 2008 the channel was rebranded in order to increase its appeal to a wider audience. The channel had to get rid of long and boring documentaries and move on to exciting reports. The new logo, as Animal Planet representatives explained, should represent instincts, the jungle and primal emotions. Quite a lot of emotion for an emblem that had one letter upside down.
8. NBC
It is no secret that the logo of the NBC television network symbolizes a peacock, but few people guess why this is so. It was actually a marketing gimmick to get people to buy color TVs. At the time the logo was created, NBC was owned by the electronics company Radio Corporation of America (RCA). RCA wanted to show the public that relatively high price TV is entirely due to the ability to view pictures in color.
9. Amazon
At first glance, the Amazon.com company logo is very simple - the name is in bold black font with a curving yellow arrow underneath it. But what does this arrow symbolize? First, it represents the smile of a satisfied customer. And secondly, the yellow arrow goes from the letter “A” (the first letter in the alphabet) to the letter “Z” (the last letter of the alphabet), which symbolizes the variety of Amazon products.
10. Pepsi
The Pepsi logo is a simple circle with the top half red, the bottom half blue, and a wavy white line running between them. At first glance, these are the colors of the American flag. But in reality, Pepsi has spent hundreds of millions on its current logo. The branding agency that designed the Pepsi logo presented a 27-page report that describes the many meanings that went into the logo. It symbolizes the Earth's magnetic field, feng shui, Pythagoras, geodynamics, probability theory and much more.
We have collected examples of how best company logos, and not entirely successful. We'll tell you why they became this way and what they can teach us. But before we get started, here are a few important things about logos and company business. These basic principles will help you navigate the value of a logo in an organization’s business, its connection with success and the cost of logo development:
The success of the company as a whole does not depend on the quality and thoughtfulness of the design. If any other sign had been in place of the Apple logo, would the company have been less successful? Hardly.
No one needs a logo by itself. It's how and where you use it that matters. Successful organizations use a logo at all customer touchpoints. In this way, customers have a continuous association of the company with its products and the experience they receive by interacting with the company.
- Profitable successful business/ high-quality expensive design - excellent!
- Profitable successful business / bad cheap design - bad!
- Unstable unprofitable business / high-quality expensive design - terrible!
- Unstable unprofitable business / bad cheap design - bad!
- Young business/inexpensive logo - ok!
So now is the time to move on from general principles To specific examples. Let's start with samples, you can familiarize yourself with them in the next section of the article.
The best logos of firms and companies
We have selected for you the most striking examples of quality logos that have helped a number of companies become global leaders in their industries. These include brands such as:
General Electric
The logo of General Electric, one of the leading technology manufacturers, has remained virtually unchanged since the company was founded in 1892.
And why was it necessary to change it? The "GE" initials, crafted in an intricate font and framed by arched strokes, combine simplicity and efficiency - qualities that customers expect from General Electric products. Moreover, the emblem, built around an Art Nouveau pattern, resembles a spinning drum washing machine- one of the company's most popular products.
JPMorgan Chase
JPMorgan Chase is one of the leading financial conglomerates and the largest bank, with assets worth a whopping $2.35 trillion.
Moreover, JPMorgan Chase ranks sixth in the ranking of the largest publicly traded companies in the world. In other words, this is a brand that speaks for itself.
It must be admitted that the bank managed to accurately convey its dominant position with the help of its logo.
What makes the JPMorgan Chase logo recognizable and effective?
With a simple, bold font and minimal use of graphics, the JPMorgan Chase logo conveys power and authority and seems to say, “If you don’t pay on time, we’ll charge you a late fee like you never imagined.” Harsh, isn't it? But one cannot expect any other attitude from such a serious organization.
If you are even a little familiar with, then you don't need to explain what Facebook is.
It is noteworthy that Mark Zuckerberg's company was originally called "The Facebook". But the article in the name did not last long, and the company itself made a real revolution in the Internet community, rapidly becoming the most popular social platform in the world.
The Facebook logo has the most valuable quality in graphic design - it provides instant brand identification. Taking care to maintain a recognizable visual image, the company made only minor stylistic changes to its logo, leaving the main elements intact.
ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil is the largest oil company in the world, bringing astronomical profits to its owners and shareholders. Exxon and Mobil were once two different firms that decided to combine their knowledge and resources in 1998 (perhaps with ambitious goal establishing world domination).
Such a successful and reputable organization should have a corresponding logo! But in this case, as they say, something went wrong. The ExxonMobil logo, with its simple, bland design, fails to capture the character of such a powerful brand.
Unfortunately, the logos of individual companies before their merger often look more distinctive and original than the emblem of the merged company.
What conclusion can be drawn from this story? Less is not always better.
I think millions of people will subscribe to my words if I say: “THANK YOU, AMAZON!” Thanks to Amazon Prime, I can order absolutely anything and have it delivered within 48 hours (or less). And all this with free (or almost free) delivery.
Knowing its strengths very well, the online store masterfully reflected them in its logo. Do you see the arrow that stretches from A to Z? Symbolizing directional movement, the arrow indicates that Amazon will deliver your order from its warehouse directly to your door. But that's not all the meaning contained in this simple icon. The arrow also resembles a smile, indicating that the company guarantees high quality service, ensuring that its customers are satisfied.
Microsoft
Despite some missteps that have accumulated over the past few years (yes, Zune and Windows 10, we're talking about exactly about you!), Microsoft did an excellent job with the redesign of its logo in 2012.
The logo, which lasted from 1987 to 2012, was pretty good (I especially liked the “O”, which looked like Pac-Man), but left a lot to be desired from a design standpoint.
In terms of color new logo looks much friendlier. And whoever came up with the idea of presenting the company’s main products in the form of four square windows is a real genius! The blue window symbolizes the Windows operating system, the red one represents the Office software package, the green one represents the Xbox game console, and the yellow one... The yellow one does not mean anything, but since the window cannot have three panels, we will assume that it is necessary.
And it's also worth noting that of all the companies on this list, Microsoft is experiencing the most serious problems with the construction of a sustainable visual image. Judge for yourself: every time the computer giant makes changes to its logo, it looks completely new, as if it has nothing in common with the company’s previous logos.
Nike is known not only for its sports shoes, but also for having one of the best logos in the business world. The famous Nike swoosh serves a shining example that visual image can play a huge role in building reputation and turning an ordinary company into a reliable, respected brand. If earlier the Nike emblem was not considered something remarkable, then over time it became a visual identification sports culture.
IN English speaking countries The Nike swoosh is known as the "swoosh". “Swoosh” is the sound we hear when an object suddenly rushes past us. Thus, this word denotes a sharp sound, speed and movement, which is successfully reflected in the curved shape of the logo.
The story of the Nike “swoosh” is remarkable in that it demonstrates the development of the logo from “ ugly duckling", which no one liked, until " beautiful swan", which attracts admiring glances.
The “parents” of the legendary BMW logo were the round Rapp-Motor emblem with a black silhouette of a horse and the Bavarian flag with its characteristic blue and white checkerboard pattern. This is how the familiar black circle appeared, inside which there were blue and white quadrants.
After World War I, which ended with the Treaty of Versailles, the company switched from aircraft production to the production of motorcycles and cars. The BMW emblem has remained virtually unchanged since 1917. The most noticeable transformation occurred in 2000, when the logo acquired volume due to the 3D effect.
Mastercard
Back in 1966, Mastercard was known as Master Charge, and its first logo featured two intersecting circles (bright orange and yellowish red) with the words “Master Charge: The Interbank Card.”
In 1979, the company shortened its name to the capacious MasterCard. New name - updated logo! The colors on the emblem have become brighter, and the font has become more solid. In 1996, the logo became three-dimensional: now “slits” appeared in the area where the two circles intersect.
FedEx
In 1971, the Postal Service's logo featured the company's full name, "Federal Express," at an angle.
The emblem was made in patriotic red and blue colors, which evoked associations with American government. Having gained popularity thanks to its original logo, the brand decided to say goodbye to it in 1994. The new design was as inventive as the old one: hidden between the letters E and X is an arrow that points to speed and accuracy as the main advantages of the postal company.
The first IBM logo was created in 1924, when the Computing-Tabulating-Recording company was renamed International Business Machines.
So the company name acquired a more modern sound, and the 1924 logo became updated version 1911 emblem formerly used by CTR. The subtle CTR logo with its airy, ornate font gave way to the bulky inscription “International Business Machines” (with an emphasis on the word “International”), which was placed inside a circle symbolizing the globe. In 1947, when the brand carried out a significant modernization of its technology, the round emblem was replaced by the abbreviation “IBM”, which was destined to become the symbol of the company. In 1956, graphic designer Paul Rand redrawn the letters, making them black and more massive. The new design emphasized the brand's qualities of stability and sustainability. In 1972, Rand was commissioned to rework the image he had created. To create a dynamic and flexible image, the designer made “slots” on the abbreviation. This is how the famous “striped” logo came about, which IBM is pleased with to this day.
Despite the apparent diversity of all of the above signs, they were all designed with similar criteria in mind, which is what made them so successful. It is these factors that we will discuss further.
What can we learn from these logos?
What conclusions can an entrepreneur draw from reading the stories behind these logos?
Decide what your logo should communicate about your brand
The logo should reflect the essence of your brand, emphasizing its most character traits. For example, looking at the JPMorgan Chase logo, you immediately understand that we are talking about an influential company with a reputation built up over the years. How does your logo characterize your business?
In just a couple of minutes you can create and download a logo for your organization. The small logo is available for free.
What's the most important lesson you learned from this article on good and bad logo examples? Do you have any more tips for entrepreneurs who are working on their corporate branding? Share your ideas in the comments!
When starting to create a logo, many designers carefully study the history of the brand and its main audience. A successful logo is obtained only when it accurately matches the image of the company. Whether the logo is aesthetically attractive is not so important, the main thing is that it is correctly read by the target audience. After all, identity is created not for the client, but for people, and therefore it needs to be simple and recognizable. At the same time, despite constantly changing trends, the logo design must be “long-lived”, since the logo will be used for at least several years.
Since 2008, the owners of the website howdesign.com have annually held a competition for the best logo, in which designers from all over the world take part. This year, the results of the competition will be summed up in October 2015, but now there is an opportunity to see some of the most interesting works, which may well deserve the HOW Logo Design Awards. We present to your attention 9 of the most inspiring logos submitted to the competition.
LOGOHORUS
Created by designer Martin Cavalieri, the logo of the Horus company, which produces mobile devices for blind and visually impaired people, extremely concise. The logo depicts the head of a hawk, a bird with acute vision. And the name Horus reminds us of the ancient Egyptian Horus - the hawk-headed god. A great example of a simple, but at the same time very informative logo.
LOGO REDESIGNRU TV
Moscow design studio The Bakery presented an updated logo for the RU TV channel for the competition. The designers faced difficult task– the previous logo was well known to the audience, so it was impossible to radically change the design. As a result, it was decided to use the image of a wave. Since the TV channel is musical, the new logo includes an image of a sound wave turning into a light wave. The solution is very non-standard, so the studio has developed a special application that automates the creation of waves and distortions in files intended for printing. As a result, even an ordinary TV channel employee can order a business card with an original wave. The logo itself does not change.
REDESIGNLOGOTHE GREAT SOUTHERN DENIM CO.
The logo design for The Great Southern Denim Co., which produces denim, was created by Ye Olde. Although appearance the logo has changed a lot, its style remains the same – it’s retro.
MOVEMENT LOGOFLOW
The Flow music movement was born out of the efforts of DJ Frankie Rizardo, who promoted new music on the radio station FM Slam. The movement has now become so popular that it needs its own identity. Designers from Studio Hands worked on creating the Flow corporate identity. As in the case of RU TV, we have a logo that cannot be repeated one to one. The logo itself is quite simple: a triangle (graphic sign) and the brand name, typed in a strict sans-serif font. The bright cloud surrounding the logo was created very simply: the designer photographed a drop of paint that dissolves in water.
LOGOPRINT BRITANNIA
The Print Britannia logo was created by designer Milena Wlodarczyk. A simple and elegant solution that plays on the capital letters of the brand name.
LOGOSTROLL
Stroll is a social network for people who love walking tours. The logo design was created by Yomagick studio. Stroll recently released mobile app, with which you can examine the most interesting places many cities in the world. The logo is immediately recognizable as a standard mark on a map, and the “legs” hint at hiking. Good example simple and clear logo.
LOGOMISS MOONSHINES
The Miss Moonshines grill house logo was created by Faber&Lo studio designers. The project was launched in New Zealand with the aim of introducing local residents With culinary traditions southern states USA. The second vintage logo in this collection clearly shows that antique design is still in trend.
SMILE BAR DENTISTRY LOGO
The logo design, as well as the corporate identity of Smile Bar Dentistry, which provides high-quality dental services, was created by designer Saxon Campbell. Despite its simplicity, the logo is quite informative - you can see both a smile and a bar counter in it, if you look at it from above. An absolutely wonderful example of a dental logo. As a rule, the thought of most designers does not go further than the image of a tooth with eyes, but here the artist managed to avoid such cliches.
LOGO BUTCHER PLATE
Another vintage logo. Apparently Butcher Plate is a restaurant or chain of restaurants, hence the retro logo.
Do you think creating a logo is easy? Think carefully. Creating a visual image is not just about writing the company name in a square or circle. A good logo should best represent your company. There is no place for random elements in a logo, because its purpose is to tell potential clients about who you are and what you do. Competent logo designers are in high demand these days, and this is no coincidence. A logo forms the first impression of your business, which influences how customers view your brand and their decisions to purchase your products or services.
How to come up with a creative logo
If you feel like your creative juices have run out and interesting ideas pass you by, don’t despair. Here are some tips to help you improve the situation:
- Browse thematic sites
These don’t necessarily have to be sites about logo design, because the Internet has a huge number of useful resources with unique content. Look for inspiration anywhere. For example, on websites dedicated to photography. Beautiful, original images will help awaken your imagination and direct your thoughts into the right direction.
- Learn from others
Are you working on a logo for a restaurant? Then be sure to look at the templates of the best restaurants (especially those that specialize in the same cuisine). Are you developing a logo for a serious financial company? See how other designers have brought their ideas to life on this topic. This is not about copying the ideas of others. Your task is to check which ideas have not yet been implemented.
- Get to know the company better
Get to know the history of the company's development. What factors played a key role in it? Understand what the company's mission, vision and values are. What does she strive for and what principles is she guided by? Study the company's approach to organizing work processes and customer service. How do its clients see the company? Such information will help you identify the characteristic symbols of the business. Placed on the logo, such symbols will tell target audience About company.
- Nothing complicated
Just take a pen and paper and draw whatever comes to mind. When you start overthinking and overcomplicating, you simply don't have the energy to come up with interesting ideas. And when you relax, your hand, uninhibited by thoughts, simply draws lines. Your subconscious starts the creative process, and one of these “random” lines can become decisive for your future logo and, accordingly, the entire brand.
- Have a rest
You pause. If you work and think too much, your brain will quickly become tired. And from a tired brain wait original ideas no need to. Of course, here you can remember how a brilliant thought once came to you after several sleepless nights. But if you give your brain and body a chance to reset, you'll be more productive later.
Well, do you have more inspiration? Then let's start creating a logo.
Basic rules for creating logos
Here are a few simple rules, which will help you create an effective, memorable logo that will successfully cope with the tasks assigned to it.
Remember to keep it simple
By including too many details in your logo, you risk being misunderstood by your audience. Remember that the company will have to reduce the logo to fit it, for example, on key chains or letterhead. In this case, a template overloaded with elements will turn into a blur on which nothing can be made out.
Compliance with the brand theme
What associations come to your mind when you think of an aquarium? Most likely it will be Blue colour, dolphin, whale and similar concepts. If you put a monkey or a zebra on the aquarium logo, it will cause nothing but confusion. Remember that all elements of your logo should be consistent with the theme of the brand and reflect its scope of activity, goals and values.
Color is critical
When choosing a color palette, you must constantly keep in mind the image of the brand and the main qualities that characterize it. For example, bright and bold colors are effective at attracting attention, but may also appear harsh; muted shades create a complex, interesting image, but may go unnoticed. Each color carries certain connotations. By decorating your logo in “random” colors, you risk giving your audience the wrong impression of the brand. you can learn more about the psychology of colors. 
Font selection
Finding the right font at the optimal size is not as easy as it seems.
If your logo has text, be prepared to try hundreds of fonts to find the best one.
Experiment with serif and sans serif fonts, as well as cursive, cursive, and bold fonts. Don't forget about custom fonts.
There are three things to consider when choosing a font for your logo: important points:
- Avoid popular fonts (such as Comic Sans), otherwise your logo will look unprofessional and your audience will not be able to take it seriously.
- Make sure your font (especially if it's handwritten) remains readable even when scaled down.
- Limit yourself to one font, maximum two.
Consider using a custom font. An original font will help your brand stand out from other companies. Successful examples emblems of such giants as Yahoo!, Twitter and Coca Cola can serve.
Don't be afraid to experiment
Just because every bank in your area uses gold in their logos doesn't mean you have to do the same. There is no need to copy the best company logos in your industry. If other pastry shops often feature rolling pins on their logos, you don't have to blindly follow this trend. Don't be afraid to experiment and go your own way.
Use online resources and tools
Whether you're looking for inspiration, help or collaboration opportunities, you'll find it all online.
You probably know from your own experience that if you first look for a little inspiration, then starting a complex business becomes much easier. We advise you to delve into huge collection logos on the famous website Logopond.
If you want to create a logo on your own, we recommend the best logo generator. This tool will help you generate an interesting logo in just a few minutes. All you need to do is indicate your company name and industry. The service will offer you dozens of beautiful icons. Choose any option you like and download it to your computer. Or edit the color, text, icon, and layout until you see your dream logo on screen. Logaster offers several logo versions for social networks(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+). Moreover, on the site you can create a business card or envelope with your new logo. With Logaster, anyone can create a professional logo. This does not require any special knowledge or skills!
45 logo ideas
If you decide to make a truly high-quality logo, be prepared to devote a lot of effort and time to this activity. Moreover, you should be aware of the latest design trends. The emblem is the main corporate identity of your company, which influences the audience's perception of your brand. A good logo should be attractive and easy to remember so that your potential customers want to return to your site. We've collected 45 original logos that are definitely worth your attention. We hope they inspire you to create your own masterpieces.
Don't forget to write in the comments which emblems you liked the most. You can also try making your own logo right now with
