Agree, in the world of brands there are very few logos that everyone recognizes, they recognize thanks to colorful advertising on television or colorful advertising posters hung around the streets of the city.
How the history of the "logo" began
Logo is a historically proven way to present your corporate identity to the consumer. We are accustomed to perceive any brand through a series of associations, which are mainly associated with well-known slogans, advertising and a recognizable sign.
Seeing branding like Coca-Cola, three Adidas stripes, four Audi rings, or two Toyota ovals brings to mind the commercials we see every day on television. In this list of well-known brands, the Apple logo has rightfully received its place. Find out how these named images were created.
Apple by Apple
Probably, many people are interested to know what is the history of the logo. The Apple logo was first created by Ronald Wayne. Unfortunately, this name tells us little, and yet Wayne is the third founder of Apple, as well as the great loser of the 20th century. Whyis it a loser? Yes, because Ronald, 11 days after the official registration, sold his 10 percent stake in the company for only $ 800. If Wayne had a little patience and a bit of intuition, he would certainly have entered the Forbes list of the richest and most famous people on the planet today with a fortune of $ 30 billion. However, Ronald simply did not believe that Apple was waiting for such a success.
However, according to the history of the Apple logo, today's version has little in common with what was originally created. More precisely, almost nothing but an apple. But it was a work of art! Wayne's painting showed the brilliant scientist Isaac Newton about to fall on an apple. This picture was truly magnificent, but not very suitable for the realities of modern business, so Ronald Wayne's idea lasted only a year.
Then Steve Jobs (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Apple Corporation) turned to graphic designer Rob Yanov. Jobs needed a simple, modern-looking, recognizable brand image that would have a direct connection with the company's activities. Rob completed the task in about a week.
In one of the interviews, Yanov talked about how he did it. Rob bought apples and began to draw them, gradually getting rid of unnecessary details. He made the famous “bite” on purpose: it was necessary to portray the symbol of the company in such a way that it was strongly associated with apples, and not with fruits, vegetables or berries in general. Rob Yanov intentionally made the logocolor.
This was supposed to reflect the fact that the company produces computers with color monitors, the display of which at that time could display six colors, which were present on the logo. Janov placed the colors in random order. In this form, as evidenced by the history of the Apple logo, the brand image lasted another 22 years.
However, in 1998, Jonathan Ive, a designer who collaborated with Apple, came up with a new case for the iMac G3. It became clear that a colored logo on a colored poppy would look ridiculous. That's why, according to the history of the logo, the company's logo from 1998 to this day looks like a laconic, monochrome symbol in the form of a bitten black apple.
Winged emblem for Skoda
Who would have thought that the history of the Skoda logo began at the end of the 19th century, and most importantly, that it all started with bicycles and motorcycles! It would seem that it would be quite difficult to switch from the manufacture of two-wheeled vehicles to something more serious.
However, if you think about it, in the 18th century, no one suspected such an interesting technique as a car. But still it happened! All bicycles and motorcycles of the Slavia company, which existed for about 10 years, were made in a workshop in the city of Mlada Boleslav. As the story of the Skoda logo tells, the initial sketch of the emblem was a wheel, the circumference of which was framed by linden leaves, which were intended to symbolize the Slavic peoples, and literally a year later there werecompany founders names added.
Thus, mechanic Vaclav Laurin and bookseller Vaclav Klement started the great company we know today.
Colorful symbol for cars
Should I say that at the beginning of the 20th century the company changed its name, and even curtailed the production of motorcycles and moved on to cars? The company was named after its founders Laurin and Klement (L&K). The very design of the corporate cliché was influenced by the Art Nouveau of the early 20th century. And only since 1926 the company began to bear a new name - ŠKODA. At that time, cars were produced at a factory in the city of Mlada Boleslav. Despite the change in the trademark, the shape of the new logo reflected a connection with the previous version, but still changed slightly. The 'winged arrow' logo was first used in 1926. The commercial director of the company, T. Maglic, created a round blue-and-white field with a winged arrow that flew to the right. So, this version of the symbolism lasted for 64 years. And only in 1999 it underwent changes. The black and green logo gave the ŠKODA brand more originality. It still exists today.
BMW with propeller
Very often, when it comes to cleanliness and blue-blue skies, it is not always about detergents and the like. Specifically, now we are talking about BMW cars. The history of the BMW logo began back in 1916 in Munich. It was then that two large companies merged into one, so that in the future people couldsit quietly behind the wheel of a comfortable foreign car.
The time has come to come up with an emblem for a company that at that time produced aircraft engines. Starting with a spinning propeller for the brand name, the company decided it was all too easy - and two colors appeared on the logo that represent BMW so far - steel and blue sky. But the drawing was so bright and hurt the eyes so much that it was decided that symbols should be added to the sign, namely, to link the logo with the flag of Bavaria.
From that moment on, the emblem of the already beloved BMW featured a propeller that now remains only in history, and colors that will always remind of the origin of the company.
Three Elements from Mercedes
Today, Mercedes is not only a car brand, it is also a long-term reputation of a brand that is associated with luxury and respectability. But we are interested in the history of the Mercedes logo, which has survived to this day.
So far in 1902, the emergence of such a huge corporation as Mercedes. As you know, it was created by three parties, and the creators - the famous Wilhelm Maybach, Gottlieb Daimler and Emil Ellinek - constantly argued which emblem should represent their creations. None of them inspired confidence. Carrots, and an orange, and even an elephant were offered. Ellinek's daughter, who was very fond of cars, resolved the dispute and almost a quarrel between old friends and partners. Moreover, it was in her honor that the now famousMercedes.
Young Mercedes offered not to argue and to cross the canes, that is, to make peace with each other. In speed, the creators came up with a slogan that exists today: the best quality in three dimensions - in water, in air and on land. The emblem of "Mercedes" can be deciphered in the same way - the merging of three areas - as a true mark of quality.
History of the Audi logo
Four rings "Audi", as well as other images of famous brands, envelops the impressive and interesting history of the logo. This logo bears the name of the founder of the automobile company, August Horch. The fact is that in German Horh means “listen”, while in Latin it sounds like audi. Previously, the founder of the company gave his offspring his own name "Horch". But over time, he had to leave the company and create a new automobile concern. And the Horch brand was already taken. I had to come up with a new product name. In 1928, during the economic crisis, four automobile companies became part of the concern: DKW and Wanderer, Horch and Audi. This association of four car factories was called Auto Union. That is, both partners and competitors united. And now the modern cars of the company are decorated with four rings.
The way from Toyota to Toyota
Toyoda Automobile Company was founded by Japanese entrepreneur Kiichiro Toyoda. When he launched his first factory, he announced a competition for the best company logo. The entry that featured katakana letters in the design won.
These letters were transmittedsensations of speed. The word "Toyoda" was renamed "Toyota" because it looked better in terms of design. Since then, the name has not changed.
The history of the Toyota logo begins in October 1989. The emblem has not changed since then. It consists of three ovals. Two ovals, located perpendicularly, mean the tightness of the connection between customers and the company. The interlacing of these ovals draws the letter "T" - the first letter in the company name. The background of the emblem symbolizes the global advantage of Toyota technology in the global automotive market. And in 2004, the logo became voluminous. This was a testament to the excellent quality of the produced cars.
Adidas Three Stripes
Adidas is one of the most famous sportswear and footwear brands in the world. The company was founded in 1920 and got its name from the creator Adolf (Adi) Dassler, where Adidas came from. As evidenced by the history of the Adidas logo, the first version of the logo of the company was invented by Adolf Dassler himself, these were three stripes that became recognizable on sports shoes.
In the 1960s, the company began to expand and expanded its range of sportswear, so the creator began to look for new recognizable Adidas symbols. A shamrock was coined to symbolize the triple diversity of Adidas products. Now the shamrock with three stripes can be recognized even without the inscription-name of the company, the brand has become recognizable all over the world. In the late 90s of the XX century, the company's leaders decided to expandcorporate style. The new logo depicted a lattice symbolizing a mountain of tasks, as well as goals to strive for. In the early 2000s, another version of the symbolism was created, which is a globe with the same three stripes. Currently, Adidas uses all three options, but the last two have become the most common.
From Nike to victory
There isn't a person with even the slightest interest in sports who doesn't know Nike these days. This company has established itself in the market, and today everyone knows its corporate logo, depicting movement, takeoff, achievement of set goals.
According to the rules of American grammar, the name of the company should be read as "Nike", not "Nike", as they are used to in Russia. The company is named after Nike, the goddess of victory. The history of the logo itself deserves special attention.
Nike is on the rise
The Nike logo was ordered not by well-known designers, but by a simple student, but was constantly dissatisfied with her design options. The wing of the goddess was taken as a basis, a careless stroke, which in the original version emphasized the name of the company, therefore it was rejected. The inscription was moved up until it was removed altogether. Over time, Nike began to be recognized by the company logo, and it became superfluous to indicate the name.
