20 Best Logos of All Time:
1. Nike.
The Nike logo is one of the most iconic logos in the world. The company was originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports but changed its name to Nike after the Greek goddess of victory. The "Swoosh" icon was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 to represent the wings of the goddess Nike.
The swoosh became known as a representation of speed and uninterrupted motion, as "swoosh" is an onomatopoeia for the sound you hear when an object moves at speed past you. The icon, together with the slogan "Just Do It," also came to represent action, new accomplishments, and achievements for athletes.
The Nike logo began as a simple pictorial logo using only the swoosh icon. However, over time it evolved to include the Nike brand name written through the icon in a handwritten style, then with the brand name written above the swoosh icon in italics, which accentuated the idea of motion.
After the brand's worldwide popularity grew, the name was removed from the logo in 1995. Despite these variations, the logo's color combinations have remained pretty standard with a bright red background or an orange hue, but now the logo is represented in black and white. Today, it is the meaning and the simplicity of the logo that makes it so memorable.
2. Apple.
The Apple logo is a vision of simplicity that represents the brand name in one iconic pictorial mark. However, the original Apple logo was a more traditional emblem shape with "Apple Computer Co." inscribed on a ribbon around it. Inside the emblem was an image of Sir Isaac Newton sitting under the apple tree that sparked his theory of gravity.
In 1977, Rob Janoff designed the iconic bitten apple icon at Steve Jobs' request to replace the old-fashioned original logo with something more modern. Janoff designed a simple, perfectly balanced image with a horizontal rainbow print to represent the world's first color display computer, Apple II.
The "bite" in the apple logo was implemented for scale so that people would know immediately that it was an apple and not a tomato or cherry. It can also represent a play on the word "byte" as a reference to what the tech company does.
Steve Jobs replaced the rainbow logo with the more monochromatic design in 1997 and, while the colors have changed from turquoise to metallic, today's black, white, or silver logo has been used since 1998. While the apple icon was a simple representation of the brand name, apples have long been a symbol of knowledge.
3. FedEx.
FedEx's logo is well-known for its clever use of negative space and the variety of colors used in the design. In 1971, FedEx's first logo featured the full company name, Federal Express, inside a rectangular block divided in two. This design, together with the red, blue, and white color scheme, was meant to represent professionalism.
In 1991, the company decided to rebrand with a shorter name and a new logo. This logo design was a simple wordmark logo that featured the FedEx name in a rounded font with a violet and orange color palette. This was a transitional logo that allowed customers to make the connection between the old design and the current one.
The current logo was introduced in 1994 by Lindon Leader. He experimented with the Univers 67 and Futura typefaces, as well as the arrangement and size of the letters, to create the iconic arrow sign between the "E" and the "X." This arrow represents the company's speed, accuracy, and perseverance.
The "Fed" part of the name is written in bright purple, and while the "Ex" part is primarily orange, it changes color depending on the department. This color combination is used to represent prosperity and prestige.
4. Coca-Cola.
The Coca-Cola logo is well-known for its handwritten style in a simple wordmark design. Since the company's inception in 1886, this handwritten effect has not changed. The first logo variation showed a generic serif typeface in black. However, this design was only used for a year.
In 1887, John Pemberton introduced the distinctive curly Spencerian script, which was popular at the time. The word "trademark" was included in the tail of the first "C" of "Coca" and the design was left in plain black.
In 1890, the designers experimented with a decorative, dramatic stylized font that used lots of curls and spirals on the first "C" of both words. However, this design proved to be unpopular and was discontinued just one year later.
The logo went back to its second incarnation in 1891, but in red with a rectangular border and the word "trademark" removed from the tail. Since then, the logo has undergone many small tweaks but has maintained its handwritten style and red and white color scheme, representing youth, optimism, and excellence.
5. Starbucks.
Starbucks has created a memorable, recognizable logo that has become synonymous with coffee. Starbucks' siren icon is based on Greek mythology, where sirens were sea creatures that lured sailors into crashing their ships. In the Starbucks logo, the siren would lure customers into trying their coffees.
Starbucks' founders were inspired to use this nautical theme based on their original business name, Pequod, which was the whaling ship in the classic tale, Moby Dick. Since this name was unpopular, the founders quickly renamed their business after the ship's first mate, Starbuck.
Starbucks' first logo in 1971 used the twin-tailed siren in full view and holding her tails. A circular border held the words "Starbucks Coffee, Tea, Spice." The logo was in an earthy brown tone meant to stimulate the appetite. The company was bought by Howard Schultz in 1987, and he kept the siren icon as a representation of enticement.
However, he redesigned the siren to cover her breasts with her hair, and he changed the color palette to green, black, and white to represent growth, prosperity, and freshness. The name in the logo was also shortened to "Starbucks Coffee" with two stars to further link the logo to the name.
The siren was further streamlined and modernized in 1992 when she became the focus of the logo. The font was also modernized with a cleaner, wider typeface that was more professional. However, this logo was easily copied by knock-off brands, so the current version that only uses the siren icon was introduced in 2011.
6. Under Armour.
The Under Armour logo is a simple monogram logo that was inspired by the company name itself. It features a stylized version of a "U" slightly bisecting the "A" below it in all black text, with the company name written in full below the icon.
The typeface in this unique logo was designed specifically for the company and features a combination of rounded edges and sharp points meant to represent the comfortability and durability of the brand's clothing. This logo is the perfect example of modern logo design.
The original 1996 logo featured smooth, elongated lines with "Under" written above the crossed icon and "Armour" written below it. It also included the "Athletic Apparel" tagline below "Armour." With its serif typeface, this was a classy, luxurious logo.
In 1997, the logo was placed inside an elongated oval badge to create a professional, emblematic design. However, the next year the company redesigned this logo by removing the tagline and placing the icon in a thick oval frame with the company name written below it. They also changed the color scheme to gray for a more modern, bold look.
The borders were removed and the black color scheme and tagline were reinstated in 1999. The font was also changed to a more futuristic, sleek typeface that added to the contemporary appeal of the design. The logo was again simplified in 2005 to remove the tagline and keep the sleek, professional appeal.
7. Jaguar.
The icon of the jumping jaguar is known as the "Leaper" and is instantly recognizable as the logo of this high-end car company. Based on the company name, this pictorial logo mostly features the Leaper, but also a roaring jaguar icon.
The company was founded in 1922 as the Swallow Sidecar Company, with a bright blue circular logo surrounded by a red border and two golden wings. The company name was written in full inside the icon in a handwritten style font.
The company was renamed in 1934, which saw the introduction of the Jaguar SS logo. This design featured an emblem with the stylized wings and tail of a bird in such a way that it resembled a car grill. The word "Jaguar" was written inside a hexagonal shape, and the entire design was monochromatic black.
The company removed the "SS" in 1945 and introduced the leaping jaguar icon in black with the company name written below it in an eye-catching dark green. This icon was meant to symbolize the grace, power, performance, and elegance of the cars, as well as the company's ambition to leap forward.
The current Jaguar logo features a 3D silver-gray jaguar icon with the company name below it in the same color palette. The combination of the silver color scheme and the bold font creates a professional, high-end logo that gives the impression of movement, vitality, and style.
8. Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi's is one of the oldest clothing companies in the U.S., with its first logo introduced in 1853. It was a wordmark logo that featured the company name "Levi Strauss & Co." embossed in a narrow, silver rectangular badge that created a solid, powerful look.
A pictorial logo was introduced in 1892. This logo was designed in a black and white color palette and portrayed two horses and their owners pulling a pair of jeans in opposite directions. The brand's name was written above the icon in an embellished, hand-written style with further inscriptions and the patent date below the icon.
This ornate logo was designed to appeal to people who were literate, illiterate, and non-English speaking. However, a simple wordmark with the company name in a bold red sans serif font was introduced in 1925 to create a more friendly, approachable atmosphere.
In 1929, the company shortened its name to "Levi's" and introduced a bold blue logo with the tagline, "America's Finest Overalls," below the name. The color palette, tagline, and font were altered in small ways over the following years until the introduction of the batwing icon in 1969.
This stylized icon resembled a spread pair of batwings in light red with "Levi's" written in a white sans serif typeface. This icon was refreshed in 2003 with a darker red background and smaller font and is still used today. It is a minimalistic, chic, versatile design that is timeless and noticeable.
9. McDonald's.
McDonald's iconic Golden Arches logo played a significant part in the company's success. However, the Golden Arches were not the first design chosen for the McDonald's logo. Their first logo in 1940 was a black wordmark design featuring the name "McDonald's Famous Barbeque" in three different fonts.
As hamburgers gained more popularity in the U.S., McDonald's moved from advertising barbecue to hamburgers in their logo design before introducing a simple wordmark logo that read "McDonald's" in a red, italicized sans serif font. This logo was more recognizable and memorable.
The iconic Golden Arches were introduced in 1961 and were inspired by the architecture of the newly constructed franchised restaurants. This first version of the Golden Arches, rendered in a bright yellow, featured a diagonal line through it to symbolize the roof of the restaurants.
This logo was simplified in 1968 and shortened to resemble an "M" with the company name written through it. The colors were changed to yellow and black for a more legible look. However, the lettering was changed to white in 1975, and the entire logo was placed inside a red rectangle with rounded corners to create a more friendly, welcoming look.
The current logo uses the minimalistic design of a flat yellow "M," which reflects the company's history. However, the company still does use the 1975 logo. Both logo designs are recognizable worldwide and invoke happy memories and a sense of joy.
10. Chanel.
Chanel is recognized worldwide as the fashion brand and was started by Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel in 1910. This legendary woman also designed her brand's logo, the iconic interlocking "C" letterform in black and white that was designed to reflect the principles of comfort, geometry, and clean lines. This logo has not changed since 1925.
Gabrielle Chanel designed the mirrored and interlocking icon with two "Cs" to represent her brand name, Coco Chanel, and her brand's identity: simplicity, sophistication, innovation, quality, and timelessness. The icon also forms a subtle oval shape, representing eternity and the timeless elegance of the brand.
When the company name appears in the logo, it is written in a traditional and custom-designed sans serif typeface called Chanel that is legible and clean. The logo is monochromatic, featuring only a black on white or a white on black design. Both options are used to represent elegance, power, and beauty.
All the elements of the Chanel logo combine to create a timeless and iconic design that is perfect in its shaping, style, and spacing, evoking harmony, elegance, and style.
11. Target.
While the Target logo has undergone some updates since its introduction in 1962, the core pictorial icon of the bullseye has not changed. Target's first logo featured a bullseye with three red circles and three white spaces between the circles. Target's business name was superimposed on top of the icon in a black italic font.
This first logo design was detailed and not very legible, so the logo was simplified. The business name was removed from the design and the company just used the icon in 1968. The icon now featured a bright red bullseye, removing some of the rings in the original design.
From 1974, the company name was written to the right of the icon in a thick black font that improved legibility. By 2004, the company name changed to red and moved below the icon in a smaller font. In the current logo, the company name has been omitted entirely.
The Target logo works because it is clean, minimalistic, and harmonious. The bright red and white color palette is eye-catching and represents success and prosperity.
12. Pepsi.
Pepsi has been around for more than 100 years, opening in 1893 as Brad's Drink before being patented as Pepsi Cola in 1903. The first Pepsi logos from 1898 to 1950 were similar to the Coca-Cola logo. They were wordmark logos that featured the business name in a red, curly script that resembled handwriting.
These logos underwent various font changes through the years, becoming bolder, thicker, and more minimalistic, until 1950 when the company decided to place the text on a bottle cap icon done in red, white, and blue. It served to differentiate the company from Coca-Cola and show support for the U.S.
The logo maintained the red, white, and blue bottle cap through to the 70s, but the company name was simplified to "Pepsi" in a bold, black, sans serif typeface. For the next few decades, the Pepsi logo underwent many modifications and simplifications, while the company experimented with font, color scheme, and background.
They dropped the bottle cap but kept a circular red, white, and blue icon on a red and blue or a plain red rectangular background, and the company name changed from black to blue. In 1997, Pepsi removed the rectangular background from the logo to emphasize the circular icon and changed the company name to a white font with a blue shadow.
Today, Pepsi's logo is so well-known that the company dropped its name altogether and only uses the icon in the logo. The circular shape with red at the top, a white swirl in the middle, and blue at the bottom creates a smile effect and represents the company's emotional values of balance, energy, and freshness.
13. Google.
Google is the most used search engine in the world. It launched in 1995 as BackRub with a simple wordmark logo featuring the company name in a bold red sans serif typeface. In 1997, the company changed its name to Google, which was inspired by the word for a very large number, "googol."
The first Google logo was a 3D set of jumping letters with each letter drawn in a different color. This logo was somewhat illegible and looked a little amateurish, but it led to the first official logo in 1998. This new logo used the Baskerville Bold font with each letter drawn in the following color sequence: green, red, yellow, blue, green, red.
An exclamation mark was added to the design but was later removed. In 1999, the Google logo color scheme was updated to feature the primary colors of blue, red, and yellow, as these colors are recognized worldwide. However, they made the "L" in the name green to show that Google is innovative and pushes boundaries.
While Google has made adjustments to the font, adding a shadow in 1999 that was removed again by 2013, the color scheme has remained untouched to this day. In 2015, the current Google logo was introduced using a custom-made font, Product Sans, and a bright color palette to appear fresh, young, fun, and approachable.
A new icon was also introduced in 2015, featuring a single bold letter "G" rendered in red, yellow, green, and blue. These bright colors work well as they call to mind the ideal of cultural diversity.
14. Shell.
Shell's iconic shell logo has remained pretty much the same for the last 100 years. However, it has changed from a true-to-life depiction to a more stylized version of a shell. The first logo in 1900 featured a simplified and somewhat childish version of a shell in a monochrome color palette.
In 1904, a more detailed shell was drawn vertically and placed on a black background to indicate the power and strength of the company. This logo was refined, gained a darker shading, and lost the black background in 1909. In 1930, the logo was redesigned again to create a sleeker, modernized design.
The red and yellow color palette was introduced in the logo in 1948 when the company's name was added to the logo for the first time, written in white inside the shell in a straight, sans serif typeface.
The year 1955 saw the contours and shading of the shell icon minimized, with lettering now showing in red on top of the yellow shell. A red background was also added in 1961. The current icon was introduced in 1971 and was redesigned to resemble a rising sun, using fewer strokes and more solid, flatter proportions.
The company name was moved below the icon and lost some of its weight, appearing in a shorter, more rounded font. However, since around 1995, when the company gained worldwide popularity, the company name has been dropped from the logo.
The cleaner icon with its bold red lines makes the Shell logo a strong, confident design. The red and yellow color scheme emphasizes the connection between California and Spain and celebrates the company's milestone development of building their first gas stations in California (with its closeness to and history with Spain) in 1915.
15. Microsoft.
Microsoft, originally named Traf-O-Data, used a stylized monogram logo in black that was unique and memorable. When the company was renamed in 1975, the first Microsoft logo was designed. It featured the company name in a 70s-style typeface that was formed by a number of thin black lines.
While this logo was progressive and fresh for its time, it only focused on the company name with no special image or effect that captured the brand. The company redesigned its logo several times, eventually settling in 1987 on a monochromatic logo that featured the company name in the Helvetica typeface.
This logo was used until 2012 and featured one unique characteristic: a small triangular cut in the "O" to separate the two syllables of the name. In 2012, Microsoft underwent a rebranding in which they introduced the colorful "flying window" icon. This geometric icon features four colorful squares that make up a larger square.
The company name is written next to the icon in a light gray Segoe SemiBold font. This logo was designed to symbolize the Microsoft Windows operating system and is a metaphor for how people can access a world of technology through its "window."
16. Audi.
Audi's very first logo was a pre-launch logo that featured the company name in a dark gray cursive script that was strict and professional. Within a few months, the company's first official logo was designed. It featured a badge-style icon with the number 1 above an inverted black triangle that bore the company name in a solid white typeface.
In 1932, the Auto Union was formed with its new logo of four interlocking blue rings featuring the emblems of Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer Automobile. This logo was simplified in 1949 to remove the company emblems and superimpose a black rectangular insignia with "Auto Union" across the four rings.
The Auto Union was renamed Audi NSU Auto Union AG in 1969 and, for a while, the logo featured the Audi name within a sold oval background, first done in black and then red. The company was renamed Audi AG in 1985, and in 1995, Audi reintroduced the four interlocking rings, with the company name below it in the iconic cursive script used since 1909.
The 3D-style rings were now silver with the company name in red, adding a sense of elegance and exclusivity to the brand. This logo was simplified in 2016, and today's logo of plain, flat, black rings with no company name was born. This iconic logo is powerful, stylish, and timeless.
17. World Wildlife Foundation (WWF).
The WWF has one of the most recognizable logos in the world — the giant panda. The original was brought to life in 1961 and was inspired by a new addition to the London Zoo, Chi-Chi, the giant panda. The WWF founders agreed that Chi-Chi was a beautiful animal that would appeal to people, and her endangered status was perfect for the WWF brand message.
The first ideas were sketched by Gerald Watterson. Sir Peter Scott, a WWF founder, drew the first logo — a panda within a rough circle — based on these.
This design appeared modern but was somewhat amateurish in design and was done in a monochromatic color palette to save on printing costs. Later that year, the panda was strengthened with clean, bold lines and the circle was removed.
Years later, the logo was modernized, with the lines being cleaned, claws removed, and the eyes and nose made more visible.
By 1986, the panda was redrawn in an abstract way, removing lines and leaving a suggestion of shape. The WWF abbreviation was also included in a bold serif typeface, which was later changed to a more modern, rounded sans serif typeface in keeping with the clean lines of the icon.
The panda logo has withstood the test of time and is now a recognizable symbol of conservation in the world.
18. DreamWorks.
While Steven Spielberg had a specific idea for what he wanted the DreamWorks logo to look like, for the first six years of the company's operation, the logo was a simple wordmark featuring the name of the company separated by a thick black line. This logo was corporate and professional.
In 2004, DreamWorks introduced a combination logo that featured parts of Spielberg's brief. Spielberg wanted an image of a man on the moon, fishing, and done in computer graphics to represent Hollywood's golden age. However, Dennis Muren suggested a hand-drawn logo and included an image of a boy, which Spielberg eventually chose.
This logo worked well as the image of a child was more harmonious than an adult, and it seemed to represent the wonder and limitlessness of a child's dreams. The icon was simplified and modernized in 2007, and the logo changed to a calming, intense blue on a white background. This new logo was strong, modern, and evoked feelings of reliability.
The current DreamWorks logo was developed in 2016 with reversed colors. The boy became the focus of the image and was given a more tousled look. The boy and moon icon is now featured in white on a blue background, and the text is simplified to show only "DreamWorks" in a larger font for a cleaner, more modern design.
19. Lego.
Since its introduction in 1934, the Lego logo has undergone many adjustments and redesigns. For the first 10 years, Lego used monochromatic wordmark logos featuring the business name and sometimes the tagline. These logos were powerful and often used on business documents and shipping labels.
Lego designed its first color logo in 1946, featuring the company name in orange on a black background, symbolizing happiness, energy, and confidence. The plastic blocks that define the Lego brand were introduced in the 1950s, which is also when Lego started to use the red and yellow color scheme.
The 1953 logo featured the company name in a strong, sans serif typeface in red on a bright yellow, rectangular background. This color scheme is bright and friendly and evokes a sense of happiness. This logo underwent several redesigns until 1972 when the current Lego logo was introduced.
The current wordmark logo features the company name in a white, rounded sans serif typeface, outlined once in black and once in yellow, on a bright red, square background. Again, this is a friendly and kind logo that illustrates that the company's target audience is children.
20. Supreme.
Supreme has been in business with the same logo since 1994, and due to its popularity, the logo has become a fashion status symbol. The Supreme logo was inspired by street culture and Barbara Kruger's poster for the support of legal abortion, in particular. This led to the white font on a red rectangular background that is the Supreme logo.
The logo's sans serif font, designed by Paul Renner in 1927, is based on the Futura Heavy Oblique typeface. It was inspired by geometric shapes and is rendered in italics. It is a simple design that appeals to the skater street culture.
Supreme sometimes releases variations of its logo for various events, such as the red font on a black background logo design in support of the Japanese Red Cross after the 2011 earthquake. Variations of the logo are also dedicated to certain individuals, such as the street fashion expert Gary Warnett.
Logo File Types and When to Use Them
