Top 10 Famous Logos of All-Time

Top brands’ logos are not only an example of great branding that can outlast more than one generation of customers. The development history of each logo is an entire section of design history. Such logos are as recognizable, and people can identify them even if only part of the image is visible.

Hundreds of millions know the concise BMW logo shaped as blue and white sectors surrounded by a black ring. Although it has the same outline as the original “RAPP Motors” trademark, the modern logo has become as simple and succinct as possible.

World’s Best Logos: What You Can Learn

A successful logo is not only an intelligent design but also a meaningful message that boosts brand awareness and makes the brand memorable, reflecting the corporate style, values, and mission of the company. If you want to build a unique brand identity, you can use professional SEO service to advertise your business. 

Moreover, it’s often the unwillingness to follow current graphic design trends, which becomes a way to create a truly unique brand image. For businesses looking for the best place to advertise their brand, SEO service can help them reach their target audience

Top 10 Most Creative Logos

A logo is part of a brand’s history and is often used to trace the most important milestones of a company’s evolution. It’s an essential part of brand marketing strategy development and the visual solution that directly reflects the main goals of the brand.
When it comes to building a brand identity that is uniquely your own, 3D rendering services can help create a logo that is not only visually stunning but also distinctive. Here are the top 10 famous logos of all time:

1. Nike

The laconic black “tick” on Nike sneakers is both a graphic symbol of the “swoosh” sound, a stylized wing of the goddess Nicky, and the “Just Do It” slogan. The author of the logo, designer Caroline Davidson, created the original Swoosh image in 1971. 

The meaning of this logo is high-speed sound and rapid motion. Originally, the color scheme of the Swoosh was white on a blue background and the Nike lettering. In 1985, the scheme was changed to white and red, and the Nike inscription disappeared. 

In 1995, a white tick on a black background became the official registered trademark of the company. The modern version of the logo is a blurred black checkmark on a white background.

2. Chanel

For almost a century, two stylized “C’s” have been a world-famous symbol of elegance and luxury. According to the official version, the logo of the Chanel fashion house in 1925 was developed by Gabrielle Chanel herself, better known as Coco Chanel. 

The geometric elements on the stained-glass windows of the monastery chapel in Obrazin, where Coco Chanel spent most of her childhood, served as the basis. According to other versions, the panoramic windows of the Château de Crémat, located in the south of France, where Coco Chanel often visited the parties of her friend Irina Bretz, became the inspiration for the logo.

The Coco Chanel logo consists of two intertwined black “C’s” on a white background. Its clear and concise curves symbolize the perfection of style and harmony. The logo is used on each bottle of Chanel perfume, as well as on the company’s handbags, clutch bags, purses, branded jewelry, and other accessories.

3. McDonald’s

The branded “golden arches” of the world’s most famous fast food restaurant are a recognizable symbol of stability and hospitality. Though initially this graphic sign was applied as one of the elements of an architectural form in the building of one of McDonald’s restaurants.

Jim Schindler is the author of the modern logo and the head of McDonald’s constructions and engineering. In 1961, he connected 2 arches of gold shade, drew a transverse line through them, and added the name of the corporation.

The modern version of the brand image appeared as a result of the rebranding in 2006. If you’re looking for the best place to advertise your business, McDonald’s is an example of a brand that has successfully established itself globally through strategic marketing campaigns. The result was an extremely concise design and a restrained color scheme.

4. Google

The first logo version of the leading Internet search engine was created back in 1997 by Google co-founder Sergey Brin. At the heart of the idea is a distorted word Googol. Its meaning is 10 to the hundredth power and, at the same time, the largest known number.

In the modern version, the stylized “G” and the multicolored Google lettering have been officially used since 2015. In addition to the simplified sans serif font, the rainbow “G” was designed to be used in the smartphone app, as well as the favicon for Google websites and a mic for voice search. Also, through the google search engine anyone can find the contact finding tool for best logo version to create.

5. Tesla

The stylized red “T” on a white background is the logo of Tesla Inc., which was created by the RO Studio. The first version of the logo also included a shield around the “T,” but the idea was later abandoned by the designers. 

Interestingly, the meaning of the logo is not the stylized first letter of the company name at all. The idea is based on the image of the electric motor section, as the company specializes in the design and manufacturing of electric vehicles.

6. Apple

The “bitten apple” image is one of the most recognizable symbols in the technology industry, symbolizing the ultimate simplicity of solutions for complex tasks. 

The first version of Apple’s logo was a stylized engraving depicting Isaac Newton sitting under a tree. 

The modern version of the logo, a minimalistic silver “apple” that emerged as a result of rebranding in 2014, is used as a favicon on the official website of the company. The initial logo was designed by the slot machine entrepreneur Ronald Wayne.

7. Mastercard

A geometric image in the form of two interlocking circles in red and yellow is the laconic logo of the world-famous payment network. The main meaning behind the image, designed by the Pentagram team, is the ability to unite and connect people of various abilities. The yellow color represents happiness and prosperity, and the red stands for vitality.

Originally, the logo was a background with MasterCard’s name on it. However, in 2016, Pentagram underwent a dramatic brand refresh, during which the graphic composition of red and yellow circles “flowing” one into another was transformed into a simple and concise logo.

It is this visual symbol that, among other things, is placed on plastic payment cards and has become the most recognizable in the brand’s identity.

8. Michelin 

A huge number of people around the world know Michelin’s signature mascot, the “beer fatty.” It’s a stylized humanoid figure consisting of stacked white car tires called Bibendum. In addition to the graphic logo, the Michelin Man is also a comic book character and a life-size puppet used in the brand’s advertising.

9. Coca-Cola

The shaped font that has become the trademark of the Coca-Cola Company, as well as the bright red background, is the logo of the world’s most popular soda drink. The history of the brand began in 1885, when Frank Robinson, an accountant of using accounting software to working for the company, suggested the name “Coca-Cola, Tasty, and Refreshing.”

In 1948, a red disk was added to the original logo, with the help of which the red color was “linked” to the company’s corporate style as much as possible.

10. Shell

The basis of the Shell Corporation logo is a stylized scallop shell. It was designed in memory of the souvenir store, decorated with shells of sea mollusks, where the founder of Shell corporation, Marcus Samuel, started his entrepreneurial activity.

Interestingly enough, the original version of the logo was a stylized mussel shell, with a black-and-white corporate color scheme. Everything changed in 1915 when the company started to provide its first services. A vivid and memorable logo design was needed as a way to radically differentiate itself from the competition. 

Since then, the chosen red and yellow colors have “survived” every rebranding and still remain unchanged.

Conclusions

Every well-known company logo has a story and meaning that provide memorability. If it’s a brand that’s been around for decades or centuries, the logo can change beyond recognition over that time. This is often the result of the rebranding process and business process reengineering, as in the case of BMW.

A recognizable logo is not only a quality graphic design but also an idea that is consistent with the brand’s mission and values, depicting important milestones in the brand’s history and helping to boost your brand visibility.


Interesting Related Article: “How to use content to drive brand awareness