You see famous logos nearly every day. You see them everywhere– on TV, in your home, doing everyday tasks, and on the street. Apart from representing their brands, business logo designs have become a huge part of modern pop culture.
The importance and power of logos are undeniable. To think that a simple image can make or break your business prospects shows just how important a logo really is. As one of the most effective tools you can use to communicate with potential customers, designing your company logo is something you need to perfect.
There are valuable lessons to learn from the most famous logos. Considering what makes these logos so impressive can provide you valuable guidance when you finally decide to create unique logo designs.
10 Famous Logos and their Origins
Here are some of the world’s most famous brands and their famous logos, including their secret meanings, truths, and origin stories.
1. Apple
There are many famous logos you will quickly recognize wherever you are. The Apple logo is one of them. It used to portray Sir Isaac Newton with an apple hanging above him while sitting under a tree. However, this original design quickly changed to today’s famous Apple logo. This logo was designed with a bite taken out of the apple so people wouldn’t confuse it with an image of a cherry.
2. Amazon
Amazon’s logo reflects its status as a powerhouse online shopping platform. Its logo may appear simple- with only its name and an arrow forming a smile to indicate the happiness that Amazon brings to its customers. But there’s more to this logo than that. You will notice that in Amazon’s logo, the arrow starts from “a” to “z.” This indicates that the online shop sells everything, from A to Z.
3. FedEx
If you take a good look at FedEx’s logo, you will notice a subtle optical illusion. You will see a white arrow between the letters E and X, signifying that the company embodies speed, persistence, and accuracy in its service. The color of the letters also has different meanings. The “Ex” letters differ in color depending on what part of FedEx is being referred to. Specifically, orange means FedEx Express, green means FedEx Ground, and red for FedEx Freight.
4. Google
Google’s logo seems pretty straightforward. After all, it is simply the company’s name in various colors. But there is actually something different about it. You might notice that it uses the three primary colors – red, yellow, and blue – plus green. The added green color signifies that Google is different from other companies and is not what you expect.
5. Nike
Nike’s Swoosh logo is world-renowned and has one of the most interesting logo origin stories. Carolyn Davis created it, who, at the time, was only paid $35. She was then retroactively compensated when Nike grew. What’s interesting about the logo is that it was made as a response to the Adidas logo. It was designed with a simple image but effectively conveys a sense of motion to represent the shoe brand.
6. Starbucks
Starbucks is no doubt one of the most recognizable logos anywhere in the world. People also know well that the coffee company originates from Seattle, a known seaport city. The logo of Starbucks refers to this, with the company honoring its roots. The Starbucks siren, which has evolved many times through the years, symbolizes the sea.
7. Mitsubishi
Out of the most famous logos on this list, the Mitsubishi logo has an interesting origin. Its logo combines the Yamauchi Family’s crest, the three-oak leaf, and the Iwasaki Family’s three-tiered water chestnut. Both families were part of the history of the Mitsubishi organization. The trademark logo resulting from the two crests has had many changes over the years before it settled on its current logo.
8. Toyota
With Toyota, you will find many hidden symbols that represent the ideals of the company. First, there’s the pronounced letter “T” that obviously stands for “Toyota.” There are many symbols in Toyota’s logo, but perhaps the most interesting is how you can find all Toyota letters in the logo. If you look at it closely, the entire name is right there on the logo.
9. Samsung
Samsung’s logo is extremely recognizable. Its name originates from Korean Hanja, which means “three stars.” It’s why the old design features three different colors and styles. Today, its signature logo is the blue logo with a basic oval shape. The blue color represents excellence, commitment, and reliability, while the white color indicates elegance, purity, and charm.
10. Vaio
Sony is renowned for making audio and video equipment, and Vaio (formerly Sony Vaio) is one of its brands. Vaio is a brand selling tablets, laptops, and computers with a logo representing its past and its aim for the future. Its logo is quite creative, combining images representing analog and digital electronics, from the waveform to the binary code of one and zero.
These ten famous logos are a perfect example of how logos play an essential role in building a brand. They are perfect examples of how a business logo is more than the company’s face but the embodiment of it. The key is to make your logo memorable. With these qualities, you can help your business to stand out in the minds of your future loyal consumers.
What Makes a Great Logo
A logo symbolizes the identity of a brand or business. First impressions are lasting, making it essential to create a logo that can effectively represent your brand. Your logo has to be memorable and with a meaningful design. But what makes a great logo?
It Matches Your Brand and Business
Your logo would be useless if it doesn’t match the theme of your brand. If they are mismatched, then there is no way your target audience will feel connected to you when they see that logo. This stresses how important it is that every detail of your logo is aligned with your brand. This aspect depends on what type of company you run, which should give you an idea of your marketing identity.
When making a logo, the designer uses visual elements and text to communicate your brand’s theme. Depending on the details they used, it should attract attention and spark your audience’s imagination. If your logo matches your brand, it will be easy for your viewers to associate the two and connect them the next time they see your logo.
It Attracts Your Target Audience
Your logo isn’t effective if it doesn’t make a positive impact on your audience’s buying behavior and your brand’s performance. The best logos are those with design characteristics – color, font, shape, etc. – that appeals to their audience. When designing a logo, you must pay attention to these details to create the perfect design.
Shapes, colors, fonts, and many other elements can symbolize or convey many things. For instance, the triangle shape stands for stability, and the color red reminds you of love and passion. Our logo designers at BunnyStudio are familiar with these elements. All you need to do is let them know what you want your audience to feel, and our experts will choose the details that perfectly convey your intended message.
It Conveys Your Message
A great logo can tell your message with the combined elements that make it up. For example, consider the FedEx logo with its invisible arrow. It’s simple yet effective, properly conveying that it’s here to provide accurate, speedy, and persistent service. The best logo designer can express your message with the correct design elements that suit your brand.
It can be a subtle message, an exciting story, or even just a pun. It just has to be something that your target audience can understand quickly. A logo that effectively conveys your message will be the perfect way to converse with your audience and engage with them.
It Works No Matter the Scale
Since your logo will be posted in many places, it has to work well no matter the scale. It’s likely going to be on your website and merchandise. You might print on a billboard or the front of your store. It must be easy to spot whether you turn it small or big. Famous logos are digitally responsive. You should be able to adjust its size and format according to any platform.
Of course, the logo must also fit well with your store’s theme and décor. Since your logo will be at the forefront of your brand, it will be best to choose a more adaptable design. Otherwise, you might have to redesign it several times. It is also crucial to pick a logo that is scalable when doing outdoor campaigns and activities.
The best logos are simple but effective. It doesn’t have too many elements that can overwhelm the audience, but one with meaningful details. That way, your audience will not spend too much effort to understand and remember it. Since your audience will usually only have a few seconds to view and register the logo, it’s always better to keep it simple.
Custom Logo Design by Bunny Studio
BunnyStudio is a specialist company that can handle various marketing projects, including logo design. With a team of skillful logo designers, we can create the perfect logo that fits your brand based on your brief. With experience and knowledge on what makes famous logos so good, our designers make sure that you get a design that stands out.
Designing a logo needs advanced skills that only professionals can provide. As it is one of your business’s essential aspects, you want to make sure that it’s done perfectly. It’s a significant investment that can make or break you. As such, it is best for you to hire a graphic designer for logo design with the skillset to create a world-famous logo. Our professional designers can help!
