Qantas Logo Design History and Evolution

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Airline logos don’t have a reputation for being fun. One stands out, though, and that’s because it has a kangaroo. Qantas, the famous Australian airline, has an incredibly memorable logo due to its use of its own home country’s most famous animal. The kangaroo Qantas logo has been through a few changes over the years, but each has kept the same core spirit. By looking at the changes in design, one can see how Qantas has – and has not – changed.

Qantas Logo Design Elements

If you’re familiar with the Qantas logo, you already know and love the kangaroo. This symbol of Australia has definitely given the company ties back to its home country and helps its planes to stand out in international airports. It’s as easily identifiable as the red-white-and-blue logo schemes from US airlines, with an added bit of whismy. It’s honestly a clever bit of marketing that helps everyone know exactly from where Qantas flies and how connected it is to Australia.

The primary color of the logo is red, which isn’t that uncommon in the skies. It’s easy to see and stands out against the white of the average plane, so it’s also eye-catching. The font is simple, large and easy to read so that consumers can identify it both on planes and on ticket stubs. It’s a good marriage of utility and design, one that helps Qantas to stay visible in a crowded market.

Changes and Evolution

1. Shape

The original Qantas logo shape was actually quite different than what you see in the present day. Rather than the triangular shape, the logo featured a circular badge. It also featured a much more realistic-looking kangaroo, which was itself set within another circle. By 1947, the badge was dropped in favor of the kangaroo jumping next to a globe. This logo would stay in place until 1968, at which time the kangaroo would be back in a circular badge and grow wings. That logo, in turn, would be replaced in the 1980s by something more similar to today’s logo, which reflected the company’s more professional turn.

2. Color

Qantas’ main logo color has always been red. It stood out in the 1940s and it stands out today. The company has never dropped the color, but they have changed a few augmentations along the way. The logo was initially red and white but gained black lettering in 1968 that would stay in place until the 2007 switch over to grey. If anything, this change is a sign of the changing attitudes about color in logo design over the years.

3. Font

Qantas has used two different types of font in its logos. The original font was a simple typeface that actually communicated a great deal of information. It was dropped entirely, however, in 1947 as the company chose to rely only on the kangaroo emblem. A version of the current wordmark would go into place in 1968, with relatively few tweaks separating it from the 2007 version of the logo. It’s an easy-to-read font that is as easy to read at a distance as it is to read when you’re right next to the plane.

Influences/ Inspiration

Oddly, the biggest influence on the current Qantas logo is mechanical. The 2007 logo was changed in part to keep up with changes in the structure of Qantas’ aircraft, which helped to explain the somewhat sleeker look. The new logo isn’t a far cry from the 1980s logo, which was likely inspired by the logo changes of Qantas’ international competition at the time.

There aren’t any airlines that have followed Qantas’ lead in terms of design, but a few other businesses have done so. There are a number of Australian businesses that use a similar logo design, largely owing to the company’s popularity in its native country. The big design element taken has been the kangaroo, though some have also taken the triangle design as well.

Trivia

  • Qantas is Australia’s largest airline.
  • Qantas is the world’s third oldest airline.
  • Qantas’ longest flight is from Dallas to Sydney – the second longest direct flight in the world.
  • Qantas pilots aren’t allowed to eat the same meal on flights to prevent both from getting food poisoning.
  • Qantas originated the name ‘Business Class’ in 1979.
  • Qantas was one of the first airlines to make the switch over to jet planes.

Conclusion

The Qantas logo is a great example of how sticking to a single image can help a logo stay grounded in a company’s legacy. Though the logo has changed, the kangaroo remains the primary image of the company. Fun and easily identifiable, it helps customers to be able to identify Qantas no matter what the changes in corporate ideology.

Girl Scouts Logo Design History and Evolution

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Girls Scouts are about more than just cookies. For a century, they have helped young women to grow, gain confidence, and learn valuable life skills. While they’re probably best known for their yearly cookie sales, Girl Scouts provide a safe haven for many girls who are looking for friends and a way to be part of something larger than themselves. One of the major pieces of the Girl Scouts brand is the Girl Scouts logo, which has been in place for over thirty years – but has also been through some significant changes over the lifetime of the organization. The Girl Scouts logo has, in many ways, grown alongside the organization.

Girl Scouts Logo Design Elements

The girl scouts logo shape is that of three female faces in profile, coming together to create a shape that’s a bit like a shamrock. It’s certainly a shape that puts women in the forefront, but also one that works incredibly well as an identifiable piece of marketing. It’s the kind of shape that works whether or not you realize exactly what it’s supposed to be, making it one of those abstract logos that does its job well. The shape also cleverly evokes a connection to nature, something that’s always been a core part of the Girl Scout experience.

The green color has become synonymous with the Girl Scouts as well. The color is that of nature and growth – again, key components of the scouting organization. The current wordmark font is lowercase and friendly, representing both a sense of belonging and a sense of youth. It’s a triumph in terms of being able to compress the entire message of a scouting organization into just a few very basic elements.

Changes and Evolution

1. Shape

It’s hard to describe the original shape of the Girl Scouts logo as anything other than an outline. The thick lines were drawn around a stylized version of the Seal of the United States, in a style that’s very much of the turn of the 20th century. The logo update in the 1920s kept the eagle but brought a more familiar shape, one that honestly looks far more similar to the logo of the Boy Scouts than anything else. Another shape change would come in the 1940s, losing the eagle and putting a border of shamrock-esque shapes around the central shape of the logo. The 1960s spirograph-esque logo would be the final change before the organization moved to its current iteration.

2. Color

Oddly, the Girl Scouts logo didn’t really have a color until the 1980s. From 1910 to the present, the logo was largely rendered in black and white outside of a few specific instances. The move towards the green logo was likely in response to a renewed interest in outdoor activities, as well as an attempt to make sure that the logo was actually able to capture the eyes of consumers.

3. Font

From 1910 to 1980, the word ‘Girl Scouts’ was actually absent from the Girl Scouts logo. Instead, the logo prominent featured the letters ‘G’ and ‘S’, usually in the center of the logo. The letters were most prominent until 1960, at which time they shrank almost to the point of being illegible. The move to using the full name of the organization came in the 1980s, largely in an attempt to create both a better brand identity and to bring the name of the scouts back into the public consciousness.

Influences/ Inspiration

The biggest influence on the Girl Scouts logo is, of course, the Boy Scouts logo. Though the current logo is easily differentiated, most of the earlier logos were more in line with the organization’s all-male counterpart. The current logo seems more influenced by charitable organizations than anything else, with clear nods to organizations like The United Way in its design.

Few companies have followed the Girl Scouts lead in terms of logo design. Because the Girl Scouts have effectively cornered the market in scouting organizations for girls, few competitors exist to learn from the logo. As such, there aren’t any real examples of groups that have riffed on the organization’s logo design.

Trivia

  • The Girl Scouts have more than 2.4 million members.
  • The first Girl Scouts troop was organized in 1912 in Savannah, Georgia.
  • Girl Scouts cookies have been sold since 1917.

Conclusion

The modern Girl Scouts logo is a great example of simplicity in action. It says everything it needs to say, but it doesn’t overwhelm the consumer with information. The Girl Scouts are still an evolving organization, so it will be interesting to see if the group decides to update their logo again. If they do, you can be sure that the change in logo will go along with a change in ethos.

Mitsubishi Logo Design History and Evolution

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Mitsubishi’s logo is simple in a way that’s hard to understand. With minimal elements and basic colors, it shouldn’t seem special. Somehow, though, it immediately catches the eye and draws in the interest of the consumer. It’s minimalist to be sure, but not in a way that hides the company. Instead, the logo provides an image that simply works on a consumer level. Taking a look at how the Mitsubishi logo has evolved can say quite a bit about why such logos work in the marketplace.

Mitsubishi Logo Design Elements

The Mitsubishi logo is famously known as the three-diamond logo, though the modern iteration of the shape is actually three diamonds. The logo is a riff on a much older logo, but it actually pays off in some unique ways during the modern era. It’s a logo that certainly stands out as unique, but the use of the diamond shapes does help to ensure that the logo seems to stand for high quality.

The logo makes use of a deep red color as well, one that stands out in a sea of silver car badges. This makes Mitsubishi products easy to identify on the road and in stores. The logo also uses a custom font, helping to ensure that one can easily pick out something that’s coming from the company just by seeing the shape of the letters. It’s a fantastic piece of design work that really ties together the company’s image.

Changes and Evolution

1. Shape

The original Mitsubishi logo was incredibly close to today’s logo. The triple diamond pattern has been in play since the 1870s, but initially in a much thinner form. It’s a definite move towards modernity with the larger diamond shapes, but the individual shape played an important function as a combination of two different house symbols in Japan. The larger diamond shapes, on the other hand, play much better as a symbol on a vehicle as they are both easier to see and much easier to identify at a distance.

2. Color

Mitsubishi and red have always gone together, at least internationally. Again, this is likely a nod towards the necessity of making automotive designs easy to see at a distance. It should be noted, though, that the company frequently uses blue in its wordmark – especially in its native market. This helps this helps to provide a unified image within Asia, one that is as much about the company’s electrical manufacturing as it is about automobiles and motorcycles. As such, the split in wordmark color does make sense even if it stands out from the logo itself.

3. Font

The font choice for Mitsubishi is interesting, in that it’s not the original font of the company. As one might expect, the original font uses Japanese characters rather than English characters. As such, the move towards international markets in the 1960s necesstitated a change in how the company’s wordmark would be viewed. The simple, custom lettering helps consumers to identify the company’s official products without causing any difficulty in reading the name. It’s a solid way to make sure that the company stands out without being too difficult for consumers.

Influences/ Inspiration

The primary influence on the Mitsubishi logo is actually well-documented. It is a version of the Tsukomo Shokai  shipping company’s flag. This predecessor to the modern Mitsubishi company actually took its own inspiration from the crests of two Japanese houses, which helped to pay tribute to the contributions of both at the same time.

Mitsubishi’s logo definitely influenced many other Japanese motor vehicle makers. You can see elements of the design in Honda and Toyota’s simplicity, for example. The logo’s use of simple shapes and colors also extended internationally, with many car brands using something similar until moving on to more updated designs. Even so, the simplicity of the logo did help to contribute to the change in how vehicle badges would be designed across the world.

Trivia

  • The predecessor of the Mitsubishi company was founded in the 1870s.
  • Mitsubishi is made up of two words – Mitsu (three) and hishi (chestnut).
  • Mitsubishi products are sold in over 140 nations.
  • The modern Mitsubishi company started life as a steel supplier to the Japanese navy.
  • Mitsubishi introduced Japan’s first four-wheel-drive car in 1936.

Conclusion

The Mitsubishi logo is a great update on a truly classic design. It took what worked from the distant past and updated it in a way that made it function in a modern era. It is a prime example of solid modernization and one form which other logo designers can learn when updating their own products. If you want to learn how to take a design from the past and bring it to the present, the three diamonds will help you.

Avon Logo Design History and Evolution

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It’s hard to the quality for which Avon is best known. Is it the range of women’s daily use products? The pink color scheme? Or perhaps the once-ubiquitous Avon ladies, who sold their wares at parties and door to door? No matter how you know the company, though, you must admit that it’s something of an American classic at this point. Accompanying this classic brand through the years has also been a series of logos. By looking at the evolution of the Avon logo, one can see how the company has evolved with the times.

Avon Logo Design Elements

Avon logo is as minimalistic as it comes. Composed of only two elements and two colors, it’s a stark contrast to most of the other similar businesses on the market. In fact, that may be the very point of the logo – it looks endlessly professional, with no acknowledgment that much of the company’s business is done by those with little formal training. When you see the Avon logo, you are meant to see class – and insofar as the design is concerned, that’s certainly been a success.

Only two colors are used – black and pink. The black is a standard, serious business color. The pink is the company’s trademark color, one that speaks of femininity. The pink is used only as an accent, though, more as a nod to the company’s past than anything else. The simple, stark typeface of the logo is all business, showing consumers that Avon is a company to be taken seriously.

Changes and Evolution

1. Shape

The original shape of the Avon logo is almost frightfully domestic. Very much in line with what you’d see from other brands in the 1930s, it features a home with a gate in the shape of the company’s ‘A’. By 1936, the A would be the main part of the logo, albeit with a few flowers underneath. The 1947 version of the logo featured a bow-like design, while the 1954 version of the logo was as fifties as it gets. The logo gained a version of its current iteration in 1970, before switching to the modern logo in 1980.

2. Color

Avon has always used combinations of black and pink in their marketing. The vast majority of Avon’s logos have been monochromatic, with the lack of color representing quality. It’s surprising that the brand didn’t go with something more colorful in the 1950s, but instead choose to keep the same dark font even while other brands were experimenting with color. The feminine pink has been used sparingly in the logo, even though it plays a huge role in the company’s perception. It’s a color that apparently works much better on products than it does in a logo.

3. Font

Avon’s font has gone through some interesting changes. The original 1930s font was very feminine, while the 1947 font was had far less visual appeal. The font used in the 1950s was very stylized, looking more like the font you’d see on a guitar or a car than on a cosmetics company. By 1970, though, the company had moved to the all-caps font, something that was used by many other businesses at the time and that looked far more professional.

Influences/ Inspiration

If you want to see where Avon gets its influences, just head down to the cosmetics section of any major store. The company’s logo has always reflected trends in the industry, save for the original logos. In the modern era, you’re more likely to see Avon make a change when a number of its biggest competitors have done the same. It’s a follower to be sure, but one that has followed very well.

Avon has followed trends, not started them. Several other direct-to-consumer businesses have logos similar to Avon’s, but they tend to follow from Avon’s sources rather than the company itself. Instead, Avon’s influence tends to be more in how the businesses are structured than in how the logos are made.

Trivia

  • Avon was founded as the California Perfume Company in 1886.
  • Avon sells about four tubes of lipstick per second
  • Avon’s ‘Little Dot’ scent has been around since 1886.
  • Avon was the first beauty company to launch an e-commerce site.
  • Avon has been on the Fortune 500 list every year since the list was started.
  • Avon makes about eleven billion dollars per year.

Conclusion

Avon’s logo has changed with the times. It’s gone from a business that was primarily about attracting female sales reps to one that seems to be attempting to gain more professional credibility. Watching the change of the logo is a good way to determine how Americans have felt about the cosmetics industry in general and about Avon in particular.

Siemens Logo Design History and Evolution

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If you’ve spent time in the world of industrial electronics, you may already be familiar with Siemens. A huge producer in healthcare electronics and electrical engineering, this German company has a truly spectacular reach. As a major company, it has put a great deal of thought into the way it presents itself to the world at large. By taking a look at the evolving Siemens logo, one can see how the company has attempted to put its best face forward over the decades.

Siemens Logo Design Elements

The current Siemens logo is incredibly simple. Just a wordmark of the company’s name, it eschews any kind of representational branding and instead focuses entirely on the company itself. This is a sign that the company believes that it can easily trade on its own reputation, but that it isn’t so well-known among consumers that it can rely on a simple symbol. The clear and precise nature of the logo is useful to individual consumers and businesses alike, playing a huge role in the way the company brands itself.

While the logo is simple, it doesn’t take the monochrome tactic that one might assume. Instead, the color of the logo is a light blue. This is a good representation of energy and electricity, helping easily identify Siemens in the electronics sector. The font chosen is also very easy to read, making it clear from whom the products come. It’s a good use of a wordmark to help spread the name of the company to new consumers.

Changes and Evolution

siemens logo design evolution

1. Shape

The shape of the Siemens logo wasn’t always so simple. The early shape of the logo was an interlocking ‘S’ and ‘H’, representing the original name of the company Siemens and Haske. By 1925, the logo would gain a circle – all the better for being stamped onto products. The circle would be surrounded by a rhombus in 1928, also gaining the company’s name for the first time. The next logo, put into place in 1936, would lose the circle and rhombus but retain the letters and the company name. The wordmark would be all that remained by 1973 and the logo has remained the same ever since.

2. Color

Like many companies, Siemens has eschewed color in its logo for most of its history. that was largely due to the ease of printing in black and white in the earliest days and the ease of printing a monochromatic logo on plastic later on. In fact, the company wouldn’t have any color at all in its logo until the 1970s. At that point, adding color to the logo was a nod to the times, especially since so many of Siemens’ rivals were making it ever easier to identify their products in a much more competitive consumer electronics space.

3. Font

When Siemens was founded, it didn’t actually use the company’s name in the logo. Instead, it used a stylized ‘S’ and ‘H’ to represent the company’s initials. By 1928, though, the company finally began to use a chunky, very European text in the logo. This text would only be used until 1936, though – after that, the company would adopt the familiar, solid text that it uses today. The text is very easy to read whether capitalized or lower case, and works no matter how the word is spaced. It’s one of the better font coices for viewing a company’s name on a product.

Influences/ Inspiration

The major influences for the Siemens logo have changed over time. In the early days, the company used a logo very similar to that of other industrial companies. As consumer electronics became more popular, Siemens adapted its logo to fit with those companies. The biggest influences probably come from international rivals, who tended to use simple, easily-identifiable names rather than images in their logos. As such, Siemens choice to drop everything but their name from the logo was probably very helpful.

Siemens wasn’t much of a trend-setter, though. The company’s choice to go with just a name probably helped solidify that choice as the norm in electronics, but Siemens was merely an early adopter rather than a trailblazer. Still, it seems that if Siemens adopts a change the rest of the industry won’t be too far behind.

Trivia

  • The Siemens family is still the largest shareholder in the company.
  • Siemens was initially created as a German telegraph company.
  • Siemens built the first electric elevator in 1880.
  • Siemens holds the US patent for the electric railway.

Conclusion

The Siemens logo works well for what the company wants to accomplish. It shows the consumer who made the product, and in the end, that’s what’s most important. If you want to see simplicity in action, this is where you want to start your journey.