A business needs a recognizable logo. It has to be a consistent visual interpretation of the brand. That does not mean that you stay the same. Icon brands usually undergo several important updates over the decades.
Regardless of whether you are creating a brand new logo or updating an existing one, be inspired by well-known brands, including their original and current logos.
Coca-Cola always used a complicated script. But look at this original logo that was made in the 1890s. It contains the words "brand". You will not find that today.
IBM has been known for decades mainly under these initials. The original logo, however, refers to the longer name International Business Machines.
Nike's "Swoosh" is one of the most recognizable logos on the market. It was designed by a student of the founder and intended to convey a sense of movement. Today, the Swoosh is shown mostly on its own, sometimes with the Nike title.
The shape of the Apple logo has not changed since it was created. But the company has chosen a more basic black and white color scheme that fits in with its sleek and modern image. Steve Jobs said the original design was inspired by his childhood.
Pepsi originally designed his globe logo during World War II. The red, white and blue pattern appeared on bottle caps and was intended as a sign of patriotism.
Originally the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, 3M incorporated its full name and location in 1902 into the original logo. Since then, the company has shortened its name and received a simpler and more modern look.
The eBay logo created in the mid-1990s offers a unique and eye-catching mix of letters and colors. The new logo is very similar, but uses a weakened font with fewer variations.
FedEx was launched as a Federal Express. The company had a standard logo that contained the full name. But over the years people have shortened the name, of course. The current logo simply contains the commonly used FedEx name. It is also noteworthy that an arrow in the space between E and x stands for the forward movement.
The legendary Golden Bows have been on McDonald's since almost the beginning. The fonts and exact designs have changed a few times over the years, with the last incarnation choosing a very simple look.
The original Disney logo was very simple. After this initial design, the logos were branded with the company's logo, Mickey Mouse. However, the looping fonts used in W and D are almost as recognizable.
Walmart's original logo was referred to as the "Frontier logo" due to the country style of the typeface. It has since gone through several incarnations, with the color scheme last updated and lowercase letters added to make the store more accessible.
The original logo of the world-renowned credit card company contains blue and yellow stripes. The blue should resemble the sky, with the yellow representing the golden hills of California. The company has now simplified the logo, but these stripes are still partially there.
The original Amazon logo should resemble the letter A with a river flowing through the Amazon. The company has since gone with the globally recognized smile.
The original design by Microsoft was designed in the mid-1970s and looks very retro today. The current logo with four different colored tiles has been in use since 2012.
The Gap logo has always been pretty simple. However, the company changed its brand of "The Gap" several years ago. And the Caps version should also be more modern and professional.
In 1902, the original Ford Motor Company logo had a very old-fashioned logo. It was an indication of the complicated designs of the early 20th century. The company eventually replaced this with an oval design. It still serves as the Ford logo.
The former NASA emblem was much simpler than today's widespread. Since the guy is almost continuous, he was called a "worm".
The Starbucks emblem contained a siren from the start. The original version, however, had a much more complicated design. The company has optimized the design over the years. It even removed the actual Starbucks title in the last incarnation.
Target used the Bullaugen symbol from the beginning. It plays on the company name. The original looks retro by today's standards. But the company has optimized the design over the years.
