Rusu Florian Cristian - Grupa 8215

1. Famous brands and
their brand identity
Coordinating teacher: Frumușelu Mihai
Student: Rusu Florian Cristian

2. Nike
The Nike logo was crafted by Carolyn Davidson who was only paid 35 dollars
for her work! Inspired by the Greek goddess Nike, Davidson wanted to convey
her unearthly speed and movement through the emblem. In 1978, the shoe
manufacturer overhauled its logo by adding a bolder font and slightly shifting
the swoosh. No one thought that the peculiar geometric shape would soon
become one of the most recognizable graphic symbols in the world! With time,
the swoosh grew popular enough to drive out the company name from the
logo composition.

3. The diverse history of the Google logo started not so long ago, in 1997. The
raw version of today’s Google emblem was created in GIMP by Sergey Brin, a
co-founder of the IT giant. Adding an exclamation mark to its name was
Google’s attempt to imitate the Yahoo! design. Realizing that copying is not
the best option for such a powerful brand as Google, Ruth Kedar removed the
exclamation mark in 2000. The improved corporate image gained wide
popularity and lasted till 2010. In 2015, Google presented its latest logo
version that serves a fine example of graphic perfection.

4. Adidas
Adi Dassler was a man of many talents. It was he who decided to put three stripes
on the Adidas shoes to make them easily identifiable among competing brands.
With time, the graphic became a fully-fledged logo that remained practically
unchanged for many years. (The only design element Adidas experimented with
was the form of the stripes.) In the 60s, Adi Dassler and his wife Käthe came up
with another emblem that featured a trefoil. In 1997, the German shoe
manufacturer introduced its new corporate symbol, with three slanting stripes
forming a steep mountain. The mountain stood for the challenges faced by the
company and the goals it’s pursuing.

5. Visa
The VISA logo was created in the same year the company was founded.
In the original emblem, the brand name was arranged in two lines, with
two upper letters painted blue and two lower ones painted yellow. In
2006, the company switched to a more noticeable and recognizable font.
In 2014, yellow was removed from emblem, leaving the logotype
monochromatic.

6. Audi
For its first logo used till 1932, Audi drew inspiration from the sinuous, elegant Art
Nouveau shapes. In 1932, to cut growing expenses amidst the economic crisis, Audi
merged with other three automotive manufacturers, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. Such
a major structural change led to a new logo design with the four overlapping circles
we all know. The circles stood for the four united companies that now were a part of
Auto Union AG. In 1965, the enterprise changed its name to Audi and was then
acquired by Volkswagen Group. In 2009, to celebrate its 100th anniversary, Audi
overhauled its famous logo making it more even more refined and beautiful.

7. BMW
The automotive legend BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH) was a result of the 1916
merger of two aircraft engine manufacturers, Rapp Motorenwerke and
Flugmaschinenfabrik owned by Gustav Otto. The prototype for the iconic BMW symbol
was a round emblem used by the Rapp-Motorenwerke brand. It displayed a horse and the
white and blue Bavarian flag. The BMW logo featured two white and two blue quadrants
inside a black circle. After World War II, the company, that no longer had to manufacture
equipment for military purposes, set out to explore the automotive world. It’s amazing
how much the modern BMW logo and its 1917 predecessor look alike! The car
manufacturer has had no need to improve the already ideal design. The most noticeable
change took place in 2000 when the emblem gained an attention-grabbing 3D effect.

8. Volkswagen
It all started when the Porsche enterprise ran a contest to find the best design for a new
Volkswagen car. The contest was won by Franz Reimspiess, a designer who, among his other
accomplishments, upgraded an engine for a Beetle model in the 30s. The original black and
white emblem featured the “VW” abbreviation and a swastika as a reflection of the then-ruling
Hitler regime. The second logo didn’t employ a swastika and looked more like a car wheel
rather than a fan. After World War II, the car manufacturer was overtaken by the British who
renamed it into Beetle and overhauled the logo concept. While the VW abbreviation survived
the censorship, the circle was removed due to its association with the Nazi flag. However, the
British management failed to find buyers for the Volkswagen factory and had to return it to the
German government. With time, the automotive brand dropped the black and white color
scheme and pained its emblem blue and light grey.

9. Microsoft
Reflecting the latest design trends of that time, the original Microsoft logo came out in 1975 and was
used till 1979. In 1980, the aspiring computer company opted for a more simple and stylish emblem,
with the words “Microsoft” written in one line. In 1982, the public saw a transformed Microsoft logo
with an extravagant, eye-catching letter “O.” The brand advocates loved the new design so much that
its cancellation in 1987 caused a major backlash. The company’s visual history continued with a
concise Packman logo authored by Scott Baker. A slash between the letters “О” and “S” evoked
instant associations with speed and growth. The late 90s and early 00s were the heyday of the IT
giant, with its low-key logo making the list of the world’s top graphic symbols.

10. Burger King
The second largest fast food chain in the world, Burger King managed to build a
smart, elaborate brand image. Burger King’s archrival McDonald’s is probably the
only brand that can do it better. However, losing to a competitor like McDonald’s is
nothing to be ashamed of! As for the Burger King’s logo history, it all started with a
pretty intricate emblem that featured a king (yes, the very Burger King!) proudly
sitting on a burger. Although still used in some ads, the funny character didn’t last
long. In 1969, the king was overthrown by … two halves of a bun. The image turned
out to be so to the point that it’s been used on the Burger King emblem ever since.
Nonetheless, in 1998, the logo was slightly altered, gaining a blue circle and
magnetic 3D effect.

11. Bibliography
• https://www.logaster.com/blog/25-famous-brands-logos/