Studying the cases of famous advertising logos is very important because it is also by looking at the past that innovation can be created. Knowing what has gone before is a great way not to repeat ourselves, and being unique-when it comes to logos-is crucial. All the more so since there is still no business whose communication strategy should not start with the formulation of its symbol.
In fact, this isthe most powerful means we have at our disposal to stand out from the competition and establish a dense dialogue with our customers. In the space of a few pixels, all the brand’s values, its story, the emotions we want to arouse must be included. The need for communicative immediacy, then, makes it necessary to make simplicity one’s mantra. Everything must be rendered with lines that are as clean as they are effective. On closer inspection, this is precisely what all the world’s major multinationals have succeeded in.
Let us then start with them to understand what are the requirements that determine success.
You’ll be surprised how much Nike, Google, McDonald’s, Adidas and Amazon have in common!
Why advertising logos are important
“Logo” comes from the Greek equivalent of word. In fact, advertising logos are the identity document of a brand, that is, what a particular company has to say.
Making your business unique and recognizable through a simple and impactful logo can help you achieve success and position you in the customer’s mind as the first answer to their needs. In a very small space you need to condense all your deepest values and express your message: in other words, why your business is able to make a difference in people’s lives.
But that’s not all: the importance of a logo also lies in the fact that it will be repeated in all the visual elements you use to promote your business. A great advertisement is in vain if the logo is not able to stick in the minds of those who see it because it will be like admiring an anonymous painting. Very few will remember you, but there will be many who will have appreciated your campaign.
Corporate logo creates a strong brand identity
Creating a strong, consistent and professional brand identity inevitably comes through the creation of a unique and recognizable advertising logo. Three elements are required to achieve this:
- an in-depth research
- great attention to detail
- knowledge of the language through which images speak, even unconsciously.
Only in this way will you be able to bring out the personality of your company by enhancing all its characteristics. You will then be able to define the tone of voice in which you wish to speak and evoke the emotions you want your customers to feel when they think of you.
So, if we wanted to summarize what has been said so far, advertising logos are important because:
- They give consistency to your communication
- Differentiate your business from all others, contributing to its positioning
- Make your product and/or service recognizable and unique
- Brand every piece of content, making packaging, social posts and TV spots your own
What characteristics should an advertising logo have
The main characteristic of an advertising logo is its ability to stand out. When your symbol is distinctive, it has the ability to create an immediate association with your company. Think of the world-famous Apple: very few people today would not recognize a pc from the brand founded by Steve Jobs. Much of the credit goes to the now-famous apple that puts its signature on every product that comes out of the Silicon Valley factory.
Along with this uniqueness, your advertising logo must also be:
- Simple – The reference to your brand must be immediate
- Communicative – With just a few strokes all your values must emerge
- Readable – If you notice, the most effective examples have clean lines
- Scalable – You need to be able to adapt it to every communication channel and every size, even the smallest
- Exciting – Each logo conveys your emotions: professionalism, elegance, friendliness, fun, seriousness.
5 striking cases where the logo made the brand’s fortune
The world’s most important multinational corporations have an unmistakable advertising logo. Very often, it is this image that has determined the fortunes of brands. For example, when you are hungry and have little time for your lunch break, seeing a yellow M towering over a green background immediately lets you know that where you are there is a McDonald’s and that you can find a specific type of food and a specific experience there. But we will talk more about the logo of this fast food restaurant in a moment.
Scroll through the carousel, and discover 5 striking cases where the logo has been critical to a company’s success!
The Nike logo: the world’s best-known swoosh
Although the brand’s founder regarded today’s iconic mustache as trite and obvious, Nike’s logo is one of the most striking examples of how, with simplicity, an empire can be built.
The swoosh is nothing more than a graphic transposition of the idea of dynamism and movement associated with the Greek goddess Nike, which gives the company its name. It was created by Carolyn Davidson, a U.S. graphic designer at the time still pursuing her degree. Paid only $35, the student brought to life a simple, recognizable and immediate logo that could convey feelings of speed. The brand thus became the answer for anyone who wanted to engage in physical activity and sought the right garments to do so.
As mentioned, despite the reluctance of the CEO of the time, Philip Knight, the mustache was adopted and was accompanied by the word Nike. The response was so powerful that, in no time at all, the company was able to remove even its own name, now considered superfluous: the swoosh alone was more than enough to recognize the brand. Davidson was rewarded 11 years after the job with some shares in the company to whose success she had contributed so much.
The Google case: when color is more than enough
The world’s leading search engine has revamped and revised its logo as many as 7 times since 1998. However, its immediacy and colors never changed: on the contrary, they were gradually made cleaner and cleaner, just to emphasize the ease with which users could search – and get answers – on the Internet.
In its classic version, the Google symbol is structured around 4 shades:
- the blue
- the red
- the yellow
- and the green.
The creator was Ruth Kedar, and her creation has been so successful that today those who surf the Internet associate the brand even with the colors alone, without the presence of the wording. In fact, the American company was able to give birth to a new concept: the meta-logo. All Google-owned tools see the re-presentation of a symbol whose shapes may vary, but whose colors always remain unchanged. Despite this, none of them lose their recognizability.
But the U.S. search engine didn’t want to stop there: today it has also become famous for its versatility, so much so that some people can’t wait to search for something on the Internet to see what’s new. For example:
- on the occasion of dramatic events that strike the world, the logo loses its colors as a sign of mourning and sympathy for the relatives of the victims
- For other anniversaries, however, ad hoc animated doodles are created: to name a few, this happens at Christmas, Halloween, the first day of spring, or the opening game of the European and World Cups and the Olympics.
McDonald’s logo: simplification from the 1960s
McDonald’s huge M formed by two golden arches has its roots well before the 1960s. In fact, in its initial version, the fast food chain’s corporate logo quoted the words “McDonald’s Famous Barbecue” in full-a far too complex solution for two brothers aiming to conquer the world with a new dining model.
The two bows came only in 1961 and to reproduce, by simplifying it, the brand’s old restaurant structure. From there on, the graphic designers of the world’s most famous hamburgeria took the path of simplification, first eliminating the name and replacing it with the iconic slogan I’m lovin’ it; then leaving only the initial letter M with the addition of colors and messages that have become important in the company’s value system.
Thelatest change is from 2007 and concerns the green background, underscoring how-after a questionable past-even McDonald’s has begun to commit itself to a path of sustainable development andsafeguarding the health of the many customers who flock to its premises every day.
Adidas: an advertising logo for athletes
Adidas is a German-born manufacturer of technical sportswear, and the history of its logo is very interesting. The name comes from its founder: in fact, Adolf – a.k.a. Adi – Dasslerhad begun creating sports shoes at the end of World War I. It was not until the 1936 Olympic Games that the brand achieved planetary success thanks to the successful sponsorship of athlete Jesse Owens.
Initially, the logo was a stylized shamrock and remained that way until the mid-1990s. The three bands by which we all know it today did not come until 1996. Placed in increasing size, they symbolize the goals, challenges, and competitions of each of our lives. In other words: the long and difficult road to victory that Adidas wants to help us travel.
Again, the creative journey of the final logo took several decades. However, simplification guided every change, and today the result is a clear, communicative, unique and scalable symbol. In short: a true benchmark that anyone who wants to start a business should look to.
In the present day: the Amazon logo and its many messages
Success stories are not only found in the past. Amazon, for example, is one of the greatest recent examples of how, even today, building a good logo is indispensable.
Founded in the 1990s, Amazon was initially just a large bookstore. Over time it has evolved into a behemoth capable of selling virtually any kind of good. In the present day, it is one of the most important e-commerce companies worldwide, and its logo expresses its offerings at a glance.
It consists of a simple white amazon lettering on a black background. The only visual element is then a yellow arrow connecting the letter A to the letter Z. A clear and effective way of communicating that the company is able to get whatever you are looking for to your doorstep. Any product, from A to Z, in fact.
But that’s not all: this logo is also emotional. In fact, the shape of the arrow is reminiscent of a smile, indicating the pleasure and happiness of receiving a package containing what you had wanted up to that moment. Again: communicative, recognizable and readable. In other words: perfect.
Development of advertising logos: create your own symbol with Isola
At this point you should be in no doubt: a well constructed logo makes all the difference. Every business should start from its very symbol to create acoherent image that can communicate with customers. It is an interplay of lines, shapes, colors and words that cannot be left to chance, but needs expertise, study, strategy and intuition.
Isola provides you with logo design services to start building consistent, omnichannel communication. After listening to your project, your values and thoroughly understanding your story, our communication agency ‘s graphic design studio will come up with the perfect logo to enable you to stand out and establish yourself in your target market.
Request a free quote now – our Team is here for you!
