Time and again we look at famous logos and get mesmerized by their power and influence. But seldom do we think how these brands have managed to grow so powerful and famous. It is a known fact that brands are not made within a day. They are created after passing through several cumbersome growth stages. It may take years, maybe decades for famous brands to reach a maturity level and enjoy all the recognition.
All famous brands like Nike, McDonalds and Coca Cola have a rich heritage of growth phases. Their logo is the hallmark for their corporate success in the eyes of the customers. When companies create a logo design, they must be prepared to make amendments to it with the changing trends of the industry.
You must be wondering why I label the following logo evolutions as “not-so-famous” ones. Here’s the thing…somehow the growth phases of these brands haven’t been highlighted sincerely and we don’t find them much on net either. Therefore, today I intend to narrate the journey of 10 unforgettable brands and their unfamiliar growth phases.
1. Nestle
The first Nestlé logo was launched in 1868 originating from the founder’s name Henri Nestlé that means little nest in German. Since then the logo has changed five times in 1875, 1938, 1966 and latest in 1988. Each time there have been minor modifications to the logo while the representation of a mother bird feeding her kids in a nest remained more or less the same.
2. BP
The first logo of BP was introduced in 1921 showing “BP Motor Spirit”. Since then six versions of the logo have been introduced in 1922, 1930, 1947, 1958, 1989 and 2000. In four cases, the BP logo remained relatively same with the shield symbol. But the latest version shows a Helios symbol.
3. BBC
BBC’s first logo was created by Abram Games in 1955. Since then, it has drastically changed several times. One of their famous variations was in 1988 by designed by famous logo designerMichael Peters. The current version was introduced in 1997 which is still in use to date.
4. Texaco
The American oil selling company adopted its first logo design in 1909. It included the original five-pointed star symbol that acted as reference to the lone star of Texas. The Star symbol and Texaco font are Texaco’s chief brand distinctions. Since then, it has seen three logo redesigns in 1936, 1965 and 1981.
5. 3M
3M is a famous technologically innovative company that adopted its first logo design in 1906. It was originally called "Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co." But in 1955, the company changed its name to 3M and subsequently altered the logo as well. Another two variations of the logo design were launched in 1961 and the current in 1978.
6. Lego
The popular Danish toy brand got its first logo design in 1936. After that the logo was redesigned four times in 1946, 1953, 1955 and 1973. Although the company does not have a particular design or symbol, its meticulous font is now remembered and considered as a trademark font of Lego.
7. Google
One of the most viewed and recognized logo design of all time is Google. The search engine adopted its first logo in 1998 and since then has altered in twice with minor modifications. It was created by Sergey Brin. Irrespective of the redesign, the Google logo has remained constant with its multi color design.
8. Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart started out with a simple logo design in 1962 that spelled only the company name in blue. Since then, the logo has witnessed five modified versions. The versions in 1964 and 1968 used the Frontier Font. This was discontinued in the 1981 version. The latest logo was introduced in 2008.
9. Kraft’s Foods
Kraft’s Food has used three major logo designs in its corporate branding since its inception. The first logo was a trademark KRAFT sign that is still used on some Kraft food products. Two more redesigns took place with the latest being in 2009. Kraft is currently using their vibrant logo design with a flower symbol on the typography.
10. Wikipedia
Wikipedia’s first authentic logo was originally submitted by Bjørn Smestad for a Nupedia logo competition in 2000. The second logo was introduced in 2001 again through a logo design contest. The next logo dubbed “Puzzle ball logo” was launched in 2003 and remained till 2010 with many variations. The latest logo was in force in May 2010.
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