logo design history (W)

	Wella logo Wella really came into play as its own brand in 2003, when Procter & Gamble took control of these world famous and highly successful manufacturers of hair care products, who had been around since 1971. In addition, Wella also manufactured hair curling devices and hair dryers, and as such, the logo was developed to represent a woman blowing her hair.
	Wilkinson corporate logo The image used by this company dates back to the year 1772, when the sword maker Henry Nock of London opened a small business. The business was taken over in 1805 by Nock's son-in-law James Wilkinson. The company was eventually renamed in 1887 as the "The Wilkinson Sword Company." Initially the company was set up to manufacture everything from typewriters to bicycles and motorcycles, prior to moving in to the electric shaver in 1898. The logo we see to the left goes all the way back to the heart and founder of the company - Nock - who was a sword maker. In addition, it still maintains its relevancy on the basis of the company's continued efforts in manufacturing and selling razor-blades and razors.
	Winter Games 2010 Logo The logo for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics was presented to the public in April 2005. It was designed by Vancouver resident Elena Rivera MacGregor. The logo’s name - Ilanaaq the Inukshuk. It was chosen from 1,600 entries. Ilanaaq means “friend” in Inuktitut, the traditional language of the Inuit (also known as Eskimos). It is one of three languages spoken in Nunavut, Canada, which in 1992 became a self-autonomous region of the country. Inukshuk refers to guiding stone markers that Inuits use when exploring the Arctic. The logo was viewed by many as a friendly and welcoming symbol, which is what the Olympics have come to signify, and which, by extension, seemed to be the most appropriate for Canada. There are five separate stones in five colors: blue and green symbolise Canada’s west coast region, mountains and rivers. The red stone symbolises the Maple Leaf, Canada’s flag, and the gold (yellow) signifies the sun that shines on Vancouver’s downtown area and surrounding mountain ranges. Note the green stone that is shaped like a smile echoing the meaning of Ilanaaq - friend. The emblem means that all stones need each other to convey strength and support. One of the judges said, it was a logo that: (a) had appeal with young people; (b) represented the Canadian personality accurately; and (c) the message of the symbol seemed to be saying, here’s the way to the finish line. The Olympics logo itself has five interlocking rings designed by the founder of the Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin in 1913. The five rings, first introduced in Belgium, represent the five continents. Coubertin explained, the emblem chosen to illustrate and represent the world Congress of 1914, five intertwined rings in different colours - blue, yellow, black, green, red - are placed on the white field of the paper. These five rings represent the five parts of the world which now are won over to Olympism and willing to accept healthy competition. The rings are permanent symbols but countries hosting individual games can come up with their own emblem provided the five rings are included.

logo design history (V)

	Vaillant logo This colloquially known "Hare in the Eye" is promoted by one of Europe's most renowned and respected heater manufacturers, who have been in business since 1899. The idea for the concept, the logo, and the business dates back to the company's founder Johann Vaillant at the Ostersonntag, when he was reading a Catholic news sheet. This news sheet was the inspiration for the logo and peoples desire to be surrounded by fascinating things such as trees, eggs, hares and rolling lawns.
	Valiant Comics Logo Design Valiant Comics is the comic book publishing company established in 1990 by comic writer Jim Shooter and famous artists Barry Windsor-Smith and Bob Layton. Valiant Comics stormed onto the comic book market with stories and characters of unique quality and became one of the largest players in this industry. Valiant is the 3rd most recognizable world of characters in comics. The quick rise of Valiant can be ascribed to both the blemished realism of its characters and the quality of its stories. Valiant's first visual identity appeared on Wrestling and Nintendo Comics. In 1991, the logo would also appear on its superhero line. Two months after the end of the Unity crossover, Valiant updated its logo, switching from a fancy script font to a bold script. The new Valiant logo was updated again right after the Chaos Effect crossover. The company decided to change the wording to "Valiant Presents" and to decrease in size the compass logo. The logo was entirely revamped after the company has been bought by Acclaim Entertainment. It featured a large letter "V" to replace the compass, and a new different typeface. Later on, a new logo was created to symbolize the synergism between Valiant and Acclaim, merging the letters "V" and "A" into one logo. The compass logo has lately reappeared along with the addition of the wording "Entertainment".
	Volkswagen Logo Volkswagen is a car producer based in Germany. It forms the substance of Volkswagen Group, which is the world's fourth largest automobile producer after Toyota, GM and Ford. The origins of the company date back to 1930s Nazi Germany. Long before Hitler was elected to power in Germany, he was creating schemes to mass-produce an affordable car. Hitler called the new vehicle the "KdF-Wagen", which literally meant "strength through joy - car", after the Nazi-led KdF movement that was supposed to look after the working people. Ferdinand Porsche disliked the name KdF-Wagen (he preferred Volkswagen, the name under which the car had been produced). "Volkswagen" signifies "people's car" in German, in which it is pronounced ['folksvagan]. Volkswagen has one of the most simple and instantly recognizable logos in the world, which has seen subtle changes through the years. It's pretty obvious what the Volkswagen logo is (a V over a W in a blue background, surrounded by a circle). The logo was the result of an office competition of which the winner was Franz Reimspiess (the engineer who perfected the engine for the Beetle in the 1930's). The copyright holder of the internationally-famous VW logo is not to be Nikolai Borg, a graphic designer who sued the company for allegedly failing to recognise his work.

logo design history (U)

	Umbro In 1924 the Humphrey Brothers created a sporting and clothing manufacturing firm along with a logo depicting a double diamond, which was directly representative of the two founders Harold and Wallace Humphrey.
	Uncle Ben's In 1943 the American company Converted Rice Inc. from Houston, sold and transported high-quality rice. The label and logo name were based on the local farmer Uncle Ben, whose rice plants in the area around Houston were tended with great love and care in order to produce such a high-quality product. The label and logo however, is based on a fictitious picture of Uncle Ben, as no authentic picture or photo was ever taken of the legendary rice grower.
	Unity Symbol This logo was taken from one of the oldest but most common symbols. The image represents the two symbols Mars (meaning masculinity or War God) and Venus (meaning femininity or Dear Goddess), which was first used in about 450 B.C., according to Greek mythology. Even today this image is still used and shows the link between man and woman. In more recent and modern times the two symbols have been linked together to show the unity between two or more people in a business environment. The symbol of unity demonstrates love, confidence, loyalty and solidarity.
	UPS logo The very first iteration of this logo for this famous and reputable express delivery service was developed 1919. This first version pictured an eagle containing a package in its claws. Eighteen years after this date, the logo was altered for the very first time. At to a shield with the three initials of the business name. In 1961 logo designer Paul Rand created a new logo in line with this new abbreviated name. The logo was again redesigned in 2002/2003 by FutureBrand and the new 3D look was placed on a brown surface of a shield.

logo design history (T)

	Tchibo Business Logo This internationally renowned brand was created in 1949 by Carl Tchilling Hiryan, who initially sent a parcel of roasted coffee beans through the post to a customer. Following on from quick success, between 1995 through to now, the business has more than 850 sales branches where coffee products are offered for sale. The logo and business name is abbreviated from "Tchilling Hiryan" and the word "bean" - making the word "Tchibo."
	Texaco Logo Design Texaco is an American oil retail brand that provides quality gasoline and is a leader in the market in performance. Texaco is known today as one of the most iconic brands around the globe. The company's original five-pointed star logo design was created in 1903. The first trademarked logo, designed in 1909, featured a red star (a reference to the lone star of Texas), leading to the advertising jingles "You can trust your car to the man who wears the star", and a green T which all over the world, means superior quality. The Star Symbol and Texaco Logotype are Texaco's major retail brand identifiers. The trademarked logo design was created by Romeo Miglietta who based his design on the colors that embellished the Italian flag. The Texaco logo was updated in 1913 and a 42-inch double-faced sign was introduced. In 1963, with the launching of the company's first corporate identification system, the circle was replaced by a hexagon. The company introduced the streamlined star symbol in 1981 along with the new System 2000 stations. Texaco updated its corporate identity in 2000, after deciding that the star symbol no longer needed the wording Texaco below it.
	Texas Instruments (TI) logo This company was first created in 1930 by John Clarence "Doc" Karcher and Eugene McDermott. It was created to serve as a geographical service that used Seismology. Over time, the focus of the company moved to the production of transistors and other instruments, which is why the company became Texas Instruments in 1951. The logo depicts the outline of the State of Texas, and an outline of the initials of the company's name.
	Three M Business Identity This innovative and ground-breaking American company was the brain child of five successful business men in 1902. The men initially formed the "Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co." and, when mining showed little promise of offering them a return, they looked for further opportunities. After stumbling around looking for new products potential one of the owners coincidentally came about the idea of sandpaper. Other ingenious ideas by this company include Scotch tape and Post-it notes.Some say that 'simple is smart.' That's been one of the keys to the success of the 3M logo. 3M Red is a bold, vibrant color that makes the logo recognizable and unforgettable. Trough the time the 3M logo has gained awareness and familiarity in every corner of the world; it has become a symbol for innovative, trustworthy products and services. But it wasn't always that simple. The three "M"s come from the "Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company." Through the first 50 years of the company's life, logos transformed rapidly. The first appeared in 1906. Its design was complex: The company's full name and its headquarters (Duluth, Minn.) surrounded a diamond containing the term "3M Co." After this version the logo went through many changes in some cases, the oval being completely abandoned for a plain stand- alone 3M. An important phase in 3M logo evolution began in the 60's when the company hired Gerald Stahl & Associates, a New York design firm, to create a definitive logo that would connect the corporation and all its business units under a single sign. The result was a boxy, 3M with a distinctly industrial look. Things changed in the 70's as the company's focus were no longer the industrial abrasives and tapes but products for commercial and consumer markets. The result was the new 3M logo 'simple and smart': red 3 and M touching one another. The new, vibrant logo caught on like wildfire.
	ThyssenKrupp logo The current day logo of ThyssenKrupp represents the merger of the two steel dynasties of the families Krupp and Thyssen. During 1811, the two partners built a factory for casting steel of English quality. They worked together and independently, including in 1871 when Thyssen left the business, in order to produce strap iron work. After many years and turbulent times including the Second World War, both companies continued to work together. A new logo was introduced in 1920 and was based on a circle, polygon and letter combinations. From the initial letter a "subtle T" was developed to combine with the traditional characters of the two businesses that had merged. Discussions of the managers in 1976 saw the introduction of a new logo that contained the Rhine steel elbow that you see now. This was designed to be used as a uniform symbol for the entire business and was deemed to be the "yellow signature." As the business progressed, the "yellow signature" was replaced "by the blue signature" but the colors of blue and yellow were selected as the corporate colors for the business. Introduced in 1875, the three rings represent the time that Alfred Krupps invented the forged and rolled railway wheel tire, which was patented and trade marked in 1853 in Prussia. The manufacture involved three layers positioned on top of each other. The law around trademark protection in 1874 gave Krupp the permission to develop its own logo at which time a selection of drafts were made. Hence this three ring character in a pyramid shape is interpreted as wheel tires of railway wheels and was first used in 1875. 1994 saw the end of the logo in its original form, and at that point a more modern version using black rings came into play. This new logo is not intended to replace but instead combine all of the previous facets of the logo in all its iterations. All employees of the company were recently asked to make suggestions for the development of the logo and more than 5,000 suggestions were supplied. This gave the company a strong indication of the level of commitment from its workforce.
	Toyota corporate logo The Toyota logo, like the company, is widely recognized for its originality and simplicity. It has become a symbol of pioneering automotive and non-automotive products and services. The Toyota logo bears a meaningful visual identity with strong visual impact. It symbolizes the energetic transition of the company from a family business to the expansion of a worldwide company. In 1936, when Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd. was launching its first passenger car, it needed a new trademark to celebrate the launch. For that purpose, a competition was held to establish a logo that would promote the company's vehicles. The design requirement of the company was to create something that will express 'the feeling of speed'. Thus, the winning logo resulted in the change of the name from 'Toyoda' to 'Toyota'. This was as the Japanese lettering of 'Toyota' gave the logo a smooth look and was also chosen because in the Japanese word 'Toyota' (eight) was considered to bring luck and prosperity. Although no longer used on products, the original Toyota logo is still used as the company's emblem. The current Toyota logo consists of three ovals: two perpendicular center ovals making a stylized "T" for Toyota and one around them symbolizing the global expansion of Toyota's technology and unlimited potential for the future.
	Trumpf Company Logo This well known brand dates back to the year 1923, when Christian Trumpf and two of his business partners opened a mechanical workshop. Over the years this business grew in spades. In 1948 they opted to use the surname of one of the owners along with a spade from a deck of cards to build their brand.

logo design history (S)

	Saab logo The logo of this world famous car manufacturer depicts a mythological bird which is also used on the official coat of arms of the Count von Skane and was used as the symbol for the Swedish province Skane, where the SAAB company was formed.
	Sagrotan This product is a popular and well regarded disinfectant by Schuelke & Mayr that began in 1889 to fight against the bacteria of Cholera. The logo was initially developed in 1913 by combining the first syllable of Latin word "sanus" meaning "health and welfare" with the first three letters. The image of the Greek goddess Hygieia is also used to represent health and well-being.
	Shell logo This company was founded by Marcus Samuel in 1897 to facilitate transportation. It was named the "Shell Transport and Trading Company Ltd." In 1904 the company had adopted a logo that depicted the image of a scallop. It is a refreshed iteration of this scallop that has been in use since 1971 as sketched by American industrial designer Raymond Loewy.
	Sony Logo Design The first trademark using the SONY logo enclosed in a square box was registered in 1955. From that moment on, the logotype went through a sequence of changes. By 1960, Sony started to develop its brand identity abroad and the logo was exposed in neon in Hong Kong and New York, where it competed with well-established and famous foreign companies. Sony was the first Japanese company to post such a sign in an upmarket area of Hong Kong. Designer Yasuo Kuroki modified the logo which was quickly displayed in advertisings for Sony's miniature televisions. Later on, a design policy and corporate identity were established by a committee. A number of modifications were considered until the company decided on the current logo design. This version was introduced in 1973 and is still used today despite several proposals for introducing a new logo. In 1982, Sony launched a slogan and an additional logotype to improve the overall corporate identity. Morita thought that a catchy, brief description might be needed to complement the "S mark" logo. Soon after, the slogan 'It's a Sony!' was introduced. This catchy tandem quickly became known worldwide as a unique Sony feature.
	South Tyrol This popular vacation spot has merged together with the national tourism body to pursue tourism dollars from around the world. This logo is designed to highlight the value of the region, which is why it is such a strong, sharp-edged and high-contrast image. The new logo is designed to radiate the passion, energy and inviting nature of the location, in particular the panorama reflects its ability to offer much to its visitors. The choice of colors is fascinating, including the use of blue to represent the freshness of the milk and the winter, the use of green representing the apples, meadows and forests, the use of red representing bacon and the wine and yellow representing sun which shines more than 300 days of the year.
	Starbucks logo The worldwide coffee phenomenon that is Starbucks first began in 1971 when the founders opened their inaugural store. Now there are more than 7,500 stores across the globe under the brand of Starbucks Coffee Houses, serving more than 22 million guests annually. The world famous logo represents the environment with which the company was established in the lakes area of Seattle, Washington. In addition, the logo depicting the lady and the water dates back to the old sailor tradition of transporting coffee and the coffee trade.
	SterlingSavings Bank This is the logo of the very first German savings bank, formed in 1778 in Hamburg. Soon after this first branch opened, additional branches were also opened in further establishments in Oldenburg, Kiel, Altona and Baden-Wuerttemberg. The logo was initially put into use in 1925 and first depicted a face. The eyes were used to form the letters of D and G. In 1948, a new logo was developed as a result of the work of an experienced poster artist Lois Gaigg, where he used the S symbol for the first time. This S symbol has been further used in the most recent iteration by designer Otl Aicher. It is considered that popular opinion is that the newer logo looks like an upside down question mark.
	Stussy Logo The world famous Stussy logo is highly connected with the 80's generation of new wave beach culture. By 1980, a Californian cult surfboard shaper named Shawn Stussy decided to apply his scribbled signature logo on t-shirts that he traded along with his boards. Soon after, the clothing line extended and its modern and raw esthetic developed into an international streetwear label. Being influenced by the ideas of fashion and culture that emerged along with the changes that were made in the music scene, Stussy managed to win success. His clothing was inspired by skaters, DJ's, musicians and artists with similar tastes. Stussy exists today as a brand with worldwide independence and respect and continues to be a leader in beach culture.
	Superman Logo The story of the world famous Superman logo carries overtones of history, science and arts. Jerry Siegel was the man who came with the idea of Superman and than showed the story to his friend Shuster, an aspiring artist. The symbol "S" which was used to create the logo has a lot of meaning within the bounds of American culture. "S" stands for Superman, Stopping Crime, Saving Lives, Super-Aid, but it also represents the symbol of Superman's family house on Krypton. It is important to pay more attention on to the elements of the logo, which are often ignored. The two colors of the logo bear a deep meaning. Red and yellow are the colors of RAO ( the sun-god of Krypton) and SOL refers to sunlight. On the cover of Superman 4, April 1940 the Superman logo has a black background. However, in June 1940 the studio decides to change the logo into a larger 5 sided pentagon, easier to draw and color. This new version is first drawn by Wayne Boring. Paul Cassidy would later create a new design using a larger S, tightly slammed against the shield border. Today, in spite of all the changes the logo has suffered throughout time, its fundamental details remain mostly unchanged.