Celebrating iconic logos and their stories.

I recently championed uniqueness in logo design to represent brand individuality. It struck a chord, so I’m compiling an A-Z of authentic logos and the inspiration behind them.

A: Amazon
Since the first river-inspired logo arrived in 1995 (and Zebra print in 1997!) soulless designs followed until 2000 when Turner Duckworth produced the simple, yet genius logo used today. The easily recognised smile can now be deployed in isolation, but when it is shown underscoring Amazon, it draws a satisfying line from A to Z, representing endless product selection and the online store’s end-to-end service.

B: British Rail
The symbol drafted by lettering artist Gerry Barney to herald a modernised British Railways in the early ‘60s is so iconic it’s outlasted the company it was designed for. It survived privatisation in 1996, re-nationalisation in 2002, and remains the symbol for stations across the UK. The beautifully simple pictogram features two opposing arrows representing two tracks and a set of points, of which Barney says “It worked because it was obvious. When you think of railways, you think of parallel lines: up this way, down that way.”

C: Citroën
The French car manufacturer’s double chevrons are inspired by cog patterns around gear wheels used in milling – André Citroën bought the gear patent in 1900 and started a business producing them. When he switched his attention to making cars in 1919, the pattern was ideal for his new logo. There’s been plenty of iterations since, but like many brands looking to leverage their history, the current version is very close to the original.

D: DreamLease
Not much explanation needed for this 2021 logo from our own back catalogue (it’s my list, so there). Designed to represent a driver’s ‘dream’ vehicle by combining a thought bubble and car icon, it also helps position the brand with its automotive peers.

E: England FA
The English Football Association and national team crest has featured three lions since 1879. The lions emulate the Royal Arms used by every monarch since Richard the Lionheart in the 12th century and each one is said to mark different moments in history. The first lion represents King Henry I, who added the predator to the country’s coat of arms in 1100. The second was added when he married Adeliza of Louvain whose father Godfrey had a lion in his standard. The third appeared when King Henry II wed Eleanor of Aquitaine (she also had a lion in her crest). The badge also shows 10 Tudor roses, one for each tier in the English football pyramid from The Premier League down to regional leagues.

These examples demonstrate less is more, and that clear concepts with meaning promote recognition and recall. Logos are often restyled to reflect trends, but unless a business changes its core offering, the essence should be protected and updates handled with care.

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