What are your favorite logos of all time?

[Unspeaked]

I was going to post this in the design forum, but I think it may be even more related to pop culture, so I've chosen to put it here.

What are your favorite logos of all time? Include pictures, please!

----------

Give the nature of the board, I think it's only fair to start off with this:

http://www.cscout.com/china/media/apple_logo3.jpg

Some others I like:

http://www.themusicinmylife.com/images/pink-floyd-the-wall.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/WAMBurt/The_Flash_Logo_Red-T-link.jpg

http://www.solarnavigator.net/films_movies_actors/film_images/RCA_original_logo.png

http://www.aviationexplorer.com/airliner_pictures/pan_am_logo_gif.gif

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k219/etlemmon/SJ%20Sharks/Sharks-Logo-Big.jpg

http://blog.masslive.com/screenwriting/2008/07/medium_logo-watchmen.jpg

[DavieBoy]

as much as i like the apple logo.

This is probably the best logo ever still. No words... The apple logo is an apple but how do children learn that this means Nike?

[Unspeaked]

This is probably the best logo ever still. No words... The apple logo is an apple but how do children learn that this means Nike?

Branding.

I'd argue that Nike's branding is far more powerful than its logo...

(But you'll hear no argument from me against it being one of the most recognized logos of all time!)

[Tilpots]

http://www.myextralife.com/wow/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/blue_screen_of_death.gif


Recognized world-wide!:D


http://www.walyou.com/img/blue-screen-of-death-beijing-olympics-1.jpg

[Iscariot]

Big fan of Paul Rand, Herb Lubalin, Lester Beall and especially Saul Bass, who probably designed more successful brands than anyone.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/2424758090_f7d1f8c6f8_o.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/IBM_logo.svg/800px-IBM_logo.svg.png
http://38one.com/logos/mother.jpg
http://blog.signalnoise.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/i_saulbass_l1.jpg

But the best corporate identities are the most recognizable, and while branding is a part of that, it's a part that you can't extricate. Nike, McDonalds and the like are the big winners.

[Unspeaked]

Big fan of Paul Rand, Herb Lubalin, Lester Beall and especially Saul Bass, who probably designed more successful brands than anyone.

I like the others, but I think Paul Rand is a little overrated.

It always seemed to me like anyone who designed as many logos as him was bond to have a bunch of success.

People tend to ignore the hundreds of horrible logos he designed.

(Plus, I hear he was a real jerk!)

[Abstract]

What do you mean by "best"?


Any logo that's instantly recognisable has worked well, so are you simply talking about design rather than recognisability?

[Melrose]

^^ "Best" is a very subjective term, not necessarily meaning "most recognizable."

I like the others, but I think Paul Rand is a little overrated.
I agree about Rand. He's good, but I think overrated.

Fedex and Amazon.com are terrific examples of logos with a purpose. Of course, my personal favourite is the Apple logo ;)

http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~delara/amazon_logo.gif
http://360.jackmorton.com/upload/2007/05/fedex_logo-thumb.jpg

^^ Gotta love the smiley doubling as an A to Z, and the little arrow in "Ex"

[Unspeaked]

What do you mean by "best"?

Woops, changed the title to better reflect my original idea for the thread, which I thought I made clear in my first post:

What are your favorite logos of all time?

Sorry, I can see how there's a big difference between "favorite" and "best."

[Don't panic]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2054/2070658195_598c2d51ff.jpg?v=0

/thread

[takao]

my guess is the BMW logo (even though i don't like their cars)

connection to bavarian coat of arms combined with round outside (make it look like a propeller which is actually only a coincidence) + nearly timeless design whatsoever

(the trinity motto of the Mercedes Star with "engines on land, in the air and in water" is a close second for car brands)

i never got the point behind the Nike logo ... that always seemed like pure branding to me but coca cola sure has a nice swing to it and make it stand out today even more



from the ones posted by Iscariot i only recognize IBM

[DavieBoy]

What do you mean by "best"?


Any logo that's instantly recognisable has worked well, so are you simply talking about design rather than recognisability?

Damn, it is hard for me to explain what I mean in words, maybe if I spoke another language or had one of those word a day calenders when I was little.

The apple logo is an apple, The McDonald's logo is an M with the word McDonald's under it. IBM is IBM. They are all instantly recognized. But they explain what they are in the logo, which I believe is a good trait in a logo.

I can not think of another logo, I am sure someone else can, that seemingly has nothing to do with the product yet is so known.

Also, Nike and McDonald's may well be most well known in the world. O yea and Coca-Cola. Does anyone want to throw something else into the top 3?

[Unspeaked]

Also, Nike and McDonald's may well be most well known in the world. O yea and Coca-Cola. Does anyone want to throw something else into the top 3?

http://www.btelevisions.com/images/DISNEY01.gif

[DavieBoy]

cant argue with that. especially since I am going there next week for the first time in over a decade...

[joepunk]

The carpenter shops version of Starbucks logo

just don't ask for Chai Tea :p

[Unspeaked]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2054/2070658195_598c2d51ff.jpg?v=0

/thread

It's a close call between that and Coca-Cola...

[takao]

god no not again the london 2012 logo ... too bad it's not 2013 already

[brn2ski00]

http://www.skitheeast.net/

[tobefirst]

The carpenter shops version of Starbucks logo

just don't ask for Chai Tea :p

A friend of mine is at McMurdo right now. He drives the shuttle trucks taking the scientists wherever they need to go.

[chilipie]

http://www.skitheeast.net/

I realise the thread's about favourite logos, but I really don't think that's a very good one at all. What do you like about it?

[NightGeometry]

Sun Microsystems. I just love how those blocks work.

[gkarris]

Ahhh, the memories...

[zachplaysguitar]

I always like the LimeWire logo

[brn2ski00]

I realise the thread's about favourite logos, but I really don't think that's a very good one at all. What do you like about it?

I like the fact that my buddy designed it. Simple and effective -- plus they are a great, up and coming ski co.

[obeygiant]

http://www.listphile.com/Fortune_500_Logos/FedEx/image/068_fedex.png

I've always thought the arrow in the negative space was clever.


Also the motion logo for Ledgendary Pictures; 44 second clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jut02bWssh4)

[SwiftLives]

Egg & Spoon. This may be one of the greatest logos I've ever stumbled across (via ilovetypography (http://www.ilovetypography.com))

[akonradi]

Classic.

http://web.mit.edu/course/21/21.german/www/Images/crane.gif

[Unspeaked]

Egg & Spoon. This may be one of the greatest logos I've ever stumbled across...

Very cool.

[Surely]

Here is one of my favorites:

http://www.dailycomedy.com/images/jokes/b/MilwaukeeBrewers.jpg

[Love]

Air Canada's logo - Always loved it.
Canon - Simple.
not the apple logo, but just the word iPhone - Beautiful.

[Carl Abudephane]

One of the most exciting days in my life was back in 1980/81 when my Dad bought me an Atari 400. It just looked like the most incredible and beautiful device I'd ever seen, especially after seeing Star Raiders running on it in the Lasky's store seven miles from where we lived.
The logo just seemed to capture that magical essence that Atari products had back then.

(Incidentally, I was thinking back to these times a couple of weeks ago when unpacking my (new)Rev A Air! It genuinely was the first time in ages that I actually felt some semblance of that kind of excitement with a computer product! Don't know what that says about me, but ...... .)
.

[KompleX]

i love the stern face, eagle hat, and the fact that it's on a plane!
http://200.38.173.87/Congreso_Guanajuato/Vuelos/imagenes/aeromexico.jpg

and secondly the mac os happy face. i would restart my computer just to see that logo on the startup screen!
http://www.delamainit.com/articles_how-tos/images/osx-icons/iconFinder.jpg

[Demosthenes X]

I've always loved this logo... gotta love that ambigram. :)

http://www.scripophily.com/webcart/vigs/sunvig.jpg


I'm also quite partial to this one:
http://blog.wired.com/cars/images/2007/10/23/porsche_logo_6.jpg

And I still dig this, even if it is "classic":
http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/1/29/full/283.gif

[brn2ski00]

I've always thought the arrow in the negative space was clever.



Never even noticed that, pretty cool!

[DarthTreydor]

i like this. i was lucky enough to score a t shirt at the deadheads for obama rally at the warfield in san francisco.

[Galley]

It doesn't get any better than this! :D

http://sinatraguide.com/Monkees/monkees_logo.gif

[suprdave1]

+1 for the old Milwaukee Brewers logo. It's just so friggin unique and creative.

[Unspeaked]

+1 for the old Milwaukee Brewers logo. It's just so friggin unique and creative.

I never liked the colors...

[suprdave1]

I never liked the colors...

okay, so the colors, well, yeah. the colors were never really why I liked it, though. I like the design. The colors naturally would be constrained to the team colors. Also, I think that is more of the current 'retro logo' color scheme, as opposed to the original color scheme, in which the outlining was yellow. (Though I don't think that will change either of our minds about it) :p

[Unspeaked]

okay, so the colors, well, yeah. the colors were never really why I liked it, though. I like the design. The colors naturally would be constrained to the team colors. Also, I think that is more of the current 'retro logo' color scheme, as opposed to the original color scheme, in which the outlining was yellow. (Though I don't think that will change either of our minds about it) :p

I get what you're saying.

It seems like if you look at any sport, the original dozen teams all monopolize the good, basic colors - black, white, blue, red. Then you have the later teams that are stuck with orange, green, gray, etc. (and if you want to throw in a third group, there's all the modern teams that use teal and pink and neon orange).

[themoonisdown09]

http://i1.iofferphoto.com/img/item/394/427/91/michigan_logo1.jpg

[bobfitz14]

http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/01/CTS-V_Cadillac_Logo.jpg

[EricNau]

NASA

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/NASA_logo.svg/300px-NASA_logo.svg.png

[Mr. Giver '94]

Chanel, BMW, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Maybach

[scotty96LSC]

My Country of course:
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/ggallery/hires/afg_021223_001.jpg
My Branch of Service of course:
http://www.travis.af.mil/shared/media/ggallery/hires/AFG-060112-014.jpg
My team of course:
http://www.ryanlewitt.com/miami_dolphins_bg.jpg

[eRondeau]

Even before I knew what a logo was, when I was just a little kid, I always looked for the "CN" logo on passing trains. I thought it was cool that the letters looked like train tracks. Now that I'm older I can appreciate its simplicity and design genius even more.....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/80/Canadian_National_Railway_Logo.svg/594px-Canadian_National_Railway_Logo.svg.png

[Cassie]

I've always liked their logo, even if their computers are crap.:o
http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/diversity/office-diversity-programs/summer-programs/highschool-programs/curie-academy/images/hp_logo.jpg
The Chevrolet logo as well.
http://www.questautosale.com/html/chevy_logo.jpg
Also a fan of the old Pepsi logo
http://www.allenbeverages.com/UploadWSC/Pepsi%20Logo.JPG

[SlasherDuff]

Burlington Northern Santa Fe
http://www.bgcarltx.org/cms/uploads/images/Files/BNSF Color Logo.jpg

Acheson Topeka Santa Fe
http://www.trainweb.org/KernJunction/logos/logo-atsf.GIF

My favorite album of all time
http://www.poster.net/guns-n-roses/guns-n-roses-appetite-for-destruction-5200139.jpg

My favorite electronics, aside from Apple
http://www.syelectronicstv.com/images/panasonic_20logo.jpg

I am indifferent of the team, but I have always liked the logo
http://www.nflfootballstadiums.com/images/Arizona-Cardinals-Logo.gif

Fell in love with these guys (ducks from flying bullets)
http://www.armyofmom.com/uploaded_images/gators-logo-733300.jpg


and my ultimate favorite
http://www.nau.edu/image/large-blue.gif

[MicBook]

These are mine

I'm being a little biased though

[neoserver]

Even before I knew what a logo was, when I was just a little kid, I always looked for the "CN" logo on passing trains. I thought it was cool that the letters looked like train tracks. Now that I'm older I can appreciate its simplicity and design genius even more.....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/80/Canadian_National_Railway_Logo.svg/594px-Canadian_National_Railway_Logo.svg.png

I never realized that until you mentioned it! It totally does look like train tracks...

[doubleohseven]

I've always liked the Xbox logo:

http://www.edu-kw1c.nl/450/Richard_Jayce/xbox-logo.jpg

[DiamondMac]

-

[bassproguy07]

here are my favorites

[Surely]

Once I found out what the Audi logo meant, I appreciated it more.

http://www.cartype.com/pics/121/small/audi_logo_1.jpg

The four-ring logo:
The Audi emblem is four overlapping rings that represent the four marques of Auto Union. The Audi emblem symbolizes the amalgamation of Audi with DKW, Horch and Wanderer: the first ring represents Audi, the second represents DKW, third is Horch, and the fourth and last ring Wanderer.

[Denholm]

http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/apple.png

http://www.searchviews.com/wp-content/themes/clean-copy-full-3-column-1/images/google-logo.jpg

http://logitech-incubator.epfl.ch/webdav/site/logitechincubator/shared/Logitech_logo.jpg

:D

[noaccess]

This is probably my favorite, well at least of the ones I could think of right now.
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3797/phpxjvifyambo2.jpg



The second one's more Web 2.0 -ish, which I usually don't like, but this one's an exception.
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/385/upcrgb118883461100275aw6.png

[geese]

For me, its always the old British Rail logo:

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2006/12/12/britishrail460.jpg

Doesnt look like much now, but in 1965 this was futuristic branding for a Railway. This modern style was copied by other railways (like the Dutch railways logo). Now for me it represents a past age when Britain was a proud engineering nation.

More about this on the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/artblog/2006/dec/12/everydesignthebritishrail)

[Melrose]

<da Google logo>
:D

I would politely disagree about the Google logo - when it's desaturated it becomes, simply, an ugly serif font. Google is a logo that doesn't work in B&W. It's recognizable but by standards of design it's pretty dang bland.

[basbr]

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/files/imagepicker/d/David%20Hepworth/285px-Logo_Rolling_Stones.svg.png

[obeygiant]

Logos for a down economy:

http://i43.tinypic.com/20sio0y.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/16gy5aq.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/2u8l121.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/e99ifr.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/34echdv.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/2zhej9g.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/2j0lan9.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/qnoio7.jpg

[63dot]

This logo. ESP guitars.

I have a cheaper ESP mass produced guitar which they call their LTD line.

The more famous logos were Fender, of course, and Gibson and Ibanez but I got a little tired of seeing them too much on most guitars, so when ESP came out with an instrument after having been a top of the line guitar parts company, it really made a statement to match their great quality of their full package.

Jackson guitars are a close second for coolness and defined '80s heavy metal as much as the mullet :) . And for the vintage look, I like Gretsch with the "long" T and are popular guitars among the Rockabilly set.

Also Jackson briefly made amps, and when they bought out rival guitar company Charvel, the Jackson logo look followed. Too cool. I had a Jackson amp cabinet and a Charvel acoustic with those logos long ago. I miss them.

[63dot]

Osiris Shoes are one of the nicer skateboard shoe brands and totally trumps Nike or Converse in that department.

Tensor trucks and bearings have a simple, but striking logo.

And no skater can ignore Hubba Wheels and their NSFW ads.

[wvuwhat]

I'd have to go with the flying WV, for West Virginia University. However, I'm extremely biased.

[nplima]

Another vote for Sun Microsystems

and

for Cartoon Network - the old one and all the animations they did with it.

http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:1yi6t4-Mb5CMgM:http://fulleres.wcpss.net/webspinners/chichio/20020417154216_img_mid_CartoonNet%255B1%255D.gif

[63dot]

I'd have to go with the flying WV, for West Virginia University. However, I'm extremely biased.

As a kid, I never knew what school that was, especially being out in California, but I thought it was the coolest of all college logos, hands down. I went to two junior colleges, three universities, and a foreign university and none of them had logos anywhere near as cool as WV.

But one university I went to, who didn't do NCAA sports, got some alums together and with the school and came up with a "hypothetical" logo for a possible hockey team in the SF Bay Area region that would be an upstart in San Francisco or San Jose. That logo would become the world's biggest selling sports logo, outselling the NY Yankees and the Oakland Raiders. People like the SJ Shark image and whether one is a hockey fan or not, there is a visceral effect of the shark and the colors. I don't even think the makers of that logo would ever predict in their wildest dreams just how far that logo would go. Below is an actual San Jose fire department engine with a full on Sharks logo.

[63dot]

I wonder if they got permission. But I guess if you took exception to their colors, they may take you down behind the line of scrimmage. :)

[marioman38]

http://www.privatefleet.com.au/images/upload/Image/new-cars/Volkswagen/vw_logo.jpg
http://www.d-p.com.gr/UserFiles/subaru_logo_01jpg14(1).jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c37/BamElement1315/CKY_logo.jpg
http://images-cdn01.associatedcontent.com/image/A4539/45391/300_45391.jpg
Propellerhead Reason

[Mr. Giver '94]

Logos for a down economy:

Logo Images.....

Those really made me LOL.:D

[Surely]

That logo would become the world's biggest selling sports logo, outselling the NY Yankees and the Oakland Raiders. People like the SJ Shark image and whether one is a hockey fan or not, there is a visceral effect of the shark and the colors. I don't even think the makers of that logo would ever predict in their wildest dreams just how far that logo would go. Below is an actual San Jose fire department engine with a full on Sharks logo.

For real? The world's biggest selling sports logo? Do you have a reference for that?

I've never heard that before.....

Very cool if that's true....

[maestro55]

I have always been a huge fan of company logos. Here are a few I didn't see posted that I really like.

http://androidcentral.com/articleimages/2009/01/motorola-logo-big.jpg

http://www.haysoil.com/images/logo_texaco_7.gif

http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/images/cisco-logo.gif

http://www.secinvestor.com/content/binary/3com_logo.jpg

Probably the reasons these stand out for me is I remember seeing the Motorola logo growing up on the Microphone of my dad's radio when I was a kid. I am not an amateur radio operator. Also growing up there was a Texaco station that we went to all the time and I remember having a little mug from there when I was a kid that had the logo on it. As for the Cisco and 3Com logos, I work in IT so I see them all the time. And they are great companies with great logos.

There are a lot of others I like already pointed out (Apple, Sun, RCA, BMW, Google)

http://blog.aaronmarks.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/300px-next_logo_svg.png

I really want a Next Cube.

[Watabou]

Apple Logo:
http://www.westmont.edu/_academics/departments/communication_studies/images/AppleLogo.jpg

Always admired the Lufthansa logo:
http://blog.kinkaa.de/50226711/images/lufthansa-logo.jpg

Google Logo:
http://actionstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/google_logo_3600x1500.jpg

NBC logo (even though they're doing pretty bad right now :(:
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/nbc-logo-72rgb-pos_jpeg.jpg

Xbox 360 one is awesome:
http://www.goodlogo.com/images/logos/2731.gif

Also like the Playstation icon:
http://ps3.playstationdirect.com/images/playstation%20logo.jpg

Blackberry logo: (even though I love my iPhone)
http://www.eonlinenow.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/blackberry-logo.jpg

[63dot]

For real? The world's biggest selling sports logo? Do you have a reference for that?

I've never heard that before.....

Very cool if that's true....

In my school's alumni magazine, when they touted their alums who put the Sharks together along with a very planned out and researched logo, it soon became the world's top selling sports logo. Of course, I am sure the NY Yankees logo outsells it in New York, or I would hope so. :)

When I looked up what is the world's top selling "sports" logo, of course it came up with the Nike logo, and being a sports company around pro sports and everything including leisure wear, that makes sense. That logo is everywhere. When I think of it, for every time I see a Sharks logo, I must see two or three Nike swooshes. I better contact my school and see what source they used. The internet is definitely with Nike all the way though I know they are not a team, but they represent everything that professional sports has become which is highly visible, rich, and corporate.

[shady825]

Never even noticed the FedEx thing!! haha
Here are a few of mine,

Havent seen this one posted yet
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa113/whitesnickers1989/monsterenergy.jpg

http://i684.photobucket.com/albums/vv205/jrosen618/FORDLOGO.gif

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a179/Shmelter/Kottonmouth_Kings.gif

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e234/ddoyle77/aspca.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f327/DKECK626/spade.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x131/anguskillz666/pineapple_express_logo.jpg

[63dot]

Here's a famous one. US pilots, before the entrance into world war II, flew against Japan in this squadron, the Flying Tigers. This logo would go on to influence many a motor cycle club after the war.

[Thomas Veil]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3f/NBC_logo.svg/300px-NBC_logo.svg.png

...as well as its predecessor:

http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/nbc1975logo.png

http://www.brickpix.com/albums/userpics/10083/228/biohazard.png

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z135/leonardogerard/colossus_logo.png

http://topic.slsknet.org/image/24-logo-1.jpg

http://htmltimes.com/assets/obama-logo.jpg

http://sfwriter.com/search-logo-large.jpg

[puckhead193]

a few of mine that weren't posted
http://thepassionatepursuit.com/images/weblog/07-11-21-lexus-logo.jpg
http://www.nyrangers.info/images/logo1.gif
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/images/uploads/nhl_logo99.jpg
http://blackberrysync.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/xm-logo.jpg

[63dot]

Here's a famous one. US pilots, before the entrance into world war II, flew against Japan in this squadron, the Flying Tigers. This logo would go on to influence many a motor cycle club after the war.

Here's a couple of more photos from my Fender Custom Shop calender of the feared Flying Tigers logo, which also undoubtedly influenced the San Jose Sharks, and oh yeah, tricycle makers. ;)

[ZiggyPastorius]

I know the thread's about logos, but in terms of design (and taste), Bawls wins as far as drinks go:

http://ieatcrayons4.tripod.com/lg-bawls.jpg

And of course, Fender:

http://www.promusicalaska.com/images/FenderF.jpg

The font is bitchin'.

[63dot]

And of course, Fender:

http://www.promusicalaska.com/images/FenderF.jpg

The font is bitchin'.

bitchin' :)

I want one of these to hold up my pants.

...and here's the man's actual signature decaled on a G&L (George Fullerton and Leo Fender) guitar. I don't know who convinced Leo Fender to turn the "F" around the other way, but it was iconic. His actual "F" isn't really all that bad, either.

[Mousse]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cd/Sgi_cube_logo.png

Much better than their new logo.

[SLC Flyfishing]

The latest logo for Anti-Flag (punk band)

I've got it set as my iPod touch wallpaper so I'll just post that!

[longball11]

http://4play66.com/mustang_logo.jpg

[Prelude2Tragedy]

wawa