These original and memorable images accompany us everywhere. The logos of famous clothing brands are well known to many fashionistas; car enthusiasts will unmistakably recognize the manufacturer by the badge on the hood. What can we say about the trademarks of companies that manufacture household appliances and electronics. They are well known even to children.
Have you ever wondered who and how created the logos of famous brands in the world? What do they mean? Why does a seemingly simple picture become the calling card of a company and is recognized all over the world? I must say that the history of logos of famous brands is sometimes very interesting. Meet some of them.
Versace
Not all logos of famous brands are as recognizable as this mysterious and catchy sign, which the famous fashion designer began using in 1978. It became another decoration of his magnificent collections. Since then, the head of the Gorgon Medusa, located in a circle, has become the trademark of this fashion house.
When the couturier was asked questions about the rather strange choice of logo, he replied that it was a symbol of fatal charms and beauty that could hypnotize and paralyze any person. And I must say, maestro Versace achieved his goal - his logo is known all over the world. It has become a symbol of ideal taste, sophisticated style and luxury.
Givenchy
Photos of logos of famous brands often appear on the pages of glossy magazines. This square, consisting of four letters G and similar to a stylized clover leaf, represents strict lines and harmony. Some experts in the field of symbolism are confident that the company used rules developed in Ancient Greece to create it. 
Givenchy uses the logo as embellishment and print, which is popular and recognizable all over the world.
Lacoste
Logos of famous brands and their names can be found in many fashion magazines. And this little green crocodile does not need advertising, since it has long become a trademark of the Lacoste company, which is famous throughout the world primarily for its polo shirts.
Probably not everyone knows how this sign appeared. It is not a combination of letters that define the name of the owner of the company. Jean Rene Lacoste was a former successful tennis player; in narrow circles he was called the Alligator. He founded his own company in 1993, which was focused on sportswear for tennis players.
The trademark was created spontaneously. For fun, one of Lacoste’s comrades drew a funny little crocodile, which a little later became the logo of the new brand. Today, the fruit of this, admittedly successful, joke is one of the most recognizable in the world.
Chupa Chups and... Salvador Dali
If you think that logos of famous brands are not known to children whose parents are far from fashion, then you are mistaken. A striking example of this is the company Chupa Chups. All kids in our country know this product. But how is the great artist connected with it? 
One of the most famous and prominent representatives of surrealism, artist and graphic artist, director and sculptor, writer contributed to the development and prosperity of this company. After all, it was Salvador Dali who created the logo of the world-famous sweet lollipops. We must pay tribute to the founders of the company - they did not spare a substantial amount and invited the artist Salvador Dali, already famous at that time, to create the logo.
It should be noted that their costs paid off with interest. The trademark turned out to be bright, simple, interesting and at the same time understandable and unobtrusive. According to the artist himself, this work took him no more than an hour. In the color scheme, he used the colors of the Spanish flag, rounded the letters a little and placed them in a frame.
Nike and Carolyn Davidson
Logos of famous companies and brands are sometimes striking in their simplicity. Therefore, many are interested in the question of why they are so memorable. An example of this is the Nike company and its laconic “tick”. When the company announced a competition to create a logo, Portland State student Carolyn Davidson entered.
It is interesting that at that time her sign did not cause much delight among the company’s owners, however, they found it quite promising. It's funny, but Carolyn received only thirty-five dollars for her original work. I wonder how much brand owners value their logo now?
Apple
Logos of famous brands often amaze with their originality. Millions of people around the world know what the Apple logo looks like. And most of them know about the company's founder, Steve Jobs. However, the name of the creator of this famous logo is known to few. Most people believe that the bitten apple was invented by Steve, but this is a misconception.
In the beginning, Apple had a different trademark (Newton writing something while sitting under a tree). Steve didn’t like this option, because since his youth he had gravitated toward minimalism and simplicity. He said: “Icons should look so that you want to lick them.”
He set such a difficult task for Rob Yanov, the designer who worked on the new Apple logo. The only desire voiced by Jobs: “Don’t make it sweet.” A few weeks later, several sketches of rainbow apples (bitten and whole) lay on Steve's desk. Jobs chose the well-known option, which seemed more interesting and original to him.
NeXT
Logos of famous brands sometimes have special meaning for business owners. This happened to Apple founder Steve Jobs. He had to face many problems in his life. He was even fired from the company he founded. But Steve cannot be classified as one of the people who is broken by life's adversities. After leaving Apple, he very soon founded another computer equipment company and called it NeXT. The name turned out to be symbolic - “next”. Probably, Jobs emphasized that he could not be stopped, and he would create the next company with even greater enthusiasm and fervor.
But let’s return to the history of the creation of this world-famous logo. It was commissioned to be developed by the famous graphic designer Paul Rand. He put forward a strict condition to Jobs: “You pay me 100 thousand dollars for one logo option that will certainly suit you.”
As a result of this collaboration, the world recognized the NeXT inscription, made in the style of Steve Jobs. The sketch was accepted immediately, without any changes. The only thing Steve wanted to change was to highlight the letter E in yellow. It should be noted that Paul Rand previously created logos for the huge computer corporation IBM, the global goods delivery service UPS, and more than a dozen other medium and small companies.
Coca-Cola
When we see logos of famous brands, which undoubtedly include the Coca-Cola Corporation, it seems that they were developed by teams of professional marketers and designers. But in this case everything was different. The logo for this company was developed by an ordinary employee of the company, accountant Frank Robinson.
At that time, the company did not yet have its current name, and it was Frank who chose it - Coca-Cola. He placed the name on a red background, and used the standard cursive for writing at that time. This font was then considered the standard of calligraphy. This is how one of the most recognizable logos of our time appeared before the world. True, about once every ten years the company slightly modifies its trademark. But the special font remains unchanged, as well as the red and white colors.
Three-pointed star
All motorists dream of owning a car with such a logo. The Mercedes company was founded in 1926. And the logo, known today all over the world, appeared much later. The company voices the official version of its meaning as the trinity - air, earth and water.
It is in cars (on land), in boats and yachts (on water), in airplanes (in air) that engines produced in factories are used. There is also an unofficial version that says that such a star was first used by Gottlieb Daimler, the founder of Mercedes-Benz. In a letter to his wife, he used this symbol to indicate the place where their new home would be built. The sons of the company's founder slightly modernized their father's star, and it became the company logo.
Three most popular stripes
And this logo represents not just a brand, but a huge industry, which is a trendsetter in sports fashion for several generations of professionals and sports fans. For a long time, the company logo was a trefoil and three stripes.
An interesting fact is that no designers were involved in creating the logo. Its concept was proposed by the company's founder, Adi Dassler. For 22 years (until 1994) the trademark remained unchanged. But then new trends in fashion forced the specialists of the famous brand to somewhat rework the world’s favorite shamrock. Now the company's products are decorated with a triangle logo, made in the old traditions. The theme of the three strips was retained.
Since 2008, the company has been producing a separate collection of shoes and clothing, called Adidas original. She combined the fashion of the 80s, as well as the original logo created by Adi Dassler.
Calvin Klein
This brand began its existence back in 1942. Its logo was immediately created. However, it became recognizable only 30 years later, when the designer introduced the line of jeans to the world and placed the logo on the back pocket.
Later, it began to be used not only as a sign of recognition, but also to serve as a navigator through the collection. The dark logo represents high-end clothing, the gray color represents permanent clothing lines, and the white color represents sportswear.
Logos of famous brands: Brandomania game
If you are interested in the history of company trademarks, then you will probably be interested in the new game. Several years ago it appeared in the West, and now it is winning the hearts of gamers in our country. The game "Brandomania" consists of seven levels, they open as you complete the previous ones. For experienced brand lovers, three special levels have been created, over which you will have to rack your brains to achieve good results.
"Brandomania" has a relaxing dynamic. It's best played by multiple people. It is advisable to answer the questions the first time, then you will be able to collect the largest number of prize coins. Of course, the game is designed for those who know at least some logos of famous brands. The game (the answers may not be very simple) involves the possibility of using hints. To do this, you need to click on the “light bulb” icon, and information about a brand unknown to you will open in front of you. And the “bomb” will remove most of the letters, and you will need to guess what word is hidden behind the remaining ones.
The game design is quite simple, the control interface is clear. We must pay tribute to the authors of the game for not only changing the logos beyond recognition, but also maintaining their main features. According to those who have already mastered the first levels, guessing the answers to “Brandomania” is actually interesting.
Logo is a graphic image of a brand. It is created for easy recognition of the company's brand among consumers.
The logo must be unique and of high quality, attracting the attention of the buyer. Logos were created to differentiate products from manufacturers in the same industry.
The KOLORO company develops one-of-a-kind logos.
There are several types of logos:
- “Letter” logo – one or more letters are used.
- Logo “Symbol” - depicted in the form of graphic or alphabetic symbols.
- Logo "Emblem" is a graphic element of image and text.
- Logo "Logoslovo" - consists only of letters.
- Abstract Sign Logo - Creates a visual form of a company's concept using a symbol.
The first logo in the world
The first logo in the world was an image of a dog listening to a gramophone. The dog's name was Nipper.
One of the brothers of the Barro family saw how the dog loved to listen to the Edison-Bell phonograph and decided to capture this moment by drawing a picture “A dog listening to a phonograph.”
In 1900, Marc Barrot's brother, Francis, took Nipper's drawing to a disc gramophone company. The owners of the company really liked the drawing and decided to produce their product with this image. But the original version of the drawing, which depicted a drum gramophone, was replaced with a disk one. The drawing became the first trademark of the companies: “HMV music stores”, RCA, “Victor and HMV records”. The company also began releasing records with Nipper's designs.
The logo currently uses the music channel of the HWV store.
The evolution of global brand logos
Logos of global brands have not always looked stylish and laconic. Some companies, even being popular among consumers, have redrawn their logos. Main reasons:
- change in direction of activity;
- following new trends.
Let's look at a few examples of the evolution of company logos.
- Global Apple Corporation
The company's first logo was an engraving of Isaac Newton under an apple tree, which was surrounded by a large ribbon with the signature "Apple Computer Co" (1976-1977). The designer of this logo was one of the founders of the company, Ronald Wayne. After Ronald left, the logo was changed.
The second Apple logo was made by designer Rob Yanov. Nothing remains of the company’s old logo, except, perhaps, the idea of a fruit falling on Newton’s head. The new Apple logo is a rainbow bitten apple (1977-1998).
The logo that we see now on Apple products was changed in 2007. The “apple” became metallic with reflections, but the shape remained the same.
- Samsung
Samsung means “three stars” in Korean. The company was established in South Korea. The first three logos used stars and the Samsung name.
In 1993, the company decided to create a new logo for its 55th anniversary. It exists to this day. This is a blue ellipse in the center of which “SAMSUNG” is written in white stylized letters.
- Twix bars
The first bars were produced in 1967 in Britain. They were called Raider. But a few years later, in 1979, the name was changed. Raider became Twix. After changing the name, products began to be exported to the USA.
The name Twix is made up of two words, “double” and “biscuit”. Twix bars are very popular all over the world. In Ireland they are still sold under the original name Raider.
- Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola has the most recognizable corporate logo style, which is over 117 years old. The company was founded in 1886 and its logo in 1893. The company logo is written in “Spencer” calligraphy font. It was created by Frank Robinson, an accountant and friend of the company owner.
In the early 1980s, due to competition from Pepsi products, it was decided to change the company's logo to New Coke. After making this marketing move, the company began to lose sales. Consumers did not like the new name of the drink. After some time, the drink was returned to its former name Coca-Cola, thereby improving its sales.
- Pepsi
In 1903, the Pepsi-Cola brand was created. Agree, the company’s first logo is not very pretty. You could say it was a failure.
To prevent this from happening to your brand, you need to turn to a team of professionals at KOLORO, who will help make the logo perfect.
After the Great Depression of the 1930s, Pepsi-Cola was able to prove to Coca-Cola that it could compete on the same level.
In 1962, the company changed its logo to a three-color ball and also removed the Cola prefix. Now it is called only Pepsi. However, the company logo changes very often. What this is connected with is unknown.
- McDonald's
In 1940, McDonald's was created. The company's first logo is an image of a Speedee chef . Later the Speedee logo was redrawn. In the 60s, Jim Spindler changed the company logo to the one we know today. And this is the letter M.
Fashion industry logos (famous fashion brands)
Almost each of us can recognize and name brand monograms. For fashion houses, a logo is very important because most of the fashion houses are named after the founding designers.
- Louis Vuitton
The fashion house was created in 1854. The company's corporate logo is the LV monogram. The color of the monograms and canvas may have changed, but the logo of this brand itself has not changed to this day, except that it was slightly simplified in the 2000s.
The brand's clothing is made from very high quality materials and therefore the products are expensive.
Louis Vuitton brand products are the most copied. But it is very easy to recognize a fake - in the original, the brand logo is always located symmetrically.
- Chanel
The Chanel logo first appeared in 1921. It was depicted on the bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume. The company's logo is a double letter C. It resembles two wedding rings that are not closed together. The letter C is the initials of Coco Chanel.
- Fendi
The Fendi logo was created in 1972 by the company's new designer, Karl Lagerfeld. The brand logo is a large F that is mirrored.
- Versace
The Versace house logo is very extravagant and extraordinary. It was designed in 1978 by Gianni Versace. The logo represents the head of a representative of ancient Greek mythology - Medusa the Gorgon. The designer explained why he chose this character: “This is a synthesis of beauty and simplicity that can hypnotize anyone, just like the clothes produced by the brand.”
- Givenchy
In 1952, the Givenchy brand began producing high-quality clothing, as well as a line of jewelry and perfumes. The brand logo is very simple and concise. The quadruple G is placed in a square. It looks like Celtic jewelry.
Car brand logos
"Winged" cars:
Bentley- British luxury car. The characteristics of the car can be described in just two words - aristocratic luxury. The car's logo is the letter "B" enclosed in the wings. The emblem indicates the power, speed and elegance of Bentley limousines.
Aston Martin- The car logo was created in 1927. These are eagle wings that frame the Aston Martin inscription. The company's owners compared their car to an eagle. Because the eagle is a fast, agile and predatory bird.
Chrysler- The first logo of American cars was a pentagonal star created in 1923. After the company joined the German concern Daimler AG in 1998, the logo was changed to “open wings.” They demonstrate the virtuosity and uniqueness of Chrysler vehicles.
Cars with animal logo
Jaguar- whose emblem was originally SS - Swallow Sidecar. In English, “swallow” means “swallow”. After the Second World War, most Europeans had negative associations with the SS emblem (association with fascists), so the company owners decided to change the name of the brand. The Swallow Sidecar has been replaced by a Jaguar. Agree, strength, elegance and grace are very suitable for modern Jaguar cars.
Lamborghini— at first the Italian company was engaged in the production of tractors. Therefore, the bull became the emblem of the company. This animal is very hardy and strong. Nowadays, Lamborghini cars are powerful, expensive supercars, and the golden bull emblem suits them very well.
Ferrari— the car logo of this brand is familiar to everyone. Its main attributes are a prancing black stallion on a yellow-gold background with a painted Italian flag at the top of the logo.
The Ferrari emblem was originally on the plane of pilot Francesco Baracca during the First World War. Enzo Ferrari asked Francesco to give him this logo. The pilot agreed and gave Enzo the right to use the logo.
The best music industry logos
Virgin is a British record label. Created in 1972 by Richard Branson and Simon Draper. The name of the label is very interesting. Virgin in English means “virgin”.
The Virgin Records logo (the first company) was created by English illustrator Roger Dean.
A few years later, the Virgin brand became very popular among English performers. After Virgin signed punk rock band the Sex Pistols, Branson decided the company lacked chutzpah. Therefore, it was decided to change the company logo.
Legend has it that one of the artists drew the new logo we know today on a napkin. Branson really liked it. Richard associated the new logo with his company. “Simplicity, attitude and energy are about us,” said Branson.
Sony Music Entertainment- created in 1988 and owned by Sony. One of the "Big Four" record companies in the world. Sony Music covers almost all show business.
The company's first logo was multi-colored, small triangles in the middle of which were the letters SMV. The company logo changed very often. In 2009, Sony Music decided to make the logo completely different. The new logo looks like this: a simple red brush effect on a white background and the text “SONY MUSIC” appears in the appropriate Sony font.
AC/DC- a world famous rock band. Most people may not be familiar with the band's work, but everyone recognizes the AC/DC logo.
Creative director Bob Defrin helped create the logo for the rock band. The font was chosen from the Gutenberg Bible, the first ever printed book.
Huerta's intention was to create an emblem based on the biblical imagery of the AC/DC song "Let There Be Rock." Of course, the lightning and blood red coloration suggest the presence of less angelic influences.
The Rolling Stones are a famous British rock band. Designer John Pache helped create the group's logo. He received 50 pounds for his work. The designer was inspired by Mick Jagger's expressive lips and tongue. It was also inspired by the Hindu goddess Kali.
Queen- British rock band of the mid-1970s. She captivated the hearts of many listeners. The logo was created by the band's lead singer Freddie Mercury. He depicted the letter Q (the name of the group), which is surrounded by the zodiac signs of the band's musicians.
Logo Design Trends 2017
Design trends change almost every season. This applies not only to clothing, makeup and style, but also to trends in logo graphic design.
Logo trends 2017
Minimalism
Many companies resort to this style, because minimalism is simplicity and conciseness. Minimalism uses very few colors. Everything should be simple and executed in the same style, without unnecessary additions.
For example, the well-known application Instagram used this style.
The company's first logo was a black and white image of a Polaroid OneStep camera. In May 2016, the company decided to rebrand not only the logo, but also change the design of the application. Now it's a camera and a rainbow made with a gradient effect.
Gradient colors
Creating a logo with a gradient of colors is a very good move for many companies, because this trend will be at the peak of popularity for a long time. A striking example is the international payment system MasterCard. The company's designers simplified the design and used geometric fills for the logo.
Black and white trend
Black and white design will always be in trend. Laconicism and simplicity of two colors is always a win-win option.
The best example is the world famous brand Nike.
Carolyn Davidson helped create the logo for the brand. The logo features an abstract wing of the goddess Nike.
Geometric figures
To create a unique but at the same time simple logo, designers use geometric shapes that are very easy to perceive and remember.
Example - logo YouTube - a service that provides video hosting services. The brand logo is a “bubble” in the middle of which there is a “play” icon.
Lettering
Quite a simple style. Letters are selected specifically for a specific name or text and are used only once.
Lettering can include a company logo Google. The company's first logo was created in a graphics editor by co-founder Sergey Brin. The designer of the new Google logo style was Ruth Kedar. It was she who came up with the logo design that we know now.
hand drawn
Hand-drawn logos look clear and “folk-like”. Many world famous companies use this style.
Johnson & Johnson- a good example of a new trend for 2017. The company logo is very simple - red text on a white background, handwritten.
Web animated logos
Web animated logos are a trend for 2017. They look very bright, extraordinary. With the help of Gif logos you can attract the attention of consumers.
Disney has been using this trend for a long time. Back in 1985, Tinker Bell began flying over Sleeping Beauty's Castle.
The KOLORO company will develop for you a unique design of your logo, because our specialists are always on the topic of new trends in world design.
A logo is essentially a visual representation of a company. Think of the golden arches of Macdonald's or the Nike swoosh - these impressive logos embody two of the largest empires under their banners. However, many companies still skimp on developing this key part of building a corporate ethos. A good, memorable logo significantly increases customer growth and loyalty, creates the right impression among business partners,
There are 3 types of logos:
- Repeating infinity elements. For example, the fundamental power of the IBM, Microsoft, and Sony logos comes from the intersecting elements that make their symbols distinctive.
- There are logos that literally illustrate what a company produces or provides, for example, painting houses often use an illustration of a brush or paints in their logo.
- Use of abstract graphic symbols. Examples include Nike. Over time, the image of the brand name has become a reminder to consumers of the company in any situation.
Let's look at the most popular logos of famous clothing and footwear brands.
Nike
The logo of the famous company is represented by the popular branded Swoosh, which identifies the wing of the Greek goddess Victoria (the Greek name Victoria means “victory”). The logo project was started in 1971 by Caroline Davidson, a graphic designer and student at the University of Oregon. Caroline proposed this project to Philip Knight, one of the founders of the company. Knight didn't particularly like Caroline's design, but he was confident that the logo would work for him in the future. And, as we see, he was not mistaken in his calculations. Later, when the Nike brand rose to the heights of the international level, Philip gave Davidson a diamond ring with the Swoosh logo and a huge amount of sportswear and shoes from the company warehouse as a token of gratitude.
Adidas
The Adidas brand was created after the collapse of his father's company, which was called Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik. Initially, the company name sounded like Addas - an abbreviation of the initial letters of the name of the company founder. However, a few months later Addas was changed to Adidas (the founder was called Adi among his friends).
The signature three stripes featured in the logo were acquired from the Finnish sports company Karhu in 1950, and today it is the company's style, which is included in the most popular logos of famous brands. By the way, the stripes symbolized the company’s popularity on three continents.
Puma
Rudolf Dassler, brother of Adolf Dassler, in turn founded the Puma brand. The first version of the company logo differs from the one we know now - initially the company name sounded like “Ruda” (from the name of the founder Rudolf, Rudoo). According to one version, the first version of the logo was developed by Rudolf himself, and in the 60s of the 20th century. the symbol took on the familiar shape of a Puma.
Gucci
The Gucci company is the brainchild of Guccio Gucci, who laid the origins of the now famous brand in 1921 in Florence. One of his six children became the designer of the famous logo in 1933. Today, the Gucci symbol is chicly included in the logos of famous clothing and footwear brands, as it occupies one of the first places in recognition.
A special feature of the symbol is the overlapping letters G. However, these are not only letters, it is a symbol of two stirrups - a legacy of the Guccio Gucci brand, which sold accessories for horses.
Givenchy
Givenchy is a fashion brand founded in 1952 by Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy. Today the company also produces perfumes, clothing and jewelry. The logos of famous brands have been replenished with another popular symbol of the fashion house.
The logo design is quite simple but attractive and mesmerizing at the same time. It represents a four "G" that occupies the entire area. The Givenchy logo is reminiscent of ornate Celtic jewelry.
Levi Strauss & Co
Levi Strauss & Co. (LS & CO) was founded in 1853, at the time Levi Strauss moved from Franconia to San Francisco to promote the West Coast branch of his brothers' dry goods business. Already in 1870, the company launched mass sales of denim overalls, which were successfully sold among buyers.
It is worth noting that jeans in the form that is known to the modern man in the street began to be produced only after 1920. It is noteworthy that the company's original logo appeared in 1886 and depicted two horses tearing jeans into different parts. Logos of famous ones, the history of their creation, as a rule, are surrounded by legends. Thus, the appearance of the LS & CO logo was preceded by a story that became an indicator of the quality of the product: the driver connected two separate cars with jeans and thus drove to the destination station.
Reebok
The company was founded in England in 1895 by Foster and his sons as a result of the founder's desire to provide spikes to his sons' sneakers. After the rise of global manufacturers to Olympus, already in 1958, the founder’s grandchildren, Joe and Jeff, renamed the company Reebok. The name refers to the African continent, where "rhebok" is a type of antelope. The logos of famous world brands Reebok and Adidas now belong to a single fashion house - Reebok has been a subsidiary of Adidas since 2005.
Louis Vuitton
The Louis Vuitton fashion house was opened in 1854, after which the whole world learned about products of the highest quality and chic. The company's logo is represented by the brand's initials and is created in the form of a stylization inspired by Japanese floral motifs.
Hello Kitty
The character itself was created and brought to the public in 1974 by Shintaro Tsuji, owner of the Sanrio company. Cute Kitty was registered as the company's trade logo in 1976.
Initially, there were two names to choose between: Hello Kitty and Kitty White. Nevertheless, the first name turned out to be more attractive, and the character himself became the idol of millions of children and their parents around the world. Logos of famous companies and brands of children's clothing and toys, previously separate, have made a single powerful breakthrough in the business sphere.
Converse
The history of the company, like its logo, dates back to 1908 and is called the Converse Rubber Shoe Company. In 1915, founder Mills Converse began making tennis shoes, but a fateful event for the company occurred in 1917: basketball player Charles H. Taylor entered Mills' office with an injured leg. To make the athlete's movements easier, Mills developed high-top sneakers, which today have become classics in the global fashion shoe industry.
Converse is not just a brand, it is an entire era, for example, it was the shoes that Wilt Chamberlain wore when he scored 100 points in an NBA game in 1962, and also wore Converse when he scored the decisive goal in 1982. It has been the official shoe of the NBA for a long time, worn by sports legends such as Larry Bird and Julius Erving.
Since 2012, the equally popular Nike company has become the owner of this brand.
Lacoste
One of the oldest and most respected brands, whose logo is a green alligator, is known to everyone who has at least once been interested in the world of fashion. In 1933, Jean Rene Lacoste created a company that produced tennis shirts, and the name was formed from the consonance with the sports pseudonym of the founder himself, which sounded like “crocodile skin”.
The company symbol Rene Lacoste was born, just like many other logos of famous brands. The game was worth the candle in this case too. The story behind the creation of the symbol is as follows: one of Rene’s friends drew a small crocodile just for fun, but it soon became the logo of the brand, which is now known to everyone.
Fendi
The company's logo is often compared to a puzzle: these thoughts are inspired by two letters F inverted relative to each other. The founder of the brand is the popular designer Karl Lagerfeld, who invented the logo for the fashion house of the married couple Edward and Adele Fendi. The recognizable symbol of the fashion house now appears on every document signed by Fendi representatives as the fashion seal of Fendi colletions.
Chanel
The famous logo in the form of a double “C” overlapping each other and positioned “back-to-back” was first seen in the fashion world in 1925 on a bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume.
The logos of the most famous brands often have several stories behind their creation, and this is what happened with the Chanel brand. One of the versions tells the story of Mikhail Vrubel, who in 1886 depicted horseshoes that resembled the current Chanel logo. Another version says that Vrubel did not take any part in creating the symbol, but that two crossed horseshoes were simply used as a symbol of success and luck. Still, most designers are sure that the logo represents the initials of Coco Chanel, the founder of the French fashion house.
Calvin Klein
On November 19, 1942, the Calvin Klein brand was created, the logo of which became available to the public only 30 years later. The light and memorable SK logo easily evoked associations about the brand, so it was placed on the pocket of every pair of trousers. Soon the popular symbol began to be used not only as a mark of the manufacturing company, but also as a collectible stamp.
Versace
The famous brand's symbol is symbolically linked to Greek mythology and depicts intertwined snake heads, which often adorn the logos of bags. There are quite a few well-known brands, but the Versace logo is difficult to confuse with another company.
The logo was designed in 1978 by Gianni Versace, who was obsessed with classics in art, so the version that turned viewers to stone became a symbol that embodied the designer’s fatal attraction to the world of fashion.
It often happens that some things are not called by their proper names. A full-fledged photograph is called a “picture”, and the composition is easily renamed “perspective”. I no longer take into account when such concepts as contrast, saturation, brightness are mixed together...
Well, God bless them, with compositions and brightness. I admit that people who are not involved in design or graphics, in general, do not need and are not interested in this. But the trouble is that this category of “uninitiated” includes our dearly beloved customers and, even worse, the so-called “colleagues”.
By and large, ignorance is forgivable for customers. But really, why does the customer need to know what a “modular grid” is and what trajectory your mouse should describe across the mousepad in order to ultimately get an attractive and interesting design. The customer also doesn’t care what you call the thing you draw for him - an original layout or something else. He doesn't have to know. He pays you money. And he pays you part of the money precisely for the fact that you know the correct name of this or that thing.
With ordinary people (read, customers) everything is clear. But what about those who, due to their profession or responsibilities, are simply obliged to know “who is who” and call everything by its proper name.
Unfortunately, among us (designers) there are people who try to engage in design without knowing the basic concepts and replacing the original concepts with their own conjectures. Yes, it’s clear - beginners, it’s clear - they’ve just begun to master the basics of the craft. But, before you sit down with Photoshop and Illustrator, you still need to first sit down with smart books. I just want to exclaim:
Gentlemen “designers”, an urgent request - learn swearing. Part!
Let’s further, together, try to understand “hu is hu” and derive precise definitions for the following concepts, which are so often and often incorrectly used in identity. Today we will break down what it is:
Logo
Sign (Brand mark)
Emblem
Trademark (Trademark, Trademark)
Brand block
As it turned out, the task is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Initially, I turned to official sources (so that later I would not be accused of replacing original concepts with my own speculation) and began to delve into the legislation. And immediately the first failure - in the patent laws of at least two countries (Russia and Ukraine), there are completely no definitions for some concepts. My next step was to scour encyclopedias and search them for precise definitions of these concepts. And it seems that the second approach to the question turned out to be more successful, but during the search, one nuance emerged that called into question the reliability and “weight” of the data obtained from these same encyclopedias. Namely: in encyclopedias, the concepts of “Brandmark”, “Trademark” and “Trademark” are simply written down under the same definition. And if for the concepts “Trademark” and “Trademark” such identity is very likely, then the concept “Brandmark” falls somewhat out of this series.
After we analyze each of the above concepts in detail and decipher them, it will become clear how “Brandmark” and “Trademark” differ and why, in principle, these two concepts cannot be replaced with each other.
So let's start from the beginning.
Logo
We are used to calling everything that doesn’t fit into a logo. As soon as some graphic element is used in the main symbols of a company (organization, structure, foundation, association - hereinafter referred to as “Company”), everything is a logo. Although this is far from true.
Word "Logo"(English Logotype) comes from the Greek language: logos (word) and typos (imprint). There are no other options. And, accordingly, there are no variations in decryption:
“Logo is the original graphic design of the name.”
All! No signs, pictograms, symbols - the outline of the name. Whether it’s abbreviated or long, classical typography or exquisite calligraphy – these are all nuances.
All other formulations are from the evil one.
Compaq (Figure 1) is a classic example of a logo that uses an original letterform to emphasize the uniqueness of the logo. The Axeda company logo (Figure 2) also uses the original style, with the addition of a separate graphic element (a parallelogram above the letter “e”). The symbolism of Microsoft Corporation is a textbook example of a logo (Figure 3). The original typeface without the use of “alien” graphic symbols is slightly “diluted” with a graphic element (in the letter pair “os”), which only emphasizes the originality of the logo design. As an example, the Samsung Corporation logo is very interesting (Figure 4). In the logo design, in addition to the original font typeface, a graphic element (oval) is used. Nevertheless, this element is so correctly connected with the text part itself that it is, as it were, its organic continuation.
Sign (Brand mark)Quite often, for the original graphic identification of a company, one logo is not always enough. Agree that only the graphic design of the name (even in its original design) cannot always convey (convey) the necessary information about the company to the end consumer. It is for these purposes that the sign is used.
In other words, a brand name is an additional graphic identifier of a company, designed to enhance the impact of the logo or convey additional information about the company, which, ultimately, should improve the effect of identifying a given company among its peers.
So it turns out that: a brand mark is a unique graphic element used to identify a company and carrying encoded additional information about the company (advantages, areas of activity, etc.).
So we have come up with a formulation for the concept of “Brandmark”. The only thing is that it turned out to be quite long and indigestible, so let’s try to unify it and shorten it a little:
“A brand mark is a unique identification graphic element.”.
As a rule, a brand name is used together with a logo, but this is not a dogma, and in some cases, when it is appropriate and justified, it can be used as an independent element of identification. A striking example of this is the Nike brand name. 
The world famous Nike slash is a classic example of a brand name (Figure 5). The synonyms for the sign are “dynamism” and “activity”, which directly reflects the sporting direction of the company. The nVidia brand name (Figure 6) is a stylistic image of an eye, which also deciphers the company’s main area of activity - the production of graphics chipsets. A very interesting example is the logo of the General Electric Corporation (Figure 7). The main element of the sign is the abbreviation of the name of the corporation, two capital letters “G” and “E”. The sign is made in an elegant style, which emphasizes “eliteness” and “uniqueness”. With the decoding of the Mitsubishi corporation logo (Figure 8), everything is simple and logical. Translated from Japanese, Mitsu (three) and Bishi (diamond). Which, in fact, is clearly reflected in the company’s logo - three diamonds.
It's also worth mentioning abbreviations. Often, both a logo and a sign can either consist of an abbreviation or contain an abbreviation. But at the same time, the abbreviation is not an independent element of graphic identification. 
Figures 9-10 show examples of the use of abbreviations in the logos of the computer corporation IBM (International Business Machines) and the media holding CNN (Cable News Network). Actually, the logos themselves consist of abbreviations. Figures 11 and 12 show the brand names of Premier Magnetics and Baltic Line Advertising, which are made in the form of abbreviations.
And a few more nuances that are not dogma, but which you should know about the logo and brand name:
In the “Logo + Brand Name” combination, the logo is usually primary. The logo can be used without a brand name. The brand name can also be used separately from the logo. But, in most cases, a logo and a sign are parts of one whole.
The Logo and Brand Mark are separate, independent elements. Sometimes there are variants of symbolism where the sign is “sewn into” the logo, but, as a rule, these are not the best examples of logo and sign structure. Such “logo signs” often do not fully work for their owners.
A distinctive feature of both the logo and the brand name is originality. They should be as different as possible from the symbols of other companies (at least from the symbols of direct competitors).
Also, in most cases, the synonym “simplicity” is applicable to the logo and sign. A good logo (sign) is a graphically simple symbol that should be easy to read, remember, and reproduce.
Simplicity is also desirable in color schemes. The fewer colors the better. The minimum number of colors in the symbols simplifies its reproduction and increases memorability. There is no reason to do multi-color or full-color symbolism unless it is ideologically, logically, or conceptually justifiable.
Emblem
The word “Emblem” comes from the Greek language: emblema (relief decoration). The definition goes like this:
“An emblem is a conventional or symbolic image of a concept or idea.”
Everything seems clear, but in reality nothing is clear. The definition is so vague and generalized that it is impossible to draw a clear conclusion from it about what the emblem should be. Let's try to figure this out together.
We can draw the first conclusion from the decoding of the concept itself: an emblem is a relief decoration.
The second point is that the definition does not express clear restrictions on the graphic appearance of the emblem. From this we conclude that the emblem can contain a variety of graphic identification elements. Sometimes, even very complex and rich in details.
And the third point - from the same definition we come to the conclusion that the emblem is used to designate global “concepts” or “ideas”, and not for the “graphic outline of the name” (as is the case with a logo), and not in the form of a “unique graphic element” » (as in the case of a brand name).
Typically, emblems are used to identify military branches, football and hockey clubs, schools, universities, etc... 
An example of the emblem of one Tunisian football team (Figure 13). Emblem of the Ukrainian football club “Dynamo Kyiv” (Figure 14). Emblem of the “Imperial Security Office” (Figure 15). An example of a college logo (Figure 16).
In light of all of the above, one interesting observation emerged. Figure 17a shows the logo of the Ford automobile concern. On the right, in Figure 17b, is the same logo, but with the implementation of the volume of some elements of the logo. Logically, it turns out that on the left we see a classic logo that meets all the requirements of this concept, and on the right we have an emblem, which, however, does not cease to be the original logo.
All three concepts mean the same thing, so for convenience we will operate with only one of them, namely the Trademark.
Everything is simple here - in patent legislation there is a clear designation of the Trademark:
« Trademark- a designation capable of distinguishing, respectively, the goods and services of some legal entities or individuals from homogeneous goods and services of other legal entities or individuals.”
“Law on Trademarks, Service Marks and Appellations of Origin” (Russian Federation). The same definition, formulated slightly differently, is found in Ukrainian legislation.
In fact, the Trademark has no restrictions on graphic style, typography, richness of graphic elements, color scheme, etc.
Both an emblem (logo, brand name) and other graphic symbols that do not fall within the definitions of the above identification elements can be used as a Trademark.
It makes no sense to give examples of Trademarks - go to any supermarket and you will be able to see them on the shelves, in huge quantities.
Brand block
We have already sorted out the main elements of identification; all that remains is to complete the picture. So - a branded block. It's simple here:
“Brand block is the original location of the logo and brand name relative to each other.”
There is nothing more to say here. Figures 18 and 19 show examples of the horizontal and vertical arrangement of elements in a branded block. Naturally, there are an innumerable number of location options - here are two of the most common ones. 
Atelier - horizontal placement of elements of a brand block, relative to each other. Backplane - vertical placement of elements.
So we figured out the main elements of identity. Of course, this essay cannot be considered flawless and complete, but I did not try to delve into all the nuances, trying to derive only the fundamental principles for the formation of identity elements.
Also, other, no less important elements of visual identification remained outside the field of our gaze, but they will be discussed some other time...
The logo is the most visible part of the brand; it is what makes the company recognizable. That is why colossal sums are invested in the development of the visual part. More and more money is being spent on creating or updating a corporate identity.
Let's take a look at the most expensive logos in the world.
- Belfast - $280 thousand
When the city of Belfast decided to change its logo in 2008, a staggering $280,000 was spent on a new design - a heart "B" with the city's name in it. A symbol of love was chosen for the design to convey a message of love and to show that the city has put its turbulent history behind it. According to the City Council, "B" stands for Belfast, "to be", as in "to be welcoming", "to be vibrant", "to be part of it".
- Melbourne - $625 thousand
The rebranding of the City of Melbourne was developed by Landor Associates in 2009. It was intended to support the city's new corporate identity strategy. For which they took $625,000.
- Olympics in London 2012 - 625 thousand dollars
This logo was designed by London-based Wolff Olins in 2007. The design was widely criticized for being sloppy and unprofessional. However, it costs $625,000.
- Pepsi - $1.2 million
In 2008, designers from the Arnell Group updated the logo and completely rebranded Pepsi, receiving a tidy sum of $1.2 million for the project. However, some believe that this logo change is a failure and another defeat in the Cola Wars, as the Pepsi logo will never achieve the eternal identity of the Coca-Cola logo.
- BBC - $1.8 million
The BBC logo was designed in 1997. Previously, the logo used was an image of a globe with slanted colored letters underneath it. For a major broadcaster, this was a vital step and a good investment. The new monochrome logo is recognizable all over the world. If the BBC still continues to use it in 2016, it will be the longest-running logo in the company's history (the previous record logo lasted from 1971 to 1988).
- ANZ- $15 million
The Australia and New Zealand banking group undertook a rebrand that took two years from 2010 to 2012 and cost $15 million. This amount included a new marketing strategy, logo and corporate identity. Being the largest bank in New Zealand and the 3rd largest in Australia, ANZ did not spend so much money on rebranding in vain, it was completely justified.
- Posten Norge - $55 million
Posten Norge is a company providing postal services in Norway. In 2008, the company launched a major rebranding campaign that cost NOK 300 million and included a new logo and marketing strategies. The campaign successfully created positive brand recognition.
- Accenture- 100 milliondollars
Landor Associates created a simple but powerful logo for Accenture. Andersen Consulting terminated its contract with Andersen's accounting group in 200 and became Accenture, so the rebranding was forced. Unfortunately, the updated trademark was subject to serious criticism.
- BritishPetroleum - $211 million
The British Petroleum logo was designed by Landor Associates in 2008. The cost of rebranding was $211 million.
Of course, $211 million is not just a logo. This is the cost of changing the branding of all branding: offices, documentation, factories, gas stations, trailers, etc.
Landor on his work: “The Helios sign was designed to symbolize the new combined company. Vibrant and bold, it is identified with natural forms and energy that represent BP's position as an environmental leader and its goals beyond the oil sector."
- Symantec - $1 billion 280 million
This is the most expensive rebranding known to date. It went down in history precisely because of its crazy cost. At the same time, it turned out to be a failure. It happens.
As you can see, for a lot of money you can create a logo that will be recognized by millions, or you can simply throw money away. Who's lucky? But what’s even nicer is that there are many examples when a cheap or even free logo became incredibly popular and recognizable.