The apple logo is one of the most recognizable icons today.  It’s a symbol that can already be equated to quality and excellence but one thing that you should also think about is why it is so identifiable to the company? And the irony of it all is that the idea of a fruit is so far fetched from a company offering computer products and gadgets, yet people still know what this sign represent.

It is due to the simplicity of this icon (with of course offering superior products).  Over time this sign easily seeped in to the minds of the people.  Their symbol didn’t start as a simple design that we see today, in 1976 it actually started as an elaborate picture of an apple tree and wrapped around it are the words “Apple Computer Co.”.  The company immediately saw the problem that it was too complex and it will have a hard time in blending it into the market.

This computer mogul on that same year decided to be represented by a plain, two-dimensional drawing of an apple with a cleverly placed “bite mark” on its right side.  This symbol already removed any complex lines or curves from their previous model and gave it a spectacle of colors. In 1998, they again decided to tone down on their logo’s bright colors and made a move to make it even more simpler.  We now see their symbol as the aluminum inspired, chrome polished icon that still resembles the same image they had in 1976.

The apple was chosen to symbolize the company basing it on the biblical story in which the apple represents the fruit of the tree of knowledge.  That is why this fruit is a fitting choice as their visual image and with the correct mindset and business strategy; they are now backed up by an illustration that, as simple as it may be, is still one today’s most familiar logos.

Man will always try to be different or unique as oppose to others.  He wants to stand out among the rest and will always try to find definitive ways on which he can succeed and show his distinctiveness among the rest.

Companies will always attempt to find ways and means where they will set the trend to be followed.  They will always have a vision to be leaders in their own industry, someone who will be the best.  This is the same way in companies when they seek out for a logo, they will try to get something that have its own exclusivity.

Ambigram is a graphical figure which can sometimes be referred to as flipscript or inversion.  The figure can actually be read in a certain viewpoint but can also be read in another direction or orientation giving out the same illustration on which it was originally seen.  Making these types of logos are extremely difficult and takes years of practice and mastery.

Ambigrams came to the attention of companies as it presents uniqueness and it also gives a bit of amusement to the people.  The retention that people will have in their minds to something that have fascinated them is far more greater than something that just caught their attention.  Ambigrams may sometimes be elaborately designed but it still has the characteristic of being able to get attention among other logos around it.

The most amusing part for an Ambigram is the creativeness of the artist to play with letters and figures and still come up with the same imagery whether inverted or sometimes read backwards.  Truly to fancy one’s attention is to do something different.

One of the most known logo in the world…the Nike swoosh mark.  This is a recognizable icon in almost every part of the world with a colossal list of superstars wearing their insignia.  Big stars like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Koby Bryant, Maria Sharapova and believe me this list can go on forever.

You have to understand the meaning of the company’s name before you can appreciate the meaning their logo and let us start where did Nike’s name came from.  The company was originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports, Inc and was founded by Philip Knight and William Bowerman, on their first venture they were targeting a market for high quality running shoes which later on developed and Nike had a niche in every segment of the industry.

The company changed its name from Blue Ribbon Sports, Inc and was officially known to be Nike, Inc in 1978.  The name Nike was taken from the Greek goddess of victory.  Back in 1971, Phil Knight was an accounting professor where she met Carolyn Davidson, at that time BRS was already in search for new design ideas and Davidson was asked if she can provide a new concept for the company.  Davidson was the one who conceptualized the ever famous swoosh mark and the logo actually represents the wing of the Greek goddess and not of what we commonly known as the check mark.  Davidson was only paid $35 for her job.

The slogan “Just do it” was a slogan coined by Dan Wieden on their 1988 television ad campaign for Nike and said that this was an inspiration through Gary Gilmore’s last word before he was executed “Let’s do it”.  Weiden founded Weiden+Kennedy advertising agency and were making ads for Nike since 1982.

Nike’s swoosh logo has been a representation of greatness and it is really remarkable that a small symbol can put a whole company into a higher level of perspective.

The Braun logo design was originally designed by Will Munch in 1934.  It has close similarities and has a large influence of how the logo is designed today. The original design showcases its letters highlighted by its black shadow on the outward segment of each figure with its familiar “towering” A at the middle.

This evolved into a much simpler outline which they referred to as the reversed design and came about in 1939. The logo is an all black model which already removed the unnecessary highlights.  The original form of how letters are sketched still reflects on this braun logo but made it more distinct with its single color effect.

When Wolgang Schmittel joined Braun as a freelancer in Aug of 1952, he gave birth to a logo which has a more methodical approach.   The logo was now reduced in length but given a brawnier look.  Schmittel’s logo layout is the closest on what we can actually see on Braun’s logo today.

Braun’s uncomplicated and straightforward logo design is a large contributing factor to the company’s icon.  Its easy to retain the figure with an eye catching “high rise A” gives their logo a much deserved success

Braun didn’t stop from the logo that they have for the company.  They continue to provide innovative products that you can depend on for years, products starting from shavers to coffee makers and they always have one thing in common, a high quality product that you can always depend on for years.

The Braun logo can now be equated to the word excellence as it has proven its worth through the years of their existence.  They continue to give to consumer a product of cutting edge technology and they always have the reputation of being the first in the industry.  All this started when Braun introduced themselves into a catchy, easy to remember icon 76 years ago.