Logo Realm Team

Chipotle Logo Design, History, & Evolution: Everything You Should Know

The casual fast food chain of Chipotle restaurants has been serving up made-to-order Mexican-American fast food since its inception in 1993. In the time since, the Chipotle logo has undergone a few changes, starting with a very simple text design to a more complex and appealing modern medallion-shape. We will examine the Chipotle brand and the revisions made to the Chipotle logo over time.

About The Chipotle Brand

History

The first Chipotle Mexican Grill was opened in Denver in 1993 by Steve Ellis. Ellis had previously attended the Culinary Institute of America, located in Hyde Park, New York, and he worked as a line cook in San Francisco, California, for Jeremiah Tower at Stars. He received an $85,000 loan from his father to put his cooking knowledge and skills to use, and thus, the Chipotle chain was born. Chipotle is the Mexican name of a smoked, dried chili pepper.

No Franchises

Ellis had originally planned to use Chipotle as a starter business and eventually use its profits to open a fine dining restaurant. However, when Chipotle concluded its first month selling more than 1,000 burritos a day, he turned his focus toward growth of the Chipotle brand. Currently, Chipotle operates more than 2,400 restaurants. None of the restaurants are franchises, and so the brand owns all of its locations. This allows it to keep the restaurant’s culture consistent across the board.

McDonald’s: An Investor?

McDonald’s saw the potential of the Chipotle brand and invested in it in 1998. They grew to be Chipotle’s largest investor, and it was this investment that allowed Chipotle to grow exponentially from around 16 restaurants in 1998 to more than 500 locations in 2005. However, McDonald’s divested in 2006 to focus solely on its main business. This allowed Chipotle to buy back its lost franchises and become 100 percent company-owned.

The Menu

Chipotle restaurants operate on a build-your-own basis. Customers start out with a base, which can be a burrito, burrito bowl, salad or tacos. They also choose to add rice and/or beans from a couple different varieties of each.

From there, a customer can choose their main ingredient from chicken, pork carnitas, steak, barbacoa, sofritas (tofu) or veggies. If a customer chooses the vegetarian option, guacamole is included at no extra charge. (It normally costs extra.) The customer can then add an array of toppings, including cheese, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole and a choice of different salsas.

The chain also offers kids’ meals, chips and salsa, fountain drinks, water, fruit drinks and an assortment of beer and alcoholic beverages. Most of the food is prepared inside each restaurant, and none of the locations have freezers, can openers or microwave ovens. The Chipotle chain prides itself on using fresh, naturally-sourced ingredients. They use organic produce, naturally-raised meat and dairy without added hormones. Chipotle claims to be the first nationwide 0restaurant to cook totally GMO-free.

The Architecture

The Chipotle brand is known for its industrial style architecture that features metal, plywood and exposed ductwork as well as its eclectic musical selection that plays while guests dine. Their competition is made up of restaurants, like Qdoba Mexican Grill, Rubio’s Coastal Grill, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Baja Fresh.

Chipotle And Food Safety

The restaurant chain has suffered a variety of food-borne illness outbreaks. Among these were a hepatitis and norovirus outbreak in 2008 and a Campylobacter Jejuni outbreak in 2009. The year of 2015 was especially tragic with the company feeling the effects from outbreaks of norovirus, Salmonella and E. Coli.

There was another norovirus outbreak in 2017 and an outbreak of clostridium perfringens in 2018. After each, the company lured customers back with advertising and the offer of free food. Chipotle has also been involved in a few data breaches and one lawsuit.

In 2017, Steve Ellis stepped down as CEO of the company, and he was replaced in 2018 by Brian Niccol, the CEO of Taco Bell. Ellis continues to hold his position as chairman, and he has input on certain business matters.

Chipotle Logo Design History

The Chipotle logo has seen three incarnations so far in the company’s brief history. The first version was simple white text on a distorted, rounded rectangle shape. The background of the shape was black, and it seemed to mimic something that might have been used in vintage diner signage in the 1950s and 60s. The Chipotle text itself was white with a small, accompanying registered mark. The typeface for the text had a slightly handwritten feel and somewhat resembled a compressed version of the Papyrus font.

The next version of the Chipotle logo was a complete redesign, but it did not last long. It featured a small circle inside of a larger circle with the text on an arch inside the boundary formed between the edges of the two circles. The font changed from what was previously a casual, script-like feel to a hard-edged typeface in all caps. It read “Chipotle” on the top portion of the circle and “Mexican Grill” on the bottom. The font had a sharp, mechanical feel to it.

This logo also featured a Chipotle pepper in a prominent position in the center of the smaller circle. The pepper had a chunky look and was comprised of two shapes, one of the bulky body of the pepper and one for the squiggly stem. The stem overlapped the boundary between the small inside circle and the larger outside circle.

This incarnation of the logo was featured either in black and white or in color. In the color version, the inner circle was red, and the outer circle was black. The pepper and a stroke between the circles were white, and the text was gray.

Chipotle Logo Design Evolution

image source: pexels

The third and current version of the Chipotle logo came about in 2009. While the first two logos were designed in-house, the company hired a design firm for the third. The firm is called Sequence, and it is based in San Francisco. Sequence took the second version of the Chipotle logo and seemed to have made it more professional.

The current Chipotle logo is made up of two circles, following the same format as its predecessor. The inner circle is a deep, burnt red, and the outer circle is a brighter, more medium red color. Each of the circles is outlined in a thin white line although the white line on the inner circle is slightly thicker. The red coloring evokes a sense of heat or spice which ties in with the Chipotle pepper and Mexican theme. The words and the Chipotle pepper graphic are in white.

The pepper looks more modern than the one in the previous Chipotle logo. Its lines are more evenly sized, and the ones in the center of the pepper form an appealing stylized swirl toward its center. The entire pepper fits neatly inside the small inner circle without any overlap of the other logo elements.

The typeface has changed to a more rounded sans-serif font. It appears to be a customized version of the Gotham Bold font. The font was created by Tobias Frere-Jones and published by Hoefler & Co.

The “E” has been altered to feature the middle horizontal bar lower than where it would normally appear. Overall, the newer font choice is more inviting compared to the hard-edged type on the previous Chipotle logo. The change makes the logo seem less industrial and more friendly.

The logo is featured in more than one form. The most recognizable is the medallion form which we just described. However, for the purposes of building signage, sometimes the word “Chipotle” is displayed on its own inside a red, rounded-corner rectangle. The Chipotle pepper sits in its own smaller burnt red square with rounded corners on the left side of the word.

Conclusion

Over the past few years, the Chipotle logo underwent one redesign and then another, with most people not even acknowledging the first revision. Most people seem to remember the original logo with the plain white “Chipotle” text on black, and they also recognize the current red medallion. The step in between that originated the medallion look of the Chipotle logo has mostly been forgotten.We think that the team at Sequence design firm did an excellent job of taking the first Chipotle logo revision and updating it into something more colorful, inviting and modern. The two-tone red softens up the design, and it also evokes the spicy flavor of chili peppers and Mexican seasoning. The rounded sans-serif font is easier on the eyes, clearer to read and makes the chain seem friendlier. The Chipotle pepper in the center has a fun stylized design that doesn’t overpower the rest of the logo.

We find that the updated Chipotle logo is clean and professional while also adding just enough Mexican flavor to the design. It has a very hip, modern sensibility that all patrons of the food chain will be drawn toward. It is a great example of a successful logo design.

Costco Logo Design, History, & Evolution

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Costco, the common name for the Costco Wholesale Corporation and recognizable by its famous Costco logo, is a multinational corporation second in size only to Walmart as of 2015. The chain requires a membership fee for customers to shop at its warehouse clubs and is ranked in the top 20 of the Fortune 500 rankings of the United States corporations based on total revenue.

The Costco logo has evolved over the years as the company has grown from one store in Seattle, Washington, which opened in 1983, to more than 750 warehouse stores today.However, the logo has retained most of its distinctive features from the beginning, likely because of the company’s dedication to standing out visually and philosophically from other similar warehouse and discount brands. As you learn more about the Costco company, you will see how the Costco logo reflects the company’s stated mission and philosophy in salaries, employee recruitment and care, customer service, and strategic marketing.

About the Costco Brand

The first official Costco store opened in 1983, but the company’s history dates back an additional seven years thanks to a variety of corporate mergers with competitors like San Diego’s Price Club. The Price Club was founded by Sol Price and his son, Robert, who opened stores in old airplane hangars. The original Price Club warehouse is open today as Costco Warehouse #401, although all Price Club stores became Costco Wholesale stores over 20 years ago.

Statistics and Basic Information

Costco stores carry a variety of supermarket items and even luxury goods. In fact, in 2016, the company was the world’s largest retailer of

Choice and prime beef
Organic food items
Rotisserie chicken
Wine

Costco’s rotisserie chickens have their own fan page, and the company uses the attractive pricing on the birds to bring in customers. At one point, Costco estimated it lost between $30 million and $40 million annually to maintain their low $4.99 price on this product. The loss was worth it because of the increased member foot traffic the stores gained as shoppers came in to pick up their rotisserie chickens.Interestingly, despite its warehouse design and, on average, 13,000 square feet of sales space, Costco stores only stock about 4,000 unique products. This decision is based partially on the requirements Costco faces because of its wholesale pricing and partially on sales strategies based around the idea that customers buy more when there are fewer and rotating options.

Most Costco stores offer

Produce
Grocery items
Home design items
Electronics
Pharmacy services
Gas stations
Toys
Discounted travel and other services
Food services, including pizza
Wine, beer, and sometimes liquor
Optical services
Business services and payment processing
Travel services
An auto program
Online photo services
Online shopping services, including emergency prep kits

Most customers do not realize Costco is one of the United States’ largest pizza chains with over 400 stores nationwide. The Costco food court also offers a discounted hot-dog-and-soda combo that has been priced at $1.50 for nearly 30 years. Non-members also ma not realize that they can shop without a membership if a member buys them a Costco cash card and that some airport security offices will accept a Costco card as proof of identity.

Costco Logo Design History

The Costco logo has remained remarkably consistent from the time of its founding. In fact, the biggest change the logo experienced was from the original Price Club logo, which featured a simple red background with a rounded, lower-right corner and white block lettering reading, “Price Club,” to the red block lettering reading simply “Costco.” Price Club also sometimes used blue block lettering on its warehouses.Since 1983, the Costco logo has had only three major adjustments.

Costco Logo from 1997 to the Present Day

When Costco made all Price Club and Costco warehouse stores Costco Wholesale stores, the logo evolved one last time. In 1997, the Costco logo was slightly enlarged, and the letters became thicker and blockier. Underneath, the word “Wholesale” was added, also slanted, and in all caps. Three blue lines balanced the word on the left side. This Costco logo has been in place since 1997 and is still used today.

Costco Logo Design Evolution

Because Costco is a multinational corporation, the company has opted to keep its logo consistent for more than thirty years. This helps the brand remain recognizable in more than a dozen countries, including

The United States
Canada
Mexico
The United Kingdom
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Australia
Spain
Iceland
France
Suriname
Bahamas

The company also plans to open a warehouse in China in 2019.

The Futura Font Family

Variations on the Futura typeface have been used in multiple logos, movie posters, and album covers. These include:

Krispy Kreme logo
Disney Junior logo
DOPE logo
Au Bon Pain logo
Occupy Wall Street
The Muppets 2001: A Space Odyssey
The Love Boat

Interestingly, you cannot download the Futura font for use in designing logos for free, nor can you adjust it without permission. Futura is a commercial typeface designed by Paul Renner. It is available in multiple weights, of which the Costco logo has used several over the years, and Costco’s unique version is called Futura Extra Bold Oblique.Renner released the font in 1927 and based it on geometric shapes. The font uses references to the circle particularly heavily and was supposed to look modern. It was described at one point as “the typeface of today and tomorrow.” Given its long relationship with the Costco logo, this certainly appears to be true.

Costco’s Private Label Logos

Perhaps to make Costco’s custom services and signature brands more obvious, the Costco logo remains mainly red. This enables the company to add the word “Signature” in a cursive font to any signature brand. For example, Kirkland Water retained its original logo, with a black background and white block lettering, but added “Signature” below the Kirkland name to indicate the Costco partnership.

Red and White Coloring

Image via: Flickr

Red and white have been the basic colors in the Costco logo from the first version of the logo that debuted in 1983. However, the shades of red have been altered twice, once in 1993 and once in 1997, and a royal blue was added to the color palette in 1997. The blue color has not changed since its addition.

Background Evolution

Image via: Flickr

Sometimes, the Costco logo is featured on a black background instead of a white one. This is not particularly common, and the logo is still surrounded by a white outline to make the colors pop even when the rest of the background is black. For a brief period of time, Costco also tried placing the logo on a blue background, but this created a “discreet” look that make the logo less likely to stand out. A red background fared even worse as the “Costco” faded into the background even with the white outlines.

Conclusion: The Costco Logo Remains Constant

Costco has made a name for itself in a number of ways that differentiate it from other warehouse and discount companies. Costco boasts that an “entrepreneurial drive” characterizes Costco staff at every level. The company has also routinely opted to hire and promote from within, avoid hiring employees with traditional “business school” educational backgrounds, and offered higher wages and superior benefits than its competitors.Just as these practices have been consistent for the company since its inception, the Costco logo has remained largely constant. It seems likely it will remain so in the future as well.

Transformers Logo Design, History, & Evolution

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Chances are good that the average person can recognize a Transformer and the Transformers logo even if that person is not really a fan.The transforming alien robots have been an ever-present part of popular culture since 1984, even during brief periods of lesser popularity. We will talk about the brand’s complex and ever-changing history and examine how the Transformers logo has been updated and adapted over time to match the brand’s various incarnations.

About the Transformers Brand

The Transformers brand began in 1984 and encompasses all media, products, and toys from Hasbro, Griffin Bacal, and Marvel that feature a series of alien robots who transform into various automobiles and machinery. The Transformers toys were originally made by Takara Tomy’s Diaclone and Microman toy lines and featured tiny plastic cars that could morph into robotic form for combat. The toys have been almost constantly available on shelves for over 34 years with very few periods of absence, none of which lasted longer than 18 months.

In the Transformers universe, there is an ongoing civil war between two factions known as the Autobots and Decepticons. The franchise has produced endless cartoons, comic books, video games, and films. The Transformers timeline can be divided into two generations. The first generation lasted from 1984 to 1993, and it was the period of time when the original comic books and animated cartoons came into popularity. The second generation consisted of various sequels and spin-offs, including the Beast Wars television series.

There have been a variety of other incarnations of the Transformers universe in the form of other series such as Robots in Disguise and the Unicron Trilogy. A competing series called Gobots with toys manufactured by Tonka was eventually bought out by Hasbro, and afterward, the Gobots were featured in the animated series Challenge of the Gobots.

In the 1990s, an online Transformers fandom emerged which allowed fans to connect with one another. It became a popular pastime for fans to name all the appearances of and references made about Transformers in pop culture. A movie adaptation of the Transformers series, directed by Michael Bay, was released in 2007 with a slew of sequels following in 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2017. A spin-off movie about the Transformer Bumble Bee came out in 2018. These upsurges in nostalgia over the series have continued to make it a pop culture phenomenon over the years.

Image via Wikimedia

Transformers Incarnations

Generation 1 centered around the story of Optimus Prime (the hero) and his enemy, the villain Megatron. Their armies crash on pre-historic Earth and reawaken in 1985. The toys and the original TV series premiered around the same time. The movies that were released many years later in the 2000s were also centered around the struggle between these two rival armies and their differing goals regarding the planet.

Generation 2 was spawned by five issues of the G.I. Joe comic, which then led to a new animated series and a new line of toys. Later came Beast Wars and the Beast Machines which carried a storyline similar to Generation 1, except in this version, the Maximals and Predacons crash-landed on a planet similar to Earth. Due to the makeup of the planet, the Transformers were forced to take on “beast” forms instead of machines.

The Dreamwave Productions era from 2001-2005 involved the Transformers returning to their home planet of Cybertron to defeat the new leader, Shockwave. This era also included several G.I. Joe crossovers and alternative stories. The Robots in Disguise series was released in Japan, and the Unicron Trilogy came out in both the U.S. and Japan with some discrepancies in the continuity between the two versions.

In more recent years, the film franchise was developed and led to a massive blockbuster success with sequel after sequel. There are plans for a Transformers Cyberverse coming soon. There is also a new cartoon series, internet fan groups, and an official Transformers convention held every year in celebration of the long-lasting popular series.

Transformers Logo Design History

Image via Wikimedia

Several versions of the Transformers logo have existed since the brand originally gained popularity in the 1980s. This is partially due to the ample number of emblem usages in the brand’s series of cartoons, comics, and movies. Different insignias have been used to differentiate Transformers from one respective army or another, including sub-factions within each army. Some individual Transformers have their own specific logos designed just for them. As a battle strategy, Transformers would occasionally wear the emblem of their opponent to gain an advantage.

The major faction of protagonists in the series are the Autobots, and the antagonists are the Decepticons. Both factions have their own specific emblems that represent each group as a whole. The emblems each resemble the face or head of a Transformer. The Autobot emblem was most likely drawn from the likeness of a character called Prowl. This logo is known as the Autobrand, and according to Transformers lore, it represents the face of the Last Autobot. The symbol for the Decepticons was probably drawn from the character Soundwave. Emblems have also existed for other types of Transformers such as Security Services, Clench, and Ultracon.

Each symbol has evolved throughout time, often with each generation/incarnation of the series. Stylistically, many versions are highly similar, with the “face” being comprised of smaller geometric shapes to form a Transformer “head.” Some Transformers logos feature flattened colors, and others are more three-dimensional with a metallic or chrome sort of look. There are some logos, such as the Cybertron elements, without a face that appear as a stylized shape or text. There have also been “crossover” Transformers logos that spoof other franchises such as Star Wars and G.I. Joe.

The version of the general Transformers logo that is considered the earliest one featured the word “Transformers” split across two lines with the face of a Transformer at the end of the first line. The colors were a dark red and gray. Many of the following logos did not feature the face, but rather just the word “Transformers” on its own. Currently, the Transformers word mark is spelled out on a single line. The font is thick and heavy with sharp angles, and it is often represented three-dimensionally. The most distinguishing feature is the letter “A,” which looks like a triangle with a slit carved out of the bottom left.

The colors of the various emblems have also changed over time. They have been seen as solid colors such as red, blue, and black. Sometimes, the Transformers logos have been colored in with gradients of red, white, yellow, and blue. At other times, the logos have looked like stone, metal, or chrome with texture and shading for a three-dimensional look.

Transformers Logo Design Evolution

Image via Wikimedia

The movie franchise continues to use a more traditional approach to their treatment of the Transformers logo. It is depicted in a historical version of the font that features the unique “A” design, and it is always rendered with a good amount of gray texture and three-dimensional shading. The Autobrand is frequently featured as well, which adds to the Transformers logo’s recognizability.For the movies, the Autobrand has been tweaked and modified to serve the purposes of each film. For example, the fourth installment in the Transformers movie franchise (2012) featured the Decepticon insignia split down the middle with the number 4 making up half of the symbol. The color of the logo was a dingy gray that appeared to be weathered metal, and it was rendered to have a very heavy three-dimensional weight.

By contrast, the current Hasbro logo, as featured on their website and in the cartoons, has changed a good deal. The font is still bold and angular, however, it seems to be stretched vertically to make the logo taller. The word mark is a medium-dark red and simply reads “Transformers.” Underneath is a horizontal red bar that features tiny white sans-serif text with the brand’s slogan. An Autobrand symbol is used for the “O” in the phrase “More than Meets the Eye.”

This somewhat drastic change is a dramatic simplification of the complex movie Transformers logo. It seems to follow the trend of most current brands that are simplifying their logos into one flattened color without many special effects. This allows the logo greater versatility in its usage and can be easier on the eyes of some viewers. Even with the taller font and solid color, the new Transformers logo still manages to be consistent with the brand’s overall identity.

Conclusion

Image via Unsplash

Even though the Transformers logo has undergone many alterations and adaptations, it still remains one of the most easily recognizable entertainment logos today. Although the colors have changed dramatically, and the fonts have been updated over time, it manages to retain its brand identity and invoke a sense of nostalgia among long-time fans of the series. This instant recognition might be due in part to the consistent usage of thick, heavy, angular fonts along with the stylized “A,” and of course there is no mistaking the Autobrand symbol as anything other than the face of a Transformer.

Featured photo via Flickr

Star Trek Logo Design, History, & Evolution

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Star Trek is a popular science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that debuted in 1966, and the Original Series ran for three seasons. Now there has been a 22-episode Star Trek: The Animated Series, a successful film franchise, five television spin-offs, and adaptations in other media. Ever since the Star Trek logo was introduced in the Original Series, people have been trying to figure out its meaning.

The original Star Trek logo is shaped like a delta, or an arrowhead, and it’s an insignia that represents an assignment to the USS Enterprise, the fictional spaceship of the show. The arrow-shaped, asymmetrical design was displayed on all Starfleet crew uniforms, installations, Starship hulls, and equipment.

What Is the Star Trek Logo?

The delta design of the Star Trek logo was inspired by the old NASA, later UESPA, logos used in Earth’s space programs in the 20th and 21st centuries. These symbols were used by the first space explorers, and so the Star Trek logo signified the duties of the crew aboard the USS Enterprise. The design is a simple pointer with a round backdrop, and while it was originally worn on the left shoulder, it was later moved to the right shoulder.

When the United Federation of Planets was founded in 2161, individual assignment patches were worn on both shoulders and a solid silver delta was on the left breast. In the 23rd century, a simpler version was used on Federation installations and starships, and it was not put on personnel uniforms. Some starships, such as the Defiant, had assignment patches that were similar.

There were six insignias used in the Original Series for Starfleet personnel:

Fleet Command – a senior field commander personnel emblem
Starbase Duty – used by Ground installation, Drydocks, Space stations, and Headquarters personnel
Cadet Duty – Starfleet academy students (pewter colored, smaller version of Starbase Duty)
Outpost Duty – Colony and Outpost personnel (a gold spikelet with a black background episode Balance of Terror and Arena)
Spacecraft Duty – merchant Marine/Auxiliary Fleet personnel (Charlie X episode)
Starship Duty – Fleet personnel

What It Means?

The Star Trek logo evolved from a delta shape to the arrowhead design that’s used now, and it shows the duties of the crew who wear it with division symbols. Crew members with a planet in the design are in the Sciences division, a stylized “E” is for Engineering, which later became Operations, and a red “Swiss Cross” is for the Nursing Corps.

Different ships wore different insignias, and because they were not part of the Enterprise crew, their insignias were Starfleet standard-issue. The insignias are equivalent to United States Service members to show how they serve. Roddenberry was in the Army Air Corps and producer Justman was a Naval radio operator, so they understood the significance of visual communication.

How Has the Star Trek Logo Changed Over Time?

The delta Star Trek logo was used for much of the exploration division while a starburst design was used for administrative and flag officers of fleet star bases and headquarters. Constitution Class Federation Starships also used a variety of insignias unique to their ships, but the USS Enterprise maintained its delta logo design for its insignia and assignment patches.

Year 2270

Starfleet Command adopted a new insignia, the MACO five-pointed star in the arrowhead. Its design was inspired by the United States Armed Forces space command used on UESPA exploration on vessels such as the Friendship 1 from the 21st century. The symbol pointed upward when worn on the shoulders or chest and on signage, it pointed down when used on the hull, and it was phased out in the late 2270s. It was also used for some Starfleet division into the 24th century.

A metal version was used as a com-badge in Voyager: Friendship One, The New Generation: Yesterday’s Enterprise, and Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan.

Year 2340

A stylized version of the Star Trek logo featuring only the arrowhead, no other symbols, mounted on an oval background was incorporated into uniforms, and a metal version was used as a com-badge and worn on the chest of personnel uniforms. It became common as the starship hull pennant.

Year 2370

A newer Star Trek logo was created to be used a com-badge. It had a trapezoid shaped background, and hull pennants were simplified as well, using only the arrowhead with a background. Starfleet Command still used the design from the 2270s with the circular background and an inscribed star in parts of the flag officer uniforms and signage as in Star Trek: Insurrection, Voyager: Caretaker, Deep Space 9: The Search, and Star Trek Generations.

How Can We See the Different Logo Designs That Have Been Used?

In the alternate reality episode with Nero’s incursion, Starfleet had no assignment patches in the 2250s, but a gold arrowhead was modified from the patch used on the USS Kelvin. It has a slight indentation on the inside of the arrowhead with a hollow division design inside. This is like the assignment patches used on the USS Enterprise.

In the Mirror Universe, the insignia used was Earth impaled with a dagger, as this was the Terran Empire’s symbol. It was used in the Imperial Starfleet and in episodes TOS: Mirror, Mirror, DIS: Despite Yourself, and ENT: In A Mirror Darkly parts I and II. Parallel and future versions in the Barash illusion created by Riker in 2367 show the symbol as an arrowhead in gold or silver with four horizontal bars to indicate rank. These were used in The Next Generation: Future Imperfect, and an alternate reality with Worf in 2370 Parallels.

In other alternate timelines, other variations of the Star Trek logo exist. In the 2390s and in the 29th century, there is a rotated arrowhead that has the bottom filled with a mirror at the top of the shape. The 29th century hull decorations have the arrowhead pointing backwards, possibly showing time travel in the episodes Voyager: Relativity and Future’s End parts I and II.

Series Inspiration

The Horatio Hornblower novels, Gulliver’s Travels and westerns such as Wagon Train inspired Gene Roddenberry, and it has been a cult phenomenon for many decades. Fans call themselves “Trekkies” and there is a wide range of franchise products that includes comics, toys, novels, figurines, and games. There was even a Star Trek attraction in Las Vegas from 1998 to 2008, and in 2016, the franchise generated $10 billion in revenue, one of the highest-grossing media franchises in history.

The series has left its mark well beyond the realm of science fiction. It is noted for its stance of standing up for civil rights, as most of the stories in the show focus on the adventures of humans and aliens working together, and for having one of the first multi-racial casts in television.

The protagonists hold altruistic values and apply them to complex situations, and many of the themes explored contemporary cultural scenarios, including the ideas of war and peace, personal loyalty, the role of technology, feminism, sexism, human rights, religion, racism, economics, class warfare, imperialism, and authoritarianism.

Roddenberry wanted Star Trek to have a progressive political message showing the emergence of the youth movement’s counter culture, but he was not forthcoming to the networks about it. He wanted to show what humanity could become if it could learn from experience and work specifically towards putting an end to violence. An example of this is the Vulcan race of aliens, who overcame their violent history and became able to control their emotions. The show had a definite anti-war message.

Mythology

The Original Series of Star Trek was modeled after classical mythology, with the trio of McCoy, Spock, and Kirk being the focus. The show follows people searching for answers, and it offers a hopeful vision and imaginative solutions for the future. Fans connect through their love of the stories that highlight friendship, adventure, discovery, and exploration and promote diversity, technology, and a peace-loving society.

Timeline:

The Original Series (1966-1969)
The Animated Series (1973-1974)
The Next Generation (1987-1994)
Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Voyager (1995-2001)
Enterprise (2001-2005)
Discovery (2017 – present)

Conclusion

The original arrowhead Star Trek logo was created by costume designer William Ware Theiss for the Original Series. Three versions of the logo were created for engineering, science specialists, and command personnel to wear on their uniforms to show their assignments and specialties, and a fourth one was created with a Red Cross for Nursing.

Another version of the Star Trek logo was used in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. A version in The Cage was a box with a “C” shape inside, but only two crew members wore this and it was never seen again. Wearing the delta Star Trek logo signified that the person wearing it achieved the goal of cadets in the academy and the dream of fans: the honor to serve aboard a Starship and boldly go where no man has gone before.

Nascar Logo Design, History, & Evolution

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Until just recently, fans of NASCAR racing have seen the same logo during televised races, on marketing materials, and displayed proudly on t-shirts since 1976. In December 2016, a new NASCAR logo was unveiled for the first time in over 40 years, and it started being used regularly in January 2017. Along with the logo change, NASCAR announced that the official title of the NASCAR cup will be the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, which is sponsored by Monster brand energy drinks.

The stock car racing brand has undergone a few logo redesigns during its rich history. This article will take a look back through years of the NASCAR racing series, along with how the NASCAR logo has changed with the times. The brand has been driven to keep up with the trends through constant sponsorship updates. Those involved in the logo update believe it will bring the brand up to date while also paying homage to the image fans have come to associate with over 70 years worth of racing history.

About the NASCAR Brand

Image by skeeze from Pixabay

When abbreviated, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing spells “NASCAR.” The company promotes and operates over 1,500 auto races at over 100 tracks in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Europe and is most associated with stock car racing. It began in 1948 under the leadership of Bill France Sr. Since 2003, his grandson, Brian France, has been the CEO. The headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, and spectators in over 150 countries can watch NASCAR races on television.

Before Monster Energy in 2017, previous sponsors of the NASCAR Cup series were R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (Winston Cup) and Nextel/Sprint (The Chase/Sprint Cup). Drivers can win the cup by accumulating points on a system that has undergone several revisions since its inception. The driver with the most points when a season concludes is the winner. Some famous winners have been Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson.

NASCAR Logo Design History

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The original NASCAR logo was used from 1948-1955, and it has a look that is representative of that era. It features two minimalist, stylized cars facing off against each other, one on the left and one on the right. The backs of each car morph into a shape that looks like wings, to convey the notion of speed or movement, which is appropriate for a motorsport such as racing. A simple arched banner that contains the word “NASCAR” in black connects the two cars. Even in this earliest incarnation of the logo, one can see the formation of the lettering style used on today’s NASCAR logo.

Behind the two cars and NASCAR banner are two checkered flags that mirror each other and billow outward toward the edges of the logo. The checkers on the flags are red and white, and red is the only color (aside from black) featured on the original emblem. In between the flags, in arched, vintage type, are the words “National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc.” This logo is far more complex than later versions and embodies the spirit of the time in which it was used.

The NASCAR logo underwent its first redesign in 1956, and that version was used until 1963. It features many elements of the previous logo, but those elements have been rearranged and more color has been added. The logo now features a predominant oval shape in golden yellow that is representative of a stock car racing track. The words “NASCAR International” in all caps flow in an arch inside the boundaries of the track.

The 1956 logo also features two facing cars and two about-facing flags just like its predecessor but with a few tweaks. The checkered flags are now smaller and in black and white and serve as ornaments for the two upper corners of the design. The two cars are now a burnt red color and slightly more angular than the ones used prior. The two cars sit on top of the track facing each other.

The NASCAR logo that was used from 1964-1975 once again utilizes similar elements from its predecessor. However, the racing track oval has been removed, and the colors have been simplified to blue, gray, and black. Like previous versions, two stylized cars with winged backs face each other, this time in gray with black outlining. They sit atop a vertical line pattern that resembles the grill of an older model car. The checkered flags are larger now and make up the middle background of the design.

Two blue banners connect the entire design together on top and bottom. The word “NASCAR” sits predominantly on the top banner, and the word “International” runs a bit smaller on the bottom banner. Overall, this version of the NASCAR logo appears to be a bit squashed vertically, which is an interesting design choice. Perhaps the compression of the cars makes them appear longer and leaner or as if they are going faster.

Then we come to the longest-lasting incarnation of the NASCAR logo so far, and also the one that most patrons of the brand will recognize. It ran from 1976-2016, and features the word “NASCAR” large and slanted forward as if it is moving quickly into the future. The type is straight-edged with angular corners on the letters and features a registered mark.

The white text sits on top of colored bars that change from left to right in an almost-rainbow sort of progression. The colored bars are also slanted themselves, giving the illusion of propelling the text forward down a race track.

This 1976-2016 NASCAR logo was far simpler than its predecessors, making the brand name the focus and easily recognizable to fans. The color choice on the slanted colored bars includes the colors from previous versions of the logo (yellow, red, and blue) with the addition of a purple/magenta color in between. In this sense, this logo honored the ones that came before it.

NASCAR Logo Evolution

Image by Mark Thomas from Pixabay

It was the debut of a new NASCAR sponsor that prompted the logo redesign. This, plus a new series of rule changes in 2017 made the timing right for an updated look as the brand marches into its future. Jill Gregory and Peter Jung (Senior Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director of Brand and Consumer Marketing, respectively) worked together with Rare Design to develop the new NASCAR logo.

NASCAR understood that the previous logo was synonymous with the die-hard brand loyalty of its fans, and so the new logo retains many elements of the old. The updated NASCAR logo, even though different, is still easily recognized by fans. It is essentially a stripped-down and modernized version of its predecessor. NASCAR fans are notoriously resistant to change, and so the logo’s updates were intentionally discreet while still giving the brand a fresher look.

The updated NASCAR logo removed the slanted colored bars from behind the white text on the previous logo and shifted them toward the left of the NASCAR text. The colored bars still slant forward, giving the illusion of motion, which continues to be appropriate for a speed-driven sport. The logo keeps the primary colors of yellow, red, and blue, but the purple/magenta colored bar is now gone.

The NASCAR wording appears to be basically the same font with angled corners on the letters, and it slants to mimic the lean on the colored bars. Each letter now has an even space in between instead of some letters being joined like on the previous NASCAR logo. The text also appears to have been widened slightly, and a trademark symbol follows the letters instead of the registered mark.

The removal of the colored bars from behind the text allows the logo more versatility. The NASCAR wording can be either white or black, depending on whether the logo sits atop a light or a dark background when printed or displayed online. This was perhaps one intention of the designers since most modern companies desire logos that can be used easily in multiple applications.

There is a second version of the new logo that appears with the new sponsor’s branding. When the NASCAR logo is used in conjunction with Monster Energy, the Monster logo appears larger. The NASCAR-related text reads “NASCAR Cup Series” in all caps instead of just the singular “NASCAR” text.

Reaction to the logo seems to be mostly favorable with many fans not noticing a major difference. The revised NASCAR logo keeps its brand familiarity while successfully honoring the company’s history, which appears to achieve the goals of company officials with regard to the new design. The new logo is slightly more clear to read and seems a bit less dated than the previous incarnation.

Conclusion

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Overall, the NASCAR logo redesign is a success for the brand. The company is able to retain its brand loyalty among diehard fans with minimal criticism (if any). The “NASCAR” text is easier to read, and the slant of the colored bars and text appear to be pushing the name forward at an accelerated pace.

This gives it the same illusion of movement as the previous NASCAR logo while bringing the logo up to date and allowing it more versatile usage in print and digital design. An added bonus to fans would be the potential increase in value to previously purchased merchandise that sport historic versions of the emblem.