I am sure many of you out there would be interested to know about how famous logos of successful companies evolve with time. What are the factors that lead companies to redesign their logos?
For your interest here I have taken the case study of the largest automobile brand with respect to sales volume – Volkswagen.
Let me tell you a little history of this great brand. Volkswagen Automobile Company which is also known as Volkswagen Passenger Cars started in Wolfsburg, Germany. How this company came into being is quite an interesting story since Adolf Hitler is involved in it. Yeah! Hitler was the one who, in an Auto Show arranged at that time, raised this idea of manufacturing an inexpensive car for working man, in the year 1933.
One year later, after he took charge of the entire Germany, he met Ferdinand Porsche to design a car which should be well designed and economical enough to be afforded by working class. So Porsche promised Hitler that he would definitely come up with a car that would meet all the specifications that Hitler wanted him to deliver. Hitler wanted Porsche to redesign his 1931 model, so in 1937, the Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH was created (it became simply Volkswagenwerk GmbH a year later). In 1938, Hitler started a Volkswagen factory which was funded by the German government to produce commercial cars. However, that factory was mainly involved in manufacturing military vehicles. Later, it was revealed to the world that Hitler always had this intention to use Porsche car as a military vehicle only, which could carry three men and a machine gun.
The name ‘Volkswagen’ means ‘People’s car’ in Germany and this was its initial logo:
This logo was designed by a Porsche employee named Franz Xavier Reimspiess during an office logo design competition. He encircled the letters ‘V’ and ‘W with bold fonts. The circle looked more like a ship’s wheel with fans around. When I first looked at their first logo, the first thing that I thought of was a Pedestal fan or a lower fan to be more precise. The black and white logo remained the identity of Volkswagen until this logo was designed:
Before World War II, they changed the logo a little bit by removing the design element which gave it a pedestal fan look. They stuck to this wheel like circle with initials ‘V’ and ‘W’ inside.
After the WWII, Britishers took over the company. They renamed the car as Beetle. They changed the logo, though no major changes were made, however, they got rid of the design around the circle which seems to be inspired from the Nazi flag. Surprisingly all the car makers like Fiat and Ford declined to take ‘free control’ of the Volkswagen factory. So, it was returned to the German government, and went on to become one of the world’s bestselling cars ever.
This was a very fine modification in the previous logo; it gave the logo a more elegant and corporate look.
The current logo basically is very similar to the previous one with minute modifications. The major change they’ve done in this logo is its color. The color theme has changed altogether from black and white to blue and grey. The current logo is exceptionally impactful and eye-catching.
Today, Volkswagen is one of the most successful automobile brands and its logo is among the top logos of the world. It is recognized by all and is unique in every way. Share your views about what you think of Volkswagen logo and how you like the change in it with time. Our comments section awaits your feedback.
Great for people to understand this piece of the ‘Branding Pie’. I frequently suggest we look to various examples for evolution and positioning. In today’s world it’s even more obvious as our websites evolve to reflect our personalities as we move forward in growth and development.
Thanks!
J.
As companies get better known, their logos get simpler and more symbolic. A logo that is appropriate for a well-known multinational may not be right for a two-person company. VW is an excellent example…the logo became simpler with time. Gradients and 3d are much easier to produce in print and web, so again the popularity is increasing. But attention to color, typography, proportion, simple design, with not too many gimmics are still very important.
This is a wonderful example of a design that was once over embellished an went through series of editing and elimination process. Franz Xavier Reimspiess was probably not a trained graphic designer. I like that they have kept the original concept since its inception.
It is evident with time the logo just became more simpler and elegant, and what is commendable is that they stuck with the core of the logo, the VW. Indeed, logos need to be simple and specific conveying identity more than anything else. Image is an equity built by the performance of the brand, and this is reflected by the logo rather than conveyed by it.
Great information, where did you get so many details, also it would be just fantastic if some detailed information could be found on the making of the inspirational vehicle THE “Bugatti Veron”
Thanks for the article
I think this is great, and will look into it in more detail, what is interesting is the impact that was made with the use of a strong branding principles during that time. The other thing is how the VW started out as a peoples car and along the way has lost that a bit, the VW is no longer a car affordable to the people.
It has however become more of an object of desire for the average man in the street.
Thanks for this fun post on the VW logo’s history.
Hands-down, my favorite car of any I have ever owned is a small yellow VW beetle w/sun-roof — in the 70′s and early 80′s.
I think that the VW logo is a bit like the Apple logo… simple, refined, creative and representative of quality, creativity, uniqueness — and fun — in an otherwise-mundane utility-type product category.
Good article. Despite it being a global brand, the actual logo still retains its German engineering roots, and simple straightforward solutions – visually. It’s a classic.
Thanks everybody for writing such wonderful comments…
As a 3rd-time VW owner, I love reading tidbits about this brand. I knew that Hitler was involved in VW roots, but didn’t know to what capacity. I would consider the above a nice teaser for those interested in VW or how Hitler’s decisions have impacted modern culture.
I wonder how much that worker from VW was paid, or what he won, for designing the original logo. While it id go through changes, the VW stayed pretty much in tact. A lesson for anyone out there wanting to give their work away… don’t do it, you never know where the company might end up.
Pingback: Golf Variant Experiences » Blog Archive » Case Study of Volkswagen Logo: From 1939 to Present Day
Wow,….nice gallery. Best of luck for your new venture and thank you for stopping by.
I’m fascinated by how a-historical and a-political this discussion is. When I look at the procession of logos, I think, “How did the Swastica become the peace symbol?” There were Jews of my parents’ generation who would not ride in “Hitler’s car.”
Pingback: Volkswagen Logo – from 1939 to present day « Just Design