Ubuntu:Ringa Ringa Roses..................

Ubuntu Logo

On seeing the logo of Ubuntu , it doesn't seem to be much special.But on close inspection we could find that the logo is having three people holding hands in circle.This situation reminded me the nursery rhyme 'Ringa Ringa Roses'. Ubuntu means "an ethic or humanist philosophy focusing on people's allegiances and relations with each other". And the logo is a graphical representation of 3 people holding their arms out, making a circle.

Ohhhhhhhh! It's ' Zinga ' not 'Zynga'

Zynga Logo

Now , this time you are going to correct me.If I am talking about the famous gaming site 'Zynga' then it is obviously spelled as 'Zynga' not 'Zinga'. Yes, but here I am talking about the American bulldog of Mark Pincus who named his dog 'Zinga';After whom the founder and first CEO of Zynga 'Mark Pincus' named his company. Mark Pincus started his company in April 2007 under the name Presidio Media; letter this name was changed to Zynga after the dog of Mark Pincus. It is the dog which is behind the logo of the company. A white silhouette of bulldog in red background is thus the inspiration behind the Company logo.

The Helios: Inspiration of the BP logo

Current BP logo

BP, British Petroleum , which is also termed as 'Beyond petroleum' because the original petroleum company is now trying to produce energy through other non conventional resources. Initially the BP logo was just a green shield with text as BP.

Launched in 2000,the current BP logo is inspired by the Greek god of the sun 'The Helios'. Choosing the sun(the greatest source of energy on the Earth) for their brand logo is justified by the company's area of producing energy.According to company's saying they also symbolizes their logo of an interlocking shapes justifying the merger and acquisitions of many brands into BP.

Old BP logo

The Michelin Man

Michelin Man Bibendum

The Michelin Man is the symbol of the MICHELIN brand and has been its standard bearer all over the world since 1898. Because of his longevity, visibility among his different audiences and the values that he has stood for from the beginning, he has been voted Best Logo symbol of all time. The Michelin Man is called "Bibendum", a word taken from the slogan "Nunc est bibendum" (Now is the time to drink - in this case drink obstacles) appearing on one of the earliest posters depicting the figure. In other countries than France, he is known as "The Michelin Man" to stress the connection between the character and the MICHELIN brand.

In 1897 by the Michelin brothers, Édouard and André, saw a stack of tires in their warehouse and remarked that they looked like a man, inspired them to commission the French artist O’Galop to bring the character to life. The jovial, rotund Bibendum is an unlikely Frenchman, but a memorable corporate mark that has endured and evolved over the past 100 years.

Inspiration of Michelin brothers to make Bibendum

Three diamond embelem of Mitsubishi

Logo Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi, (literally means three diamonds in english), is a japanese company established in 1870 as a shippnig firm by Koyata Iwasaki.This three-diamond embelem is signifying the meaning of the word Mitsubishi,which is combination of the words "mitsu" and "hishi." "Mitsu" means three. "Hishi" means water chestnut, and the word is used to denote a rhombus or diamond shape. As customary, "hishi" is pronounced "bishi" when it forms a latter part of a word, hence the combination of "mitsu" and "hishi" reads "mitsubishi."
Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of the old Mitsubishi organization, decided on the three-diamond mark as the emblem for his company.The mark is said to be an arrangement of two family crests; the three-oak-leaf crest of the Yamauchi family, Lords of Tosa, where Yataro was born, and the three-tiered water chestnut crest of the Iwasaki family.

Origins of the Famous Emblem of Mitsubishi

Adidas

Logo 1972 to 1996

Logo after 1996

In 1996 this logo replaced the 1972 Adidas logo. The logo became the Adidas’ worldwide corporate logo. It represents performance and the future of the Adidas brand identity. Again like all former Adidas logos, it features three main elements. The three leaves in the 1972 logo got replaced by a triangle cut into three pieces. Apart from the triangle visualizing the future focused movement, it can also been seen as a strong visual representation of the classic Adidas sneaker with its three stripes on the side. The Adidas name is a pormanteau of its founder’s name Adolf (Adi) Dassler. The three elements in this and all other Adidas logos are said to represent Dassler’s three sons.

Subaru: The Star cluster

The automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI),Subaru is  the twenty-sixth biggest automaker by production worldwide in 2011.Subaru ,the name of a star cluster in the Taurus constellation is known as Pleiades in Greek mythlogy. This name was given to this company by the first president of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), Kenji Kita.Clearly, this is one of the clusters much loved by the Japanese from ancient times.

Moreover the Subaru word in Japanese means to unite together. Thus the current logo is having all these six stars which actually present the six merger companies of Subaru.

Former logo on a Subaru 360 showing six stars in an arrangement similar to the Pleiades open star cluster

The IEEE 'KITE'

With merger of the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE, founded 1912) and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE, founded 1884) the IEEE(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) came int existence in 1963.

The IEEE "kite" was created in 1963 with the merger of its two predecessor societies, the AIEE and the IRE. The kite borrowed elements of both organization's logos.The IEEE Master Brand (shown above), consisting of the IEEE logo (kite) followed by the letters I-E-E-E, was adopted by the Board of Directors in Nov 1999.

Texas instrument Logo

World's largest producer of digital signal processors (DSPs) and analog semiconductors the Texas Instrument's logo is also as meaningful as its existence.
On first look viewer just see the initails of company name i.e. "ti", but on close look we find some outlined around ti and for your surprise this outline is  nothing but the map of TEXAS (the state of USA).

State Texas mapin Red coloured

The psychology of logo shapes

The logo shapes used by big brands aren't chosen by chance. 

 

Be aware that the logo shapes used to portray the most visible brands in our culture have not been chosen by chance - there are some powerful psychological forces at work. In this article we'll take a look at how the informed use of shapes can be used to give your logo the desired resonance.

 

Our subconscious minds respond in different ways to different logo shapes. Straight lines, circles, curves and jagged edges all imply different meanings and so a skilled logo designer can use shape to infer particular qualities about the brand. Think, for example, of the Nike Swoosh: the combination of curves ending in a sharp point offers a strong suggestion of movement.
Particular logo shapes send out particular messages:

• Circles, ovals and ellipses tend to project a positive emotional message. Using a circle in a logo can suggest community, friendship, love, relationships and unity. Rings have an implication of marriage and partnership, suggesting stability and endurance.  Curves on any sort tend to be viewed as feminine in nature.
• Straight edged logo shapes such as squares and triangles suggest stability in more practical terms and can also be used to imply balance. Straight lines and precise logo shapes also impart strength, professionalism and efficiency. However, and particularly if they are combined with colours like blue and grey, they may also appear cold and uninviting. Subverting them with off-kilter positioning or more dynamic colours can counter this problem and conjure up something more interesting.
• It has also been suggested that triangles have a good association with power, science, religion and law. These tend to be viewed as masculine attributes, so it's no coincidence that triangles feature more prominently in the logos of companies whose products have a masculine bias.
• Our subconscious minds associate vertical lines with masculinity, strength and aggression, while horizontal lines suggest community, tranquillity and calm.
• The implications of shape also extend to the typeface chosen. Jagged, angular typefaces may appear as aggressive or dynamic; on the other hand, soft, rounded letters give a youthful appeal. Curved typefaces and cursive scripts tend to appeal more to women, while strong, bold lettering has a more masculine edge.

 

Burger King

1954-1957

1957-1969

1969-1994

1994-1999; 1994-2003 (International)

Modified version of the 1969 Burger King logo. Now, the text does not look so cartoony. It was removed in 1999, but it was still used in some areas until 2003.

1999-present

In 1999, Burger King "jazzed" up the logo with help by Sterling Brands.

Terminology related to Symbols

Ensign : 

 An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry. The word has also given rise to the military rank of "ensign", a rank of junior officer once responsible for bearing the ensign.

Roundel: medal(पदक)

 
Insignia

Insignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias (in Latin, insignia is the plural of singular insigne: emblem, symbol, ensign, badge of honor) : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction. An insignia is usually the emblem of a specific or general authority.

Typical examples of insignia are:

• Badges

• Cockades

• Coats of arms and Heraldry

• Ensigns

• Flags of a country or state

• Military aircraft insignia

• Military rank and unit markings:

• Other National Emblems

• Regalia
  • Crowns
  • Sceptres

• Roundels

• Seals

• Shoulder patch, or shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI)

Emblem

An emblem is an abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a king or saint

 

Peugeot

Peugeot

The Peugeot logo has remained pretty consistent for about one-half of a century. Beginning in 1850, the Peugeot lion was present in all of its different logos to date. Although in 1960 and 1965 the logo only features the head of the lion instead of the whole body, the lion was there. The most significant change was the addition of the blue background to the logo in 1998,

(Current logo)

Bholu : Mascot of Indian railway

 Bholu or Bholu the guard elephant is the mascot of Indian Railways. The mascot, a cartoon of an elephant holding a signal lamp with green light in one hand, was initially designed for Indian Railways' 150th year commemoration events and was unveiled on 16 April 2002 in Bangalore. Later in 2003, Indian Railways decided to permanently retain it as the official mascot.
Bholu is presented as a train guard and he holds a signal lamp with green light in one hand. The green light is the symbol of movement which assures trains and passengers to go ahead with safety and without fear.
He is also the most universally accepted symbol of train running and interaction with passengers. He not only denotes stability but also represents the workforce of the Railways. He is with the train passengers at all times, day and night, and, as train in-charge, is responsible for the safety of a running train and the well-being of passengers. The green light in his hand symbolises movement, the intention to go ahead with safety and positivism.
 

Pixar

Who can be think of making Lamp as its Mascot, but here it is??????????

Mascots have been one of the best identity for any organizations,company or group.Many of us use them for a brand value and some of us think them to bring luck. We have many examples for the famous brands who made their name famous by presenting mascots like Ronaldo of MacD, or Tux of Linux.

 The general consideration for choosing a Mascot is some animal or human being. but Pixar group has thought of something different and that was Lamp.

 Yes , Pixar Animation Studios, the most famous animated movie maker company has chosen its mascot as Lamp and even it was given sapce in the logo of the group.

The origin of the idea comes from the Pixer's first animated film Luxo Jr. , a 2 minute short film revolving around the two lamp smaller and bigger one. The smaller lamp was given name Luxo Jr by the director John Lasseter.

Himalaya Drug Company

The Himalaya Drug Company was founded in 1930 by Mr. M. Manal with a vision to benefit the people from old Ayurvedic medicines.


The Himalaya logo is a visual definition of its brand identity. The leaf that forms the crossbar of the letter H evokes the company's focus on herbal healthcare. The teal green represents proximity to nature, while the orange is evocative of warmth, vibrancy and commitment to caring. The Himalaya brand carries with it the promise of good health and well-being.
 

Computer Symbols

 

Shut down :
World war II engineers used binary system 1("on") and off ("0") to label their power button. 

  In 1973, the International Electrotechnical Commission codified a broken circle with a line inside it as "standby power state," and sticks to that story even now. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, however, decided that was too vague, and altered the definition to simply mean power.
Ethernet  :

 
 The Ethernet symbol was designed by IBM's David Hill. According to Hill, the symbol was part of a set of symbols that were all meant to depict the various local area network connections available at the time. The array of blocks, which are purposefully non-hierarchical, each represent computers/terminals. While Hill makes no specific mention of Bob Metcalfe's earliest Ethernet sketches, it's easy to see how the modern symbol uses them for inspiration.

Mazda

Mazda Motor Corporation is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Hiroshima, Japan.
It is said that Mazda coincides with the anglicized pronunciation of the founder's name, Jujiro Matsuda, who was interested in spirituality, and chose to rename the firm in honor of both his family and Zoroastrianism. The word Mazda derives from Ahura Mazda, the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by the ancient Iranian prophet Zoroaster, as the source of wisdom, intelligence and harmony.

The current logo attempts to capture the spirit of Mazda, the stylised "M" evokes an image of wings in flight and symbolises the Mazda’s flight toward the future. The "V" in the centre of the "M" spreads out like an opening fan, representing the creativity, vitalty, flexibilty and passion that is Mazda. The symbol as a whole expresses the sharp, solid feeling that Mazda will be seeking in all of its products. The dynamic circle symbolises our readiness to spread our wings as we enter the 21st century.

Linux : The Tux

The official Mascot of Linux ,the penguin popularly known as TUX ,was created as an entry to a Linux logo competition. The concept of using Penguin was the idea of The Linux creator Linus Torvalds.
Linus Torvalds is firstly inspired by a photograph of an FTP websites ,showing a Penguin Figurine looking strangely.

It is however designed by Larry Ewing and then modified by Torvalds.
The name Tux was given by James Hughes, who said that it stood for "(T)orvalds (U)ni(X)".

The hindu

What it Says : the Hindu Logo???????????

Founded in 1878 in Madras by four law students the Indian English Newspaper The hindu has now become the third largest newspaper to be read in India.The Hindu was one of the many newspapers of the period established to protest against the discriminatory policies of the British government in India.