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

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.

Yamaha

Yamaha :Branding tuning fork in its logo

Famous for heavy motorbikes the Japanese brand Yamaha was once known for its famous Piano. Torakusu Yamaha , founder of the company stasted the company with the name Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. in 1887 as apiano and reed organ manufacturer.

The first organ made by  Torakusu Yamaha however, was criticized harshly for its poor tuning. So he began studying music theory and tuning. After endless struggles  he was finally able to complete the organ,with the concept of the tuning fork mark, inspired by the difficult experience of studying tuning while holding a tuning fork in his hand.

In 1898, one year after the establishment of Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd., forerunner to today's Yamaha Corporation, the company decided to use a tuning fork as its corporate mark, with "a design featuring a hoo (Chinese phoenix) holding a tuning fork in its mouth" as the trademark. Since then, after undergoing a variety of changes that paralleled the growth of the company, the tuning fork mark was finally unified in 1967.

1898	This is the design with a hoo (Chinese phoenix) holding a tuning fork in its mouth, which was established as the trademark in 1898, one year after Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. was established. The mark was known for being used on top quality organs, which illustrates how the Founder always aimed to create world-class products.
1927	A trademark application was submitted for this tuning fork and Yamaha Veneer mark.
1934	A design widely used in newspaper advertising and catalogs.
1937	A trademark application was submitted for this tuning fork used on organs.
	A trademark application was submitted for this tuning fork used on pianos.
	A trademark application for tuning forks alone.
1956	A trademark application was submitted to be used on musical instruments.
1959	A trademark application was submitted to be used on musical instruments.
1998	The current standard and special versions of the tuning fork marks were established.

Honda: the story of wings

World's famous automobile Japanese company Honda was founded in 1947.Soichiro Honda, the founder of this world's largest motorcycle manufacturer company since 1959,was actually the person to bring the idea of wings in his brand logo.Inspired by the goddess of victory Victoria in Greek mythology Soichiro Honda had an idea to represent his logo through victory. Victoria as shown in Roman sculpture is shown by a lady having great wings open.

First 1947 Honda logotype

In 1948 Honda introduced a 90cc version of this A-type first model, known as B-type. On this bike Honda used the first logo inspiredon the Victory wings image.

1948, the B-type was the first that saw Victory wings figure.

In 1953 Honda produced one four-stroke motorbike, a sophisicated 90cc , 3,8 horspower engine, was known as the Benly that means in Japanese lenguage convenience. The bike was a great success and were sold as a rate of a 1.000 units a month. At this time The Benly model used a two wings logotype.

1953, the Benly model used the two wings Honda logo

At this year Honda introduced the new one wing logotype with the HM words. The logo had small modifications on the next years. In 1988 and coinciding with the 40th annyversary of the Honda brand a new design for the Honda wings logotype was created to commemorate this special event.

1968, the Honda one wing logotype with the HM words.

Left side, the 1968 first wing. Right side, updated wing drawings for next years

1973, the wing drawing incorporated the complete HONDA word, outline was enlarged and the yellow Honda colour was also introduced.

A new version now with the later used red-white and blue colors that appears around 1985.

BMW Logo : Controversy

BMW Logo
The true meaning of the ‘sky blue and white quartered’ BMW logo is the most controversial issue of the company. According to Dr. Florian Triebel, Executive Board Member of c, “There are two traditions concerning the significance of the BMW logo and trademark, offering two different interpretations of its sky blue and white fields. One interpretation points to a rotating propeller. The other relates the BMW logo to Bavaria as the place where the products are manufactured”. 

The BMW logo consists of a thick black ring encircled by a silver lining. The letters ‘BMW’ are inscribed in a non-serif font in the top half of the black ring.  The gap within the ring is divided into four equal alternative blue and white quarters. The BMW logo, commonly known as "roundel", was created and registered in 1917.

The Controversy:

One version of the ‘sky blue and white checker box’ BMW logo myth connects it with a shining silver/white rotating propeller that the engineers of BMW were working on. The other relates the BMW logo to Bavaria as the place where the products of the company are manufactured and with the national colors of Bavaria (sky blue and white). 

The SHINING PROPELLER Theory:

BMW's current logo design is said to be evolved from the circular design of a rotating aircraft propeller. The white and blue checker boxes are supposed to be a stylized representation of a white/silver propeller blade spinning against a clear blue sky. The theory is further strengthened with the statement that the image has its origins in World War I in which the Bavarian Luftwaffe flew planes painted in blue and white. It also reflects the origins of BMW as a military aircraft engine maker during WWI and the belief that BMW started as an aero engine manufacturer. According to the company’s journal, “BMW Werkzeitschrift” (1942), the BMW logo emerged when a BMW engineer was testing the company’s first 320 bhp engine. He admired the reflection of the shining disc of the rotating propeller that radiated like an aura of two silver cones. In between the two cones, the blue from the sky shined that made the ‘rotating propeller into four areas of color – silver and blue’. The engineer, who envisioned this image, also saw three letters – B M W – reflected on the propeller. Thus, the BMW logo was born. However, according to a BMW spokesperson, the BMW logo does not symbolize a spinning propeller (although the imagery did appear in post-WWI advertisements). On other note, this statement is considered by many as merely a bogus claim made by the company to give a logical explanation to the public about the BMW logo’s creation. In fact, the first BMW aero-engine test took place in March 1918 – six months after the BMW logo had been created. Additionally, the founding myth of the BMW logo, the propeller, was a component of the engine that was never manufactured by BMW.

The BAVARIAN FLAG Theory:

For BMW, it was ‘a happy coincidence’ that the BMW logo symbolized the Bavarian flag colors and represented the company’s origin. When the BMW logo was first created, it was prohibited by the Trademark Act to feature ‘national coats of arms or other symbols of national sovereignty’ in a trademark. This led the BMW marketers to come up with a solution of ‘incorrectly configuring the color elements in the BMW logo from a heraldic perspective’, while also keeping its relationship with Bavaria evident.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen

 

The original VW logo from 1939 featured bumped teeth around the circle to make it look like a gear, with long arms rotating around the circle. The arms and gear bumps were eliminated by the time WWII ended and in 2000, VW colored the logo blue and silver.

The Volkswagen logo represents the letter V and W. The logo was the result of a compatition held in the Volkswagen office. The winner was engineer Franz Xaver Reimspieß. For this design he received a one-off payment of 100 Reichmarks.


Current logo:--

 

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:

 

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. 

Audi

Shape of Audi Logo:
Audi Logo comprises of four 3-dimensional overlapping rings which now appear sharper with a more of a polished chrome look, depict the 1932 merger of Audi with DKW, Horsh and Wanderer, and signifies strength and security.

 

Color of Audi Logo:
The slightly darker colors used in the Audi logo give it a more shinny and defined look. The aluminum silver in the rings represents innovative power and lightweight design, an Audi core competency that set the brand apart.

New Audi Logo:
The new look to the logo is a message by the company to its customers and employees to render more innovative and efficient designs. It is hoped that the new Audi logo, implemented in August 2009, works for the company and further strengthens its bond with its customers.

Lamborghini

The Lamborghini logo stands for the founder’s zodiac sign- the Taurus (a bull). Ferruccio Lamborghini’s love of bullfights is depicted in the logo and Lamborghini car models get their names from famous bulls.

Shape of the Lamborghini Logo:
The logo of Lamborghini represents coat of arms and shows a gold snorting bull on the fore ground. The bull signifies stability, strength and determination. Lamborghini logo has become famous and recognized through out the world.

Color of the Lamborghini Logo:

Amusingly the choice of an animal and the colors used on the Lamborghini logo (gold on a black background, and a charging bull) are suspiciously similar to the Ferrari logo (a black horse on a yellow background). It is believed that this was no accident on the part of Lamborghini, who had a long standing rivalry with Ferrari.