Famous Logo Designs

Visa was created in 1958, when the Bank of America launched a credit card campaign for their in-house product development team. Now Visa Card is a joint venture of over 21 thousand financial institutions. The reason I think the Visa logo is an effective logo is because it works well in both black & white, and color. The logo is also in the shape of a card and without spelling out 'card', your brain makes the connection to the word. 

Probably one of the most recognized symbols in the entire world, the Nike logo was created in 1971 by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student at Portland State University. This is a great image, because it doesn't need a single letter to convey the message of speed, or swiftness. The Nike "Swoosh" also works in color very well and it can even be emblazoned on the side of the product itself, a sneaker.

The Pepsi cola logo has gone through many changes in its long history that spans over a hundred years. The circle, with the wave in the middle, made its first appearance in 1962. The logo also lost the brush stroke look it had for about 50 years and went with the sans serif letters we all recognize the most. I believe this logo is effective because the wave in the circle is very simple and perfect for picturing liquid in a can or bottle. The new slant and rounding of the letters 'e' and 's' can carry over this roundness to the overall piece.

Bell & Howell

I have to stare at this Bell & Howell box every time I watch TV in the living room. I'm not sure why it is in the living room or what Bell & Howell even sell, but for some reason, my eyes are always drawn to this logo on the box in my living room. Maybe it's the even spacing between the Rhode font used in the design, or a combination of that and all the little dots on a dark background. It goes to show how a simple design can be so catching and draw someone in. 

PIERROT LE FOU

Movie poster in my living room that belongs to my roommate, a movie nut. The font is either Swiss 721 or Air. The design caught my eye because of the spacing between the letters and also because the type changes color. On a white background the letters really stand out, so it really works. 

BEER KIT

In our never-ending search for fonts captured in the wild, I came across the elusive Mr. Beer Home Brewing System logo right outside my bedroom door in the basement of the house I live in. Using WhatTheFont.com, I have determined that the logo and the words 'BEER KIT' are done in the typeface called Impact. The formal type used on the box is done in a brush script style of typeface. I find the contrast of the bold block letters and the brush script work together to draw the eye to the box. The use of the red background also catches the eye.