Mr. Marius Frogsign, who is famous internet designer, showed me brand’s voting which was organized by some kind of office. There are a lot of brands which ostensibly were most popular brands in last half century. However, look like this list has nothing in comment with last century. In other words, this list just reflected current moment which is temporary and related just with some companies which are growing now.

It is the same thing like someone would say that the best singer ever is Justin Bieber, because now he is on the top of some kind of list. Things like this can tell just Bieber’s admirer but all people who have a little bit common sense understand that this singer will not get in even in thousand best singer lists.

Then someone start talk about most popular brands and logos I always remember one which I can’t forget – Pan Am (Pan American World Airways). And if someone make a list of most popular second half of XX century brands and forget Pan Am that means that she or he is Biber’s admirer. Pan Am is just one of many brands but it is very symptomatic. Don’t know that Pan Am is while you are talking about brands is the same thing like don’t know the Beatles while you are talking about pop music.

Pan Am – brand which outlive its company

Even Coca Cola and Apple are not able to surpass image power of Pan Am. Pan Am logo is probably only one  which people recognize even after company bankrupt which was before two decades. And I can sure you that this logo will be known by people who will born after another two decades.

About 1960 – 1970 Pan Am was the company which was able to sell tickets to the moon. And they made a promise that these flies will be and people believe them and bought tickets, sure, they understand that this trip will be in far future. Namely for this company was made Boeing 747, which became the symbol of far flights. But sooner or later the end comes even to super companies. This company stock was falling fast after oil crisis. Slow collapse and property sell-out was started already in 1980 and in 1991 bankrupt was announced. But not forgotten.

Pan Am designed handbag which was on the top of fashion and until now it is popular among all kind of hipsters. These office stewardesses were so trained that even know psychologists can’t forget these smiles (for us it known American smile name). Then you will fly with decent company plane and stewardess suggest free snacks for you – remember this is Pan Am idea and other companies just steal it. And then you sow reservation by using computer, know this is Pan Am idea too – from these times then you wasn’t even born.

The airports, hotels and new tourism itinerary were appeared then Pan Am decided.  Even USSR knew about this brand. Is someone ask me which brand from all ever exist brands is brightest and more memorable I have no doubt that I will chose Pan Am.

Anyway, the Pan Am not the only one good brand. There are and others. And now I will tell you about some logos, which maybe not the best-know now but about these which are on the classic list of brands and will stay here forever. About these which are memorable, different and sometimes even uncontrollable.

Coco Chanel and women’s miracle

Mrs. Coco Chanel whose last name is known for all became brand just after hard work. Although many people image that this is just good advertisements, glamour and one more time advertisements consequent but in fact this is not that kind of case. Vice versa: good production make and memorable brand.

Someone thing that style is Apple? That company haven‘t reach even tenth power of Chanel‘s style. Make findings by yourself.

Coco Chanel made the revolution in fashion world. That was she who suggest the idea that women can use mixed perfume. Yes, I am talking about Chanel No. 5 which knows people who don’t know any perfume. The same Coco Chanel made first normal women’s handbags, nice and at the same time solid suits and totally absolutely legendary and forever trendy short black dress. Yes, the same short black dress which you image. And yes, before Coco Chanel this dress wasn’t exist.

By the way, she also invented that tan is nice. Until then women who was tanned were considered like awful countrywomen whose works are in fields, what’s why they are tanned. And Chanel said that it isn’t right. She said that it is natural beauty. Then you sow girls who are tanning at the beach – remember Chanel.

Hello Kitty logo sells itself

Hello Kitty (or “Haro Kiti” by Japanese, you see they don’t have letter “l”) one of more expensive brand which still exist. And it is more expensive in real by specific criteria. Hello Kitty production is selling for milliard dollars yearly. But this is not the point; the point is that this brand is brand from itself. No commodities create this brand.  This is not often phenomenon.

Hello Kitty have so much power that this logo even don‘t need to advertise. Many of women faint just because this logo is so sweet.

Business model is simple in Sanrio Company: nice kitties can become product brand and style for anyone who is ready to pay enough. So anyone who wants uses this symbol.

Sometime this symbol was used for children but now most important buyers are women who usually have own business or work as managers. And not only woman, sometimes buyers are and men. So now you can find all kind of things with this logo. Even things like vine, beer, sanitary pads, vibrators, condoms, sausages and engine oil.

Penguin Books and education for masses

One of brightest and became cult logo is penguin which marks Penguin Books publishing house books. The company set up already in 1930 and invented business which looks unreal for everyone. They decided print serious books for poor people. Books were printed on the cheap paper in order that poor people could by it. These books were selling without binding and they were with thin cover. That’s why these books cost just 6 pence.

As you see some people carry Penguin Book logo under the neck as the talisman. 

Penguin Company was prospering. Turn out that all people want to read just not all can effort it. We can say that this company started some kind of culture revolution in the English speaking world and eventually it became almost cult. Nowadays people even prank themselves with penguin pendant or something like that. This logo is saying that most important is knowledge, not the price.

Worth to mention that even the company’s logo was changed many times but it wasn’t spoiled. Penguin was stylized, sometimes few penguins were together and sometimes you can see even the pelican.

Camel from the past

Camel is one of brands which will disappear. All smokers’ brands are destroying step by step because it is necessary. Smoking makes damage so want you or not you must admit it and forget all smokers’ brands.

However, cigarettes’ companies have great success in brand creation. These companies invested a lot of money to advertisements and to most memorable logos selection. Majority of cigarettes companies had ten or hundred brands – they were creating new ones and refused not successful ones. So, you can’t avoid smokers’ production than you talk about brands. In fact, it is possible to write entire book about cigarettes’ brands. But I show just few weird cases. First, which is worth to mention is Camel, which even don’t look like logo.

Doesn’t matter how many changes tried manufacturers we’re still gone remember Camel as Camel.

You can say about Camel anything but is obvious that these cigarettes are memorable thanks to graphic sign. However, then you try to understand that is in this logo you see that it is just strange picture with all kind of things from XX century start (by the way even then it looks archaist). This logo doesn’t fit any claims for this day logo. It is incredibly “bad” and at the same time incredibly memorable brand.

This brand is patchwork of absurd associations: the main focus was that these cigarettes made from Turkish tobacco, because all like to think that Turkish people smoke a lot (doesn’t matter that they were smoking kalian). So, how to show Turkey? Camel is an answer. And there camels live? Near the pyramids. Delirium?

You can hardly find another brand from which owners would be distorting so many times. But they weren’t able to change anything. Manufactures of Camel honestly try to destroy anything from this logo, which has something similar to old, all knowing pack design: they deleted font, colors and even camel. They made so many changes that some designs not similar to Camel at all, you can’t find analogy even if you try hard. Sometimes looks that it couldn’t happen just because it couldn’t happen.

In the biggest aberration time Camel’s marketing professionals even try to explain women that cigarettes (oblong think which you poke in some other place) fit to use by mouth (for them who understood quibble I can say that it was called “Camel-T-Zone” and for them you don’t understand – and do not need). And they advertised that. And later they advertised that for men – it is should be understand something like “And you have where to poke”. Even after these ideas the brand of Camel was still alive.

Despite anything, Camel’s logo people remember the same as it was before hundred years. This brand is more powerful that tobacco companies.

His master’s voice

The most stupid and at the same time on of most memorable logo became dog Nipper, which was painted by Francis Barraund. That guy inherited his friend dog and gramophone with all kind of records made by him. Later he noticed that dog recognized his master’s voice from gramophone. So, he called his picture “His master’s voice”.

Probably most stupid logo and name which you can imagine. At the same time one of most famous. 

After few years Gramophone Company bought this picture in order to advertise their records.  Later somehow Victor Talking Machine Company from USA decided to join to Gramophone Company and they also start to advertise their production with this picture. Advertisements end is that the new brand was appeared – His Master’s voice – HMV. You can image the title like this? In itself time it was one of most expensive brand.

All marketing professional would say that this title can invent just idiot.  And like the fact that the title “His master’s voice” is stupid wouldn’t be enough this title is related with dead people (totally negative emotions) and dogs which are listening them. And all of this – one of most powerful records company brand.

In later times there were a lot of reconstruction and incorporation. This brand was taking by companies like RCA, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment and JVC.  Now this brand is almost not using. Maybe it is not using because it is out-of-date brand. But even this brand forgot in business it is well known for all people.

Adidas with strips

Adidas Company isn’t interesting for majority of people but I recommend interesting about it, they do god job. Company name is very simple, it made from Adolf Dassier name and second name. New logo portray some kind of strips but despite the fact that they are trying to push through this logo about two decades all know the old logo.

Now using just for some product Adidas logo still is one of best memorable and most recognizing brand. 

The most memorable logo was made in 1972 and it was used until 1996 – this is shamrock lily with strips. Until this logo Adidas was content just strips instead of logo. After that strips again just on other logo. By the way all people remember the font of Adidas. It is so memorable that graphic sign looks not necessary.

And more – there was the time then Adidas’s company had big problems. And it is not clear how everything would be end if logo wouldn’t pull out this company. It just weren’t possible don’t sell all kind of tracksuits and sneakers with Adidas name. Especially then it was classic tracksuits and sneakers with classic Adidas’s shamrock lily.

Salem – brand thumped by marketing

Salem brand maybe isn’t very popular but I want to mention it because it is really interesting. These cigarettes were first mint cigarettes with filter, moreover, later it was disseminate as weaker, as less harmful and moreover it was one of first (maybe first) cigarettes which was in pack which wasn’t lithe. Creators presented these cigarettes really interesting – even the pack of cigarettes clearly said that it is cigarettes at the same time it became the brand which hard to forget.

Shallow note with pseudo gothic letters but someday it was on the design and printing house art guide.

It is strange that this simple and strong logo owners with marketing professionals help many years try to change something make it more modern. Sometimes they create logos which looks like painted by street kinds. Despite active advertisements new Salem’s logos weren’t memorable while logo which was used before twenty years people remember until now.

Woolworth glory and collapse

Woolworth never has any good recognized logo. But all recognize the word. So recognized that even now for people who speak English it means something like “economy” for Lithuanians.

Trade network is also known as F.W Woolworth Co., and sometimes as Woolworths and Woolworth’s. It was set up in 1879 and became the initiator of now day’s supermarkets. Gay (whose last name is ne title of trade) had simple idea – shop’s costumers hate asking to show one and anther product. And they hate asking price (in that time shops don’t like to say prices aloud). So, we need to put things in that order in which people can take it by themselves. And then make all prices standard for 5 or 10 cent.

Woolworth never had clear lasting graphic logo. Even colors in deferent places were different. It looks like supermarket was saying “We don’t give the F٧©χ”.

Woolworth model was so successful that already in XX century start this word became appellative and means cheap things self – service shop. In 1913 this company was so growing that it also became the symbol of corporate power. Company built the skyscraper which was the highest building until 1930. Then Woolworth was celebrating centenary of working they were added in Guinness book of records as trade network which has most shops. Almost at the same time started the decline of this company was started.

Already in seventh – eighth decades supermarkets were spreading. In these supermarkets you can find anything – from vegetables and clothes to TVs and toilet paper. And everything was cheaper. So about end of ninth decade Woolworth start to sink and in 1993 the trade dead. In Great Britain, where Woolworth subdivision was independent, this trade was alive until 2009 but eventually it also closed. Anyway, Woolworth still is working successfully in Germany.

By the way, there is one more Woolworth trade in Australia. Some guys in 1924 just decided steal this name, which was already known even for local antipodes. And theft worked wealthy. Result – this is one of the biggest trade networks in the world. Maybe it is not as good as real Woolworth but 200 thousands workers and few milliards dollars profit per year – still make impress.

Braun and Bauhaus

The last case about which I will tell you is company which became one of modern logos and modern design initiator in all – Braun. This Braun Company brought Bauhaus style to the household appliance world. The same simple, not gorgeous, utilitarian and functional style, which is so usual that we even not think about it.

Just letters and one in the middle is brighter than others. Looks like buildings of Bauhaus. 

Until 1950 Braun became leader of industrial design. And several years all worlds watched them. Watched and copied. All simplicity, which separate usual design from all kind of American steam punk is Braun’s merit.

Do you still remember Pan Am which I mentioned at the start? Braun made biggest influence to the world. It is one more logo which can’t know just people who believe that Justin Beiber is most important artist in the world.

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