A logo is the visual representation of a company or organization, which forms the foundation of its corporate identity. It is a name, symbol, monogram, emblem, trademark, or other graphic device designed for easy and definitive recognition by the company’s audience.
The history of logo design and logos dates back to Greece in ancient times. The word "logo" means a name, symbol or trademark designed for easy recognition. Logo design history had its humble beginnings as a cipher consisting of a single letter, and later a design or mark consisting of two or more letters intertwined. The cipher may be either all the letters of a name, the initial letters, or the surname of a person for use on stationery, business cards, or elsewhere.
Many early Greek and Roman coins bear the monograms or logos of rulers or towns. The most famous of these early logos is the sacred monogram, which is formed by the conjunction of the first two Greek letters of XR, S, T, O, and S; (Christ), usually with the A (alpha) and O (omega) of the Apocalypse on each side of the coin.
The Middle Ages were extremely prolific in inventing ciphers for ecclesiastical, artistic, and commercial use. In the thirteenth century, logo design evolved from simple ciphers to trademarks for traders and merchants. These early examples of logo design include masons' marks, goldsmith's marks, paper maker's watermarks and watermarks for the nobility. Other related logo devices are the colophons used for identification by publishers and printers.
The emergence of the information age changed the face of logos and logo design. Today, the general public has become increasingly aware of visual symbols, especially those used as trademarks. It is important that the company logo look professional. Company logos are the face of the business, not only to the public, but to its employees and the company itself. Logos have become the front line of the company, the corporate identity.
Now when we look back to the last 5-10 years we will see how logo designs have undergone changes in leaps and bounds. Some of the all time famous logos are: IBM, BMW, Mc Donald’s, and Cherry shoe polish, Titan Watches, Mercedes, and Audi.
These logos are the outcome of immense research and study. Today logos are no more restrained to just some symbol or alphabetical representation. The competition in the marketplace is fierce. There are nearly two million registered trademarks in the United States alone, and over a hundred thousand new trademarks being registered every year. With a deluge of new trademarks annually pouring into the already vast pool of registered trademarks, virtually every form of business needs to be well identified. Developing a clear and positive visual identity is essentially the cornerstone for a new company to establish itself in the market place. Equally true, is that when an established company evolves and business solutions change along with new demands of the time, the need for a revamped distinctive identity that can continue to reflect and communicate with the audience is a vital part of the company's business strategy.
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