Is there anyone who does not like to slide their hand inside that iconic Pringles container? There is something incredibly satisfying about putting your hand inside the container and slowly putting that curved and crispy devil into your mouth with your eyes shut. Be it Cheddar Cheese or Sour Cream & Onion, or even Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich, “once you pop, the fun don’t stop.”
From the packaging design to the logo to the product, everything about Pringles is magical. Speaking of the Pringles logo, do you know who the man with the mustache in the Pringles emblem is?
The man with the bushy mustache and hair parted down the middle is none other than Mr. Julius Pringle. Mr. Pringles, who always convinced you to put your hands inside the tubular container, is one of the most popular brand mascots in the world today. We will talk about him and the Pringles logo in great detail but let’s first look into how it all began.
A Brief History of Pringles
In 1965, chemist Fredric J. Baur began designing saddle-shaped chips. Baur was successful in designing them but fell short of making them palatable. However, Baur is credited for selecting the tubular can for the product.
Alexander Liepa, another Procter & Gamble researcher, improved the chip’s taste. Although Baur designed the product, Alexander’s name is on the patent.
In 1968, P&G began selling and marketing the product in Indiana. Soon, Pringles was available across the country.
The product was distributed and marketed internationally from 1991. The catchy Pringles slogans such as “Once you pop, the fun don’t stop” and “Once you pop, you can’t stop” became as popular as the product itself.
Related: Pringles Slogan: “Once You Pop, The Fun Don’t Stop”
Pringles Logo Meaning
The Pringles logo comprises Mr. Julius Pringle’s head and the wordmark right below it. There has been a lot of debate surrounding the identity of Mr. Pringles. Just like the name, the Pringles man’s history is shrouded in mystery. However, there are a few contributors who played an important role in developing Mr. Julius Pringles.
Apart from chemist Baur and researcher Liepa, Gene Wolf played an important role. Wolfe, the science fiction writer and a mechanical engineer, helped build the machine that cooked the delicious product. As for Mr. Pringles’ identity, it is still hidden from the world!
Pringles Logo history
The visual identity of Pringles has remained the same since its inception, albeit with a few modifications over the years. We will explore every emblem adopted by the brand in Pringles’ logo history.
1967 – 1986
The old Pringles logo featured an oval-shaped man’s face outlined in thick black with red and black hair and a heavy mustache. The cheeks were designed using a striped red and white pattern. The wordmark in yellow and black was placed beneath the man’s head. The man is popularly known as Mr. Julius Pringles and is among the most iconic mascots in the world today.
1986 – 1996
In 1986, “Pringle’s” tweaked its name: the brand now called itself “Pringles.” Along with tweaking the brand name, Pringles made changes to its visual identity. Mr. Pringles was given a makeover as well—his face and eyes became circular while his mustache became rounded. For the wordmark, Pringles chose a sans serif typeface. The logo had a fun vibe, which instantly attracted people.
1996 – 2002
Pringles tweaked its logo almost after a decade. The emblem was positioned diagonally along with receiving a brighter color palette. Mr. Pringles no longer had his rounded mouth and the patterned cheeks. The bright red color was replaced with earthy brown, making Mr. Pringle look a little more stylish. The wordmark became cleaner, brighter, and energetic. The 1996 version of the logo looked neat and fresh.
2002 – 2009
The brand took a fancier turn in 2002 as the image of Mr. Pringles received more detailing. Mr. Pringles’ hair and mustache became light brown while he lost his eyebrows. Mr. Pringles was given a red bow tie which added to the fun vibe of the logo and made him more contemporary.
2009 – 2021
The 2009 version of the logo followed its previous version, albeit with a few changes. The wordmark received a white border while it retained the shadow. The red bow tie became lighter while the red background was replaced with plain white. The 2009 redesign was fresh and attractive and retained its child-like energy.
2021
If you have been searching “New Pringles Logo” to see if the popular snack brand recently tweaked its logo, then you are in for a surprise. You may now expect Mr. Julius Pringles in a new avatar.
Mr. P has gone bald, his eyes are beadier, and his eyebrows are more expressive.
Pringles’ new look has been created by design studio Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR). The new Pringles logo includes an updated look and new packaging.
Pete Matthews, Pringles’ brand design director, mentions, “The intention with the new look is to simplify and modernize the design, giving the brand’s mascot a bold makeover and highlighting the stackability of the crisps across the range.”
The Pringles logo change, according to Della Lawrence, JKR creative director, was done to bring Mr. Julius Pringle to life.
Pringles Logo Color Palette
Pringles uses the following colors as a part of their brand identity:
Red in the logo signifies passion and excitement, while yellow oozes youthful energy. White portrays purity, and brown symbolizes reliability. Black in the emblem stands for elegance. The Pringle color palette seems perfect for the potato-based crisp makers.
Pringles Logo Font
The font used for the Pringles emblem appears very close to Bodega Sans Medium. The san serif font is designed by Greg Thompson which follows a geometric pattern. The Bodega Sans Medium has been published by the Font Bureau.
Evaluation of Pringles Logo
Relevance
Ask any good designer, and he will tell you how a number of great-looking logos failed because they couldn’t communicate the brand’s personality. You must keep your brand’s mission, vision, and values (elements that make brand personality) in mind while designing your company logo.
Apart from communicating the brand personality, a good logo is always relevant to the market a company targets. If your brand sells toys, then you should choose bright colors that express joy and energy.
Mr. Pringles is an extension of the brand personality. He perfectly communicates Pringles’ identity and is relevant to the market the brand focuses on.
Memorability
Memorability is an important element of an iconic logo. Graphic designers and brands spend countless days designing that perfect logo, which would connect with the audience within seconds and generate interest in their products or services. A logo that is easy to remember is considered of great value because they allow the consumers to connect with the company. So, while designing your next logo, keep the memorability quotient in your mind.
How can you make a memorable logo?
Well, I have a one-word answer for you: “unique.” A unique logo stands apart from the crowd and gives your brand much-needed visibility.
The Pringles logo is certainly memorable because of its uniqueness! And Mr. P makes the Pringles emblem one of a kind!
Simplicity
What do IBM and McDonald’s logos have in common? They are both simple logos that create the maximum impact in a very short span of time.
The attention span of the average person is getting shorter as we speak. The world today is filled with an abundance of everything, which is why it is important that you keep things simple. Keeping things simple will ensure that your consumers easily recognize your brand.
Simple logos highlight the most important aspects of a brand effortlessly. Using symbols, mascots, or even wordmarks can make your logo appear simple yet powerful.
Mr. Pringles is one of the most recognized brand mascots in the world today, yet he is as simple as can be!
Timelessness
Be it Gucci or Coca-Cola or the big tech giant Apple their logos are as good as their products or services. What can we learn from these companies? Well, the first thing we can learn is to avoid the latest trends. While it might be tempting to incorporate the latest trends into your logo, it might not always be a great idea. Authentic designs that are relevant and simple most often achieve the purpose that intricate work of art fails to achieve.
Another interesting aspect of timeless logos is that they are not cluttered with excessive design elements.
The Pringles logo is a great example of a timeless logo. Mr. Pringles, the timeless element in the emblem, has remained with the brand since its inception in 1967.
In Conclusion
Mr. Julius P has been tempting people to try Pringles’ potato-based crisps since 1967. While his latest bald avatar may have split the social media in two, he still looks young and adorable.
The Pringles logo is a great example of all the design elements coming together in harmony! And just like the tasty crisps, the Pringles logo is here to stay.
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Head of Design at DesignBro and is responsible for UI/UX Design, managing the global designer community, and ensuring quality levels of both designers and designs remain high.
