{"id":10701,"date":"2021-08-20T15:09:13","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T15:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/designbro.com\/blog\/?p=10701"},"modified":"2022-03-15T13:54:31","modified_gmt":"2022-03-15T17:54:31","slug":"coca-cola-logo-visual-identity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/designbro.com\/blog\/brand-logos\/coca-cola-logo-visual-identity\/","title":{"rendered":"Coca-Cola Logo \u2013 History, Evolution, Meaning & Visual Identity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Coca-Cola, the most consumed carbonated soft drink in the world, is also the most popular. Every city, every town and every village knows about the famous American soft drink. As a matter of fact, Coca-Cola has become synonymous with soft drinks and good times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An article published on caffeine informer mentions: \u201cThe carbonated soft drink (CSD) market is dominated by three players: Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper. Each company markets a large number of brands, with Coca-Cola having the largest market share. This is reflected in the drink sales with Coca-Cola classic continuing to outsell Pepsi.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It takes time and hard work to build a brand identity<\/a>. The brand identity is what a company wants to portray about itself. The elements designers and brands use to build brand identity<\/a> consist of visible elements such as colors, fonts, images, symbols, and logos. Big corporate houses have a communications department dedicated to evolve and maintain brand identity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coca-Cola did not achieve its popularity in a day; it took years of discipline and dedication to build its brand identity. Its iconic logo reflects its rich history and legacy. We will explore the Coca-Cola logo but first let us quickly look at the brand history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coca-Cola Logo: A Brief History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chemist John Smith Pemberton, a Confederate States Army veteran, can be credited for inventing Coca-Cola; however, he sold the recipe to Asa Griggs Candler, politician and a business tycoon, shortly before his death.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candler purchased the recipe for $ 238.98 from the chemist and turned it into a multibillion-dollar industry. The recipe of the iconic drink is closely guarded to this day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coca-Cola gets its name from the two main ingredients used in the recipe – kola nuts and coca leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the original flavor, Coca-Cola produces a variety of flavored drinks under the brand name such as Coca-Cola Zero, Diet Coke, and Coca-Cola Raspberry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from the amazing range of soft drinks, Coca-Cola is also known for its classic packaging designs and its iconic logo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The designer who made the Coca-Cola logo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The history of the iconic logo begins with Frank Mason Robinson, Pemberton\u2019s bookkeeper, suggesting the company name.  Robinson is also regarded as an early advertiser of Coca-Cola. The official Coca-Cola website mentions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn May 1886, Dr John S Pemberton nailed the formula, but it was his bookkeeper who came up with the name \u2018Coca-Cola \u00ae\u2019. Frank M. Robinson suggested that \u2018the two Cs would look well in advertising.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And with that Robinson also designed the now world famous Coca-Cola script logo.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robinson wanted the logo to have a certain dramatic quality. In his quest for an effective design, he began experimenting with the Spencerian script. The handwritten logo became synonymous with style and became the foundation for all future designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coca-Cola Logo: Meaning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Logos are more than mere designs. From communicating the brand\u2019s mission, vision and values to highlighting the company\u2019s products and services, a logo helps in fostering brand identity. One of the most interesting aspects of the Coca-Cola logo is that it does not highlight what the company sells. <\/strong>Yet, consumers from around the world know the Coca-Cola logo and what they sell!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visual identity of Coca-Cola portrays love, passion, purity and humility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coca-Cola Logo: Evolution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the unrecognizable 1886 logo to the present iconic version, Coca-Cola logo has truly evolved with time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1886<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Coca<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Coca-Cola logo is one of the most recognizable visual identities in the world. However, a lesser-known version of the iconic logo exists. The simple 1886 wordmark in black and white had a \u201ctypewritten\u201d feel about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1886 Coca-Cola logo portrayed seriousness, sophistication and class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1887<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Coca<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

John S. Pemberton, the company founder, quickly realized the need for a unique design. With the help of his bookkeeper Frank Mason Robinson, Pemberton came up with the iconic wordmark known today. Though there have been changes made to the iconic wordmark over time, Coca-Cola has retained the logo\u2019s timeless elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1890<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Coca<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Coca-Cola went in a completely different direction with its 1890 \u201cswirly\u201d redesign. The extra curvy Cs along with hanging musical notes gave the wordmark a fun vibe. Like the 1886 logo, the 1890 logo only remained with the brand for about a year. While Coca-Cola changed the logo quickly, it only shows how willing Coca-Cola was to experiment with its visual identity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1891<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Coca<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1891, Coca-Cola went back to its original 1887 design, albeit with few design upgrades. The company now embraced the color red and a rectangular box. The red wordmark was now placed within a red rectangular box, making the design more balanced. Rectangles add a sense of stability and honesty to a design.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 1941 \u2013 Present<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Coca<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 1941 redesign is also the logo in use today. The version of the logo was first used from 1941 to 1987. The emblem was brought back in 2003 and has been serving as the visual identity of Coca-Cola ever since. The red rectangular box was removed from the logo and the letters were italicized. The design appeared modern and minimalistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1987 Redesign<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Coca<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 1987 redesign was all about making the design appear bolder. The fonts were straightened; however, no changes were made to the overall design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coca-Cola New Logo: 2021 Hug Version<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Announced in 2021, the new Coca-Cola logo has been termed \u201cmagical\u201d and \u201cgenius\u201d by design gurus from all around the world. The breathtaking new logo has been designed using the popular red and white color palette. The logo appears to be hugging the bottle, symbolizing good times and togetherness. The logo is truly magical because you can actually imagine the bottle even when it is not there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new logo was introduced with a new tagline, \u201cReal Magic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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