A brand is greater than the sum of its parts. It's the company, the products, the image they portray, their design ethos, and the way they're perceived by the consumers. But a brand can also be a logo just as a logo can be the brand. The most famous and the most recognisable of these symbols are synonymous with what they represent. You see the logo and you think the brand, you think the brand and you imagine the logo. Sure, some of it comes down to the success of the company in question, but part of that success though requires smart marketing. An iconic design for instance could be more important to the success of a world famous brand than you'd think. McDonald's for example is one such company.

You'd think that the famed gold arches are representative of the M in McDonalds, and while that might be the case, there's also history there as well. When McDonalds was simply another chain fast food restaurant among many dotting the highways of America, they needed an edge. Something visually distinct to set them apart from the rest. In the mid 1950's, the McDonald's brothers interviewed a number of architects on ways of making their buildings stand out. Enter the golden arched roof. With their restaurants sporting unique roofs, it became something of a trademark of their restaurant, with a 1960's advertising campaign: "Look for the Golden Arches" raising the profile of their company. When the time came to redesign their logo, the gold arches had become one of the most famous parts of their brand. In time, even with their restaurants dropping the physical golden arches from their roofs, their logo remained the same, their symbol becoming synonymous with the brand.

it just goes to show some smart branding can have amazing effects on the growth of your business. A well designed logo, clever marketing, and branding your merchandise with your design can really elevate your brand.

Originally seen on: https://creativemarket.com/blog/2015/12/07/the-unexpected-history-behind-4-iconic-logos