History of the Amazon Logo
The secret to the success of many major companies is an outstanding logo. These logos are easy to identify and can often invoke certain feelings in the minds of consumers.
A company that has topped the charts in this domain is none other than Amazon. This article will walk you through the history of the Amazon logo and the image it conveys to its consumers.
Why Are Logos Important?
Most consumers develop a brand image at first glance after looking at a brand. The secret to a successful business is to have a meaningful logo. A meaningful logo depicts a relevant image for consumers that reflects the company's values and vision.
The more you look at a logo, the more you can comprehend the meaning behind it. Logos also show the idea the company wishes to project towards its customers.
As customer loyalty increases, the logo becomes a significant aspect that shapes the brand's personality. Some brands prefer using subliminal messages to stay at the back of consumers' minds, encouraging them to act in the way they want them to.
Recommended: Find the perfect logo for your business using our free logo maker.
Amazon’s Background
Founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos, Amazon originally started as a company called “Cadabra.” At the time, the company only catered to selling books online, and despite generating high revenues, it still frustrated investors for its slow growth.
The company focused on expansion and growth, and adding a mere dot-com to the logo sent many online stores back home. This move increased Amazon's credibility and eliminated competition to the point where Amazon was the only credible ecommerce company left standing.
Since 2001, Amazon has continued to grow bigger and is now renowned for being one of the most influential companies ever, in part because of the notable Amazon customer service standards Amazon is known for. A company that started with books turned into a massive organization that has almost everything on hand. From top-notch technology and grocery shopping, Amazon now has everything from A to Z. It is only fair that the company must have a logo that tells its consumers a similar story.
The Amazon Logo Timeline
The Amazon logo has gone through many transitions over the years, but the first ones did not stay around long. At the company’s beginning, its logo was a large “A” with a river carving through it. The Amazon name sat below the monochromatic icon in a black sans-serif font.
The company briefly had a logo with combined serif and sans-serif fonts, which only featured the name and the tagline “Earth’s Biggest Bookstore.” That same year, Amazon introduced a sans-serif logo with a large yellow “O” in the middle of “Amazon.”
The logo that most consumers are familiar with was not created until 2000, which combined thick and thin sans-serif fonts with a yellow line beneath the company name. This design would eventually drop the “.com” from the company name and bend the yellow line upward to form its current logo. Currently, the yellow line serves as an arrow.
What Is the Inspiration for the Amazon Logo?
The Shape of Amazon
The current Amazon logo brings some interesting elements to the table.
The first notable feature is the arrow placed below the text: It starts with the first letter of Amazon “A” and ends at the “Z.” The message is trying to depict the fact that Amazon has and sells everything starting from “A” to “Z.” This use of the company name is subtle but speaks volumes to the consumer.
At first glance, the logo resembles a subtle image of a smiling face, depicting that Amazon is a trustworthy marketplace with its smiling face. By tapping into human facial recognition, Amazon can portray itself as a familiar brand.
Last but not least, arrows convey brilliant messages of moving forward with speed. Amazon is considered an innovator in the ecommerce world with its quick services — something that’s exemplified in its speedy arrow.
As it stretches from “A” to “Z,” the simple yellow arrow signifies Amazon’s wide reach of products and its speedy services.
Why Did Amazon Choose Its Colors?
The color palette used was also a smart choice from Amazon. While the combination of black and orange may seem peculiar, it makes the company's image bright and well-rounded. The black color represents dominance, elegance, and supremacy. The bright orange-yellow, which represents happiness and pride, balances the black.
The color placement also emphasizes the underlying color psychology. “Amazon” is the black portion of the logo, which helps viewers associate the name of the company with feelings of power. The smile arrow is a soft orange-yellow that makes the shape seem happier.
What We Learned From Amazon’s Logo
Since its start over 20 years ago, Amazon has gone through a number of significant (and often subtle) logo changes. With its current design, the ecommerce giant tells consumers that they are a versatile company that is ready for customers.
By considering creative logos such as Amazon’s, small businesses can learn how to tell a story as they design their own unique logo.
Whether you’re forming an LLC or are looking to refresh your current branding, a professional logo is a great way to make your business unique.
