10 Famous Brands & Their First Custom Logo Designs 

Early logos were simple marks. Over time, they picked up meaning—promise, personality, and story. Today, a logo isn’t just a badge. It’s a shortcut to what your brand stands for. A custom logo design is how customers spot, remember, and decide to trust you.  

Many famous brands began with rough sketches, busy illustrations, or plain text. Some were drawn by the founders. Some were typed out in free software. A few were clunky. But most importantly, they were honest.  

Famous Brands & Their First Logos 

Origins reveal principles. You’ll notice patterns: start simple, test in the real world, then edit. A seasoned logo design company does that for you. They’ll tell you when to refine and how to treat your logo as a living asset, not a one-off file. 

Let’s move from context to cases—ten logos, ten lessons. We’ll look at ten big brands and their first logos—what worked, what didn’t, and how each mark evolved.  

1. Apple 

Apple’s first logo was a densely illustrated scene of Isaac Newton under an apple tree. It was hand-drawn, framed with ornate text. Ronald Wayen, Apple’s cofounder, had designed this. The bitten apple that we now know as Apple’s logo came from the American designer Rob Janoff.    

While Wayne’s drawing was poetic, it was hard to scale. It looked like a bookplate, not a modern mark. Within months, Apple moved to the crisp bitten apple silhouette. Apple’s story shows how simplicity beats artistry when the goal is clarity. 

2. Nike  

Nike’s original logo was a dynamic stroke implying motion. Carolyn Davidson designed it while she was a design student in Portland. Phil Knight, the then CEO of Nike, had paid $35 for this logo. Later on, he had added stocks to it to thank her.  

The swoosh that we see today is not much different from what it originally was. While minor refinements were made over time, the idea stayed intact. Nike’s Logo is the prime example of how great ideas don’t have to start big. Substance outlives price. 

3. Google  

Google’s original logo was simple wordmarks in evolving type. Early versions used Baskerville Bold. A co-founder – Sergey Brin – had assembled drafts in GIMP. He had created the first mark, and Ruth Kedar shaped the 1999 look. 

The story of Google’s logo evolution is shaped by free tools, fast experiments, and steady tweaks. It took multiple refinements to arrive at today’s clean, geometric sans-serif. Google shows how even the biggest companies start with something basic.  

4. Amazon  

Amazon had started as an online bookstore. Its logo was a straightforward wordmark – a stylised ‘A’ that reflected the Amazon River. It was accompanied by a tagline that said “Earth’s Biggest Bookstore”, reflecting Amazon’s business. The original design was made by the Turner Duckworth Agency.  

Later on, the company evolved. From selling only books, Amazon has become an e-commerce store where you can find more or less everything. Amazon’s current wordmark has a smile-arrow that connects from A to Z and hints at range and delight. Amazon’s logo journey is an example of how your logo should match the pace of your company’s growth.  

5. Starbucks  

Starbucks’ original logo was a detailed mermaid sketch in brown and white. The mermaid had twin tails that circled the brand name. Terry Heckler designed this logo, inspired by maritime history. He drew a comparison between the allure of coffee and a siren’s luring sailors.  

Later, Starbucks was acquired by Giornale coffee outlets. They kept the name Starbucks, but changed the colour to green. The gradual simplification of the logo and its green color gave it mass appeal. The Starbucks logo shows how you can still keep heritage while trimming detail. 

6. McDonald’s 

McDonald’s was a diner brand with a friendly mascot. Their logo was the name “McDonald’s Famous Barbecue,” featuring a chef character. The designer of this very first design is unknown. The cartoon chef, Speedee, expressed fast service before the arches era. 

The famous golden arches designed by Jim Schindler became a part of the McDonald’s logo in the 1960s. Since then, McDonald’s logo has gone through multiple changes. However, the golden arches stayed. They became the universal symbol of McDonald’s. 

7. Shell  

Shell’s original logo was a literal shell, drawn in black and white. It was a simple mussel shell, which had later shifted to a pecten. Bold red and yellow arrived later, turning it into a bright road-sign cue. The designer of this logo is unknown. The founders’ family traded in seashells, so the name and icon fit. 

8. BMW 

BMW’s logo was a roundel with blue and white quarters. The original logo was tied to the company’s early identity shift. The exact designer isn’t recorded. However, it is said that Franz Josef Popp, one of the founders of the company, played a crucial role in its development.  

The colours of the BMW logo reference the Bavarian flag. The propeller myth came later from ads. Even though the logo underwent a few changes over the centuries, the core of it stayed the same. A lot of meaning and research went into the making of BMW’s logo. It shows how important research and meaning are in making a long-lasting logo. 

9. Coca-Cola 

Coca-Cola’s logo was a flowing script hand-lettered for ads. They used the Spencerian script to spell out the brand name. The designer of this logo was Frank Mason Robinson, the company bookkeeper. 

Robinson believed two “C”s would look good in print. While the logo has been refined multiple times, it has not been reinvented. The script remained the same. It became the brand. It shows how typography alone can be iconic in a logo. 

10. Microsoft 

Microsoft’s logo was a retro wordmark. The words were written in a disco-like font, with “Micro” and “soft” written in two different lines to show two different – for a small software venture. While the name of the designer is not known, it was done by an in-house employee. 

The Microsoft logo has changed multiple times over the years. To match the rapid growth of the company. The current logo is the four coloured blocks beside the word Microsoft. It is the Windows logo that represents the diverse range of Microsoft products.   

Why Professional Logo Design Services Are Essential 

We’ve seen busy illustrations abandoned fast, mascot-led marks retired, and literal drawings simplified. None of these were failures. They were drafts. But clunky starts slow recognition and force fix-ups. 

If the business shifts, your identity should reflect it. A logo design company helps you reset with confidence. Professional logo design services and a skilled team help you make smart choices from day one. You get professional advantages like strategic thinking, technical depth, versatility, legal care, and future-proofing.  

Skip the cost of amateur designs. DIY can feel cheap now, but you pay later: reprints, redesigns, lost recall, and mismatched assets. A strong system saves time on every new touchpoint—web pages, packaging, sales decks, trade-show booths. 

Investing in Your Brand’s Visual Future 

Every brand here started small. Some with a sketch. Some with a typeface. Some with a mascot. The great ones kept learning. 

Edit, simplify, and systemize. This is the thread running through Apple’s bite, Amazon’s smile, and Starbucks’s siren. Pros guide these calls. A trusted logo design company brings the right mix of strategy and craft. 

Take a clear look at your own mark. Does it work small? Is it distinct in your space? Does it tell the right story? If not, it’s time to plan the next version. A strong custom logo design pays back for years—in recognition, trust, and smoother marketing ops. 

If you want a steady, expert partner, talk to Logo Design India. Our team is a full-service graphic outfit that works across strategy and execution, so your identity stays cohesive everywhere you show up.  

Call us at +919830721090 or visit our website at Logo Design India for more information.