10 Dead Logo Designs – The logo graveyard! |
Categories: Logo Design Tips
Written By: Nora Reed
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We hear so much about logo design being a part of living brands. But have we ever thought of the famous logos that are now literally extinct? In my previous post, I talked about BP logo might rest in peace. This gave me an inspiration to pay a tribute to other prominent logo designs as well. |
1. Enron “Slanted E” |
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| Enron Corporation is a defunct American energy company that was based in Houston, Texas. It logo design was designed in 1996 by the famous logo designer Paul Rand. Although the logo was highly admired, it had to witness its demise, after Enron went bankrupt in 2001. |
2. British Steel stylized “S” |
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British Steel was a major British steel producer formed in 1967. Its stylized “S” shaped logo design was created by the British logo designer, David Gentleman. This logo too had to meet the fate of death when the company went defunct on 1999. |
3. BOAC “Speedbird” |
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The British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was a British state airline founded in 1939. Its famous speedbird logo design was designed by Theyne lee-Elliot. The logo design was pronounced dead when the company ceased to exist on 31 March 1974. |
4. BP “Shield” |
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BP’s classic “shield logo” was designed by the French logo designer Raymond Loewy in 1979. This logo design lasted till the 2000, when it was replace by the Helios logo designed by Landor |
5. Telecom Éireann |
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Telecom Éireann was created by the Postal & Telecommunications Services Act, 1983 from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, Ireland. Its logo was designed by Kilkenny Design Workshop in 1984 and lasted until its privatization to “Eircom Plc” in 1999. |
5. Atari Corporation |
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Atari Corporation was a manufacturer of computers and video game consoles established in 1984. Its logo design became obsolete when the company went under Hasbro Interactive in 1996 |
7. Konica “rainbow” |
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Konica was a Japanese manufacturer of film, cameras, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers. It was fonded in 1873. But after its merger with Minolta in 2003, its famous rainbow logo design ceased to exist. |
8. UPS “Parcel” |
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| The United Parcel Service (UPS) logo was designed in 1961 and displayed an iconic package and shield, in black and white. IT was designed by Paul Rand. The logo met its doom when UPS rebranded in 2003. |
9. NBC “Stylized N” (1975–1979) |
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| NBC’s updated its corporate symbol with a stylized N in 1975, consisting of two trapezoids. NBC paid $55,000 to Nebraska ETV to cover the cost of designing and implementing a new logo. It was replaced in 1979 when it finally rest in peace. |
10. Panam “Globe” |
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| Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) was the major US international air carrier founded in 1927. Its famous blue globe logo was created by Edward Barnes and Joseph Montgomery in 1958. The logo design ceased to exist in 1991 when the company collapsed. |
| In the end, I would like to give credits to Logo Rip, from where these inspirational grave images were taken. |
June 15th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Interesting post idea…but Atari’s logo isn’t dead. They still create video games and their logo is still one of the most iconic figures/logos in gaming. Go to http://www.atari.com/ and you’ll see their logo in use. Its a great logo.
June 16th, 2010 at 4:08 am
Yes I remember Atari Logo (on my first consolle) when a was really young, and now that kind of design is getting modern again! great logo!
June 17th, 2010 at 7:06 am
I remember Atari, it is interesting to see how looking at the logos you think “I remember that or them….”
June 21st, 2010 at 8:06 am
I’ve never even seen a couple of these, like that 70s NBC (wasn’t alive yet) but I really prefer that former 60s UPS logo, don’t they still use that in some of their branding? I feel like I still see it.
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:23 pm
very innovative concept in this post, great execution of the dead logos.. although one or two of them still exist but there presence is close to non-existent.
saw the Telecom Éireann logo for the first time…very detailed and meaningful concept. Although the PANAM logo looked more like a basketball to me
June 24th, 2010 at 10:38 am
The death of some logos happened due to a corporate logo merger, some happened because the company became defunct, while some were a result of logo redesign.
@jessica…i dont think they use the old UPS logo anymore and i bet Paul Rand will be really mad in his grave that his logo was redesigned
June 25th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Hilarious notion with the dead logos… the Konica logo grave was quite amusing! It really hartening to know that designers spend so much time on building great logos and some day they become dead, let alone buried in a grave… for example the Paul Rand logo was a masterpiece for UPS but it also met the same fate.
Sometimes i wonder why do great logos have to get discontinued and trashed by companies?
June 30th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Yep, the Atari logo came back from the dead. It has a massive cult following now and the company still releases games under the brand Atari. Interesting how old fashioned some of these logo’s look compared to modern designs.
July 1st, 2010 at 3:52 am
Interesting post idea… !
July 9th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
The Enron logo lives on too, used prominently as the logo and in the publicity material of a play about Enron in the West End of London. It is a great logo, one I’ve admired for a long time, so it’s nice to see it still in use.
July 10th, 2010 at 7:08 am
I love the grave site pictures. Very funny. I will say a prayer for them LOL
August 24th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Who exactly do you think you are? Did you honestly believe that you could get away with stealing somebody else’s idea and pass it off as your own? You even had the audacity to blatantly steal the Stone Twins images! Their book Logo R.I.P. is an interesting concept, a great read and well worth purchasing, not ripping off! You can buy it here http://www.logorip.com/
It begs the question what else have you passed off as your own creativity?
August 24th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Hey Bob,
I think you have got me wrong here. No doubt I was inspired by your site and idea but putting it here on my blog does not mean that I claim it to be my original thought. I have clearly given proper credits to your site, claiming that these “grave” pics were picked from your site. Just check at the end of the post, saying:
“In the end, I would like to give credits to Logo Rip, from where these inspirational grave images were taken.”
Hope, this clears your misunderstanding and you won’t complain anymore now.Thanks.
Nora Reed
November 2nd, 2010 at 1:33 pm
lol bp FAILD