BMW logo evolution
The four-minute video embedded below (email subscribers can view it on-site) talks about the origins of the BMW logo, dispelling the myth that the emblem was created around aircraft propellers.
The following info was transcripted from the video:
—
Aircraft engines are the origin of the myth. People think that the BMW logo is based on a rotating airscrew. The origin of this interpretation is the cover of a BMW aircraft magazine. This picture (shown below) was taken in 1929, years after the logo first came into existence. Respect for the publicity department back then for the fact that the airscrew myth continues today.
1929 BMW aircraft magazine cover illustration (close-up)
But what’s really behind the origin of the logo? For those who are trying to answer this question unavoidably come across the aircraft engine manufacturer Rapp.
“As Rapp grew into BMW, BMW assumed all the business segments, and the company wanted the logo to be oriented on Rapp’s logo. As you can see here on this example, Rapp has a black horse as a symbol on its logo. BMW chose the Bavarian national colours as a symbol, but arranged the letters exactly like Rapp. So you can see very clearly how the BMW logo was developed.”
— KAI JACOBSEN, AUTOMOBILE HISTORIAN, BMW GROUP
Rapp Motoren Werke logo, Bayerische Motoren Werke logo
Flag of Bavaria, courtesy of Thinkstock
Other logo transitions through the years:
Starbucks logo evolution
Shell logo evolution
Mercedes-Benz logo evolution
Pepsi logo evolution
BBC logo evolution
Braun logo evolution
Batman logo evolution
19 appreciated comments, click here to add one
Sergiu
really like your logo evolution series. it’s nice to see how details make the difference.
Jul 8th, 2011
Michael Sansagraw
This is a very cool post. It’s always great to see the story behind an emblem like this. I like the fact that there’s a myth revolving around the origins of the BMW emblem. I wonder if it has a positive, negative, or neutral effect on BMW for the myth to be spread around. I also like how close to the original they’ve stayed over the years. That’s very smart on their part and the consistency sends the message that they know exacly who they are, and that hasn’t changed.
Jul 8th, 2011
Alex
So in essence, the BMW logo is just a simplified Bavarian flag? I can see why people would gravitate towards the airscrew myth; it’s much more exciting.
Jul 8th, 2011
Luke Jones
Pretty mad, I wonder if they’ll ever get rid of the 3 letters.
Jul 8th, 2011
Christine
I’m still convinced that, while using the old Rapp logo + Bavarian flag colors, it’s still also based on what some engineers refer to as a working point, http://www.construction-dictionary.com/definition/working-point-1.html.
Here’s an example picture from some of my own steel drawings:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f332/mobius8band/WorkingPoint.png
As a structural engineer, I use a working point if I’m specifying steel shop drawings or even steel connections. It denotes the intersection of the centroid lines of two steel beams. It’s also used to show elevation points on sections and elevations in both structural engineering and architectural drawings.
Not sure how or if mechanical engineers use this symbol, but I always found the similarities rather interesting.
Jul 8th, 2011
Simon
Oh great!.. I drive a BMW and I think I preferred the propeller story. Next thing you’ll be telling us Santa Claus doesn’t exist :-)
Jul 10th, 2011
Josh
I’ll never watch ‘Finding Forrester’ the same way, now.
Jul 10th, 2011
Kelly
That was quite interesting, I hadn’t known about the propeller story to begin with but it makes good sense. It’s always interesting to know where things began. But like Simon said, I think I prefer the propeller story as it has more meaning than just copying someone else’s idea then putting colours from a flag inside it. Nevertheless, I do really like the BMW logo for it’s simplicity.
Jul 11th, 2011
Kev
It’s always interesting to have a classic demystified, especially when the logo is both abstract and etched deep enough into your mind past the point of question.
I have written a, trying to be funny, article about how you can design your own logo and would appreciate any feedback.
http://theshrewsburyfinger.com/12/07/2011/how-to-design-your-own-logo/
Jul 13th, 2011
clare
Interesting, but I kind of wish it was the propeller story… still it is great to really understand why a brand/logo has developed.
Jul 18th, 2011
Shaun Hensher
When I was in school, one of my professors told me the logo was actually based on a bomb viewed from the business end. I always thought it an odd story, but you can see the resemblance… sort of.
Jul 20th, 2011
jez cook
What a shame the current version uses the same trick as UPS etc, etc and attempts to make the logo appear ’3D’.
The 1979 version has so much more presence.
Jul 21st, 2011
Shaun Hensher
jez: Normally I would agree with you, but in this case I don’t think the way they’ve gone is a mistake. It mimics what the badge looks like on the cars. By doing so, they evoke the sex appeal that a BMW badge embedded in the hood of one of their gorgeous cars has. Personally I get a much stronger sort of primal reaction to the modern logo.
Jul 21st, 2011
jez cook
I see what you mean Shaun, but I don’t know how well it would translate to other applications such as print.
Actually, maybe that doesn’t matter too much these days.
Jul 22nd, 2011
Jarek Kowalczyk
Very nice post. Currently I am working on a book about car logo design history. Bmw is a very nice example of consistency (like all german motor brands) and this show us that great, simple idea can last many years.
Aug 5th, 2011
Juliette
I think it would be nice if BMW came out with an ad or something to end the feud of where the logo actually came from. Maybe they always planned for their logo to be controversial. I mean, this way they always have people talking about it. I had never heard any suggestions of where the logo originally came from, but it looks like a lot of people have. This makes me wonder if they came up with all of these stories just to keep people interested in the products.
Oct 11th, 2011
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