Honda’s Retro Logo Revival
Wow, what’s going on! Dan Petrov here, and today we’re diving into the world of branding!
A piece of news that’s been causing quite the stir lately is Honda’s new logo, and it’s so buzzworthy, I just had to pen down my thoughts.
Here’s the scoop: the company rolled out a logo for its electric vehicle lineup. It’s the epitome of modern minimalism — sleek, clean, and downright appealing. This emblem symbolizes the future, as electric cars are steering us into future (yeah, right). They’ve gone for a horizontal layout with a deliberately futuristic font to match.
I’m all for the drastic shift from a boxy design to a horizontal one and the move away from a framed logo, but that’s not the main point here. What’s really fascinating is that we’re witnessing another case of ‘everything old is new again.’
The new logo is a throwback to the very first one from 60 years ago! The authentic ‘H’ carries the same essence: two extended, upward-reaching hands that reflect the brand’s mission of pushing boundaries. It’s astounding how this symbol still looks relevant after all these years. Sure, they’ve given it a bit of a modern haircut, but at its core, it’s the same story from the ‘60s.
Following suit, we’ve seen BMW, Peugeot, Renault, and I bet we’ll see more of this trend. Is this a creative crisis or just the cyclical nature of fashion?
Here’s my theory: the evolution of design has brought us to digital design, which in turn sparked a reevaluation of forms and meanings. Then design began shedding the excess, leading us to minimalism, which narrowed the field so much, it triggered a crisis in visual solutions.
As car manufacturers got caught up in minimalism, it led to a problem of uniformity. Since auto branding values heritage and tradition, companies dove back into history and found their answers there. And in my opinion, they’ve nailed it. Plus, let’s not forget the ever-present demand for a retro vibe, which always seems to hit the right note.
In my book, Honda’s design definitely nailed it!
How can embracing heritage shape the future of brand identity?
