Can You Match the Vintage Logo to the Company?

By: Tasha Moore
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Match the Vintage Logo to the Company?
Image: Wiki Commons by Adidas AG

About This Quiz

A logo is the center of a brand. Find out why companies like Target, Apple, IBM and UPS are super successful with their brand image. On this quiz, you get to explore the humble design beginnings of today's top companies. Simply identify the enterprises depicted by their vintage emblems.

The highly recognizable logos of today have come a long way. Marketing experts have perfected the art of brand recognition by assessing logo effectiveness in several ways. One of the most fun ways to gauge logo victory is by using the squint test. If you are still able to recognize an emblem by squinting at it, then that logo earns major functionality points. 

Customers that readily associate any or all attributes of a corporation's symbol to one or more positive life events is a huge plus. And if your company's logo retains visual integrity (color, size proportion, readability, etc.) on a range of mediums, text your designer "THANKS!" in all caps. Back in the '60s, logo whisperer and designer Paul Rand gave IBM a major image readjustment by changing its original logo to all caps. Rand basically propelled the technology company to mega status with that simple gesture.

We guarantee your amazement after reading some of the facts we've dug up about the logos you love to know. Your thrill awaits on the other side of a scroll!

Playboy
Pixabay / Clker-Free-Vector-Images
You are likely to find the updated logo printed on just about anything these days. How well do you recognize this former emblem?
Peugeot
Playboy
Cash Cow
NBC
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After advertising revenue started to slump, Playboy depended heavily on product licensing. Critics claim that doing so devalued the brand, as many of the products that use the Playboy logo have little to do with what the logo symbolizes.

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Twitter
Pixabay / Clker-Free-Vector-Images
On June 6, 2012, a winged 2-D creature got a new look. Whose vintage logo is this?
Youtube
Mastercard
Vodafone
Twitter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Twitter purchased the rights to its original bird logo mascot for $15 from designer Simon Oxley on iStock. Then the company adopted a bird image drawn by Biz Stone, one of the company's co-founders. Twitter has tweaked Stone's design through the years.

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Google
Wiki Commons by Google Inc
Who got rid of 3D-style design elements?
Microsoft
Google
Eskimo
British Airways
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Google's newer san serif mark keeps the internet company's original color sequence. According to the company's design team, the chosen color palette connotes Google's playfulness, and the rotated "e" at the end of the logo is a nod to uniqueness.

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Volkswagen
Pixabay / atimedia
Can you figure out the company that benefited from a massive adhesive assault at the 2008 Beijing Olympics?
MGM
Mitsubishi
Volkswagen
Palm
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Volkswagen was one of the main sponsors of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Organizers of the Games were in a constant frenzy throughout the event covering with tape the logos of any brand that wasn't an official sponsor of the game.

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Shell Oil
Shell Oil
Activist artist Darren Cullen once altered the company's recent logo. Is it a challenge for you to guess the brand?
Apple
Mozilla Firefox
Shell
Starbucks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Shell's first logo emerged in 1891 when Marcus Samuel and Company shipped kerosene to the Far East. Conran Design Group was tasked with furnishing a modern logo and revamping the look of Shell's retail outlets.

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The Walt Disney Company
Wiki Commons by Disney
There was a discrepancy concerning the signature logo of ________?
Pampers
Nissan
The Walt Disney Company
Lay's
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Very often, Walt Disney would hand off important documents to be signed by his secretary or an associate. Inconsistent copies of the founder's signature eventually surfaced, and some fans would become frustrated after realizing that Mr. Disney's autograph was quite different from the company logo.

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McDonalds
Wiki Commons by McDonald's
A Lynwood, California location flipped its incredibly famous logo in honor of International Women's Day 2018. Guess the American syndicate?
McDonald's
Twitter
Volkswagen
Playboy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2007, McDonald's introduced new ingredients such as free range eggs and Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee. The fast-food giant adopted a new look for its products by redesigning food packaging in 2016.

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AT&T
Wiki Commons by AT&T
Who ditched an over-100-years-old logo to attract new customers?
Ikea
Nestle
AT&T
McDonald's
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the late 1990s, AT&T masked its identity in an attempt to shed its established image. The billion-dollar company masqueraded as Lucky Dog Phone Co. for a fresher brand image, which is a marketing strategy that many businesses have attempted.

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Nokia
Wiki Commons by Z10x
By this vintage image, guess the brand that partnered with Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. to launch a cell phone in Great Britain?
Dell
Walmart
Xerox
Nokia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Nokia 8800 was a limited edition phone that cost over $1000 U.S. The co-branded phone included the Aston-Martin logo etched on a stainless steel casing; the phone also featured a ringtone of an engine sound.

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Kodak
Wiki Commons by Kodak
Label the firm that embraced a revisionist emblem?
Kodak
Samsung
Audi
Instagram
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Design consultancy firm Work-Order is responsible for Kodak's revisionist logo, which was released in 2016. Kodak's new logo debut coincided with the launch of the company's first Android smartphone Ektra.

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FedEx
Wiki Commons by FedEx Express
There's an optical illusion in the logo for ________?
Pepsi
AT&T
FedEx
Kodak
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1994, Lindon Leader of Landor Associates designed the tricky Fedex Corp. logo. The notable emblem incorporates an optical illusion created between the letters "e" and "x," which form a forward-pointing arrow.

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Nestlé
Wiki Commons by Neslté
By the vintage logo, can you figure out the company whose famous candy bar has been a marketing headache?
Amazon
Nestlé
Nintendo
Ford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some social media users have rebranded Nestle in a less than favorable light using Kit Kat candy bar imagery. Also, the company lagged on securing ownership rights in the United Kingdom, and the European Court of Justice has denied the Kit Kat trademark.

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Burger King
Youtube via Burger King
On Twitter, a hacker once changed the logo of this American icon to a competitor's symbol. Do you know the brand?
Chick-fil-A
Wendy's
Burger King
Sonic
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

During "Free FryDay" on January 2, 1998, Burger King served up samples of over 15 million of its new fries in a stainless-steel kitchen inside a 48-foot "Fry Mobile." Mr. Potato Head, the official "spokespud," donned a rotating Burger King logo on the mobile kitchen's exterior.

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Procter & Gamble
Wiki Commons by Asenine
Can you determine the firm that conducts intense consumer research, from this former logo?
BMW
Procter & Gamble
Renault
Siemens
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Procter & Gamble established a consumer research department in the late 1800s from sales of Ivory soap. For a subsidiary brand, Artist Richard Black conceptualized the company's original Mr. Clean brand icon as a bald, husky man wearing one gold earring.

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Ford
Wiki Commons by Ford
How well do you understand the trademark of the company that used it as collateral in 2006 to secure a $23.5 billion loan?
Ford
Hewlett-Packard
Gap
Facebook
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

To avoid bankruptcy in 2006, Ford sold its blue oval logo as collateral to secure the billion-dollar loan. Supposedly, the company was able to get the logo released in 2012 after two major rating agencies gave Ford an investment grade rating.

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Ikea
Wiki Commons by IKEA
Which enterprise has a rather unique marketing strategy in China?
Google
Nokia
Ikea
Canon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ikea China lets prospective buyers have full reign of company product and space. On any given shopping day, you might see customers sleeping on Ikea's European-styled beds or reading books on sofas. At least one Ikea store in China hosted a small series of weddings.

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Nintendo
Wiki Commons by Nintendo
Do you know the popular brand that supplied young moms with all that is necessary to host gaming parties, termed "special social-sphere events," in their homes?
Nike
Nintendo
Warner Bros.
NASA
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As of April 26, 2018, Nintendo Co. Ltd. racked in over nine billion dollars in revenue, much thanks to the March 2017 release of the Nintendo Switch gaming console. Nintendo Switch is the quickest-selling gaming console in U.S. history.

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Apple
Wiki Commons by Rob Janoff
The brand may be valuable but consumers have had a difficult time identifying the current logo. What company is represented here?
Lego
Snapchat
Apple
MTV
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In a UCLA study, only seven out of 85 students were able to draw Apple's logo from scratch without needing to study it beforehand or without making any big mistakes. Eighty-nine percent of the study's participants were Apple users.

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Pepsi
Wiki Commons by PepsiCo
Do you recognize the corporation whose insignia was found on the claw of a live lobster?
Burger King
Adidas
Pepsi
Shell
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2017, a lobster located near New Brunswick, Canada was found with a Pepsi logo imprinted on its claw. Some environmentalists have speculated that debris on the ocean's floor may have become affixed to the creature during its development.

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Adidas
Wiki Commons by Unknown
The best Olympics team that Britain had produced in 104 years wore the symbol of the brand that you see. Try to identify the exact name?
BBC
Adidas
PBS
Coca-Cola
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The collective success of British athletes during the 2012 London Games was a tremendous marketing boost for sponsor Adidas. The German sportswear company also showcased its logo on outdoor venues, it called "adizones," throughout the United Kingdom during the Summer Games.

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Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Design experts insist that ________ uses a hidden conceptual direction for its design?
Lego
Mercedes-Benz
Snapchat
MTV
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mercedes-Benz has sought to merge its offline and online branding to appeal to a younger buying audience. The company's main focus is to learn the purchasing behaviors of its existing youthful consumer base.

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Canon
Wiki Commons by unknown
From among these options guess the firm that was launched as Precision Optical Industry Company, Ltd.?
Canon
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Discovery Channel
Heineken
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Canon was established as Precision Optical Industry Company, Ltd. in 1937 before it was renamed Canon Camera Company, Inc. in 1947. Canon entered the business machine sector by launching an electronic calculator in 1964.

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Target
Wiki Commons by Target
This company started off with a different name in 1902. What name does the firm use today?
Target
Mitsubishi
BBC
Apple
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Target started as Dayton Dry Goods Co. in 1902. The first Target store opened its doors in 1962, the company unveiled its legendary bullseye logo in 1968. The Target logo is one of the most recognizable corporate logos in the United States.

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Audi
Audi
Do you guess the enterprise that aimed to become more "Germanic" by a 2009 design readjustment?
Instagram
Proctor & Gamble
Audi
RCA
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Prior to Audi's 2009 logo revamp, its emblem redesign in the 1990s aimed for balance. The 2009 update focused on a more contemporary look by giving the logo's matte rings a metallic finish.

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Samsung
Wiki Commons by Samsung
Refrigerators and washing machines were the products that this company peddled in 1970. How easy is it for you to select the answer?
Samsung
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Discovery Channel
Heineken
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Samsung joined IMEC to develop technology used in mobile products, and launched 3G handsets that same year in 2005. Samsung and Limo developed a Linux operating platform with Motorola and NEC in 2007.

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Amazon
Wiki Commons by Amazon.de
On January 25, 2000, ________ unveiled a trademark that is said to communicate what consumers have come to expect from its online platform?
Microsoft
Facebook
Amazon
Youtube
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

According to Amazon, customers expect a pleasant shopping experience and a vast selection of products when visiting the company's online platform. The newest logo's smile is meant to connote customer satisfaction.

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Mozilla Firefox
Wiki Commons by Sean Martell
Google satellite took photos of the company's logo magnified. Do you ID this vintage design?
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Discovery Channel
Mozilla Firefox
Heineken
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tech experts at Oregon State University's Open Source Laboratory celebrated the 200-millionth download of Mozilla's Firefox internet browser by creating a 200-foot crop circle of the logo in a field near McMinnville, Oregon. Google satellite took pictures of the magnified logo for the world to view.

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LG
Wiki Commons by LG Corporation
The firm was formed as GoldStar in 1958. Does this hint help you to choose the best option?
Lego
LG
Snapchat
MTV
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1995, LG acquired electronics company Zenith, and began accessing Microsoft patents in 2007. LG entered into a $370 million deal with Volkswagen to supply the car maker with audio systems starting in 2012.

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General Electric
Wiki Commons by General Electric Company
It was incorporated in 1892. Do you guess the correct organization by its vintage logo?
Vodafone
MGM
General Electric
Palm
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

General Electric, a company that began by developing cooking and heating devices in 1907, has expanded into a plethora of technology sectors, including terminal automation systems. General Electric continues to develop heating technologies.

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UPS
Wiki Commons by UPS
Do you see the correct company name from among the choices?
Canon
Amazon
UPS
Nintendo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Logo master Paul Rand designed the United Parcel Service logo, which FutureBrand redesigned in 2003. The graphic takeover caused much disappointment among design artists across the globe.

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Verizon
Wiki Commons by Verizon
According to the company, its new logo check mark is the "universal symbol for getting things done." ID the brand?
Ford
Twitter
Verizon
Volkswagen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Verizon was incorporated as Bell Atlantic in 1983. The new logo was launched when Bell Atlantic merged with GTE to become Verizon Communications Inc. The newly formed company set out to craft a brand ID that symbolized simplicity.

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RCA
Wiki Commons by RCA/The Wireless Age Magazine
Jack Russell terriers Nipper and Chipper are whose former brand mascots?
Fiat
LG
RCA
Target
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After acquiring RCA Corporation in 1986, General Electric continued to use the RCA logo on a line of appliances. General Electric kept the rights to the RCA logo after selling off RCA product lines.

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BMW
BMW
Do you match the vintage symbol to the exact business?
Mazda
Visa
Adobe Systems
BMW
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

KKLD Berlin designed the two-dimensional black and white logo for the BMW Mini; the image consists of a wheel and a wing. Bayerische Motoren Werke Group unleashed a revised branding concept for elite models: i8 roadster, x7 and 8-series coupe and convertible.

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Siemens
Wiki Commons by Siemens AG
Guess the correct German-based firm?
Dell
Walmart
Xerox
Siemens
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Headquartered in Frankenthal, Germany, Siemens manufactures compressors, turbines and fans. The company specializes in power generation, parts replacement and aerodynamics engineering applications.

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Levi's
Wiki Commons by Levi Strauss
Whose more recent logo was one of the first used for in-stream advertising units testing on the Instagram network in October 2012?
Pampers
Nissan
Levi's
Lay's
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Levi's brand is most famous for denim jeans. Born in Buttenheim, Bavaria, founder Levi Strauss worked with is brothers in New York City in the wholesale goods business before launching his own importing business in San Francisco, California in 1853.

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Renault
Wiki Commons by Renault
The French government nationalized and renamed which enterprise?
Renault
Microsoft
Eskimo
British Airways
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Renault opted to revised a seven-year-old-slogan in an attempt to heighten its brand appeal. Renault's Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn announced the change at the 2007 International Motor Show in Frankfurt. Renault modified the company's existing diamond-shaped logo.

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Starbucks
WikiCommons by VasenkaPhotography
Which brand caused an uproar when it revealed its logo redesign in early 2011?
Starbucks
Mazda
Visa
Adobe Systems
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Starbucks's most recent logo, released in 2011, is the coffee company's fourth logo since the brand was founded in 1971. The original brand image of a brown bare-chested mermaid has evolved over time.

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IBM
Wiki Commons by OgilvyOne
Legendary graphic designer Paul Rand mastered which company's 1960 insignia?
UPS
Verizon
IBM
General Electric
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Paul Rand was brought on as a consultant in 1956 when IBM first transitioned into computing products. Rand waited four years before unveiling IBM's iconic stripes, and he insisted that the company be consistent in its use. The company manual included instructions for how to use the logo.

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Fiat
Wiki Commons by Fiat Automobiles
The firm represented in the image chose a textbook approach to creating its 2014 logo, using classic shapes associated with automobile design. Name the company?
Mitsubishi
Peugeot
Fiat
Ford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Incorporated in 1899, Fiat operated in the steel and railway industry in 1917. Fiat ventured into manufacturing tractors, such as the Nastro d'Oro, in 1960. In 2011, the company acquired the U.S. Department of Treasury's six percent stake in Chrysler Group.

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Instagram
GuuhDrawings via YouTube
Color diffraction in this venture's newest logo is meant to represent the company's diverse base of users. Quickly choose the business?
IBM
Mercedes-Benz
Levi's
Instagram
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A Polaroid camera from the late '70s motivated Instagram's Chief Executive Officer Kevin Systrom to design the company's first logo. Graphic designer Cole Rise produced the follow-up insignia in 2010.

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Wiki Commons by Adidas AG