Michigan Logos

Famous Logos From Michigan

Michigan is nestled into the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwest. The Detroit metro area is among America's most populated and largest metropolitan economies. The state took its name from a gallicized variant of the Ojibwe word mishigami, meaning "large water" or "large lake.”

Since its adoption by the US government, Michigan has developed a diverse economy. In the early 20th century, the state was most widely known as the center of the US automotive industry, a significant national economic force that earned its most populated area the nickname Detroit Motor City. In fact, the nation’s three major automobile companies are all in Detroit.

Once exploited for logging and mining, the minimally populated Upper Peninsula is essential for tourism thanks to its beautiful scenery. The Lower Peninsula is a hub of manufacturing, forestry, agriculture, services, and the high-tech industry.

Ford Motor Company

Ford cars are globally known for their straightforward design and reliability. As for the logo, it has remained a powerful symbol for the brand since 1927, becoming one of the most recognizable in the world. Ford is still owned by the Ford family (40% voting power), and other stakeholders include The Vanguard Group and Evercore Wealth Management.

The visual identity of the legendary American automaker has been modest and clean since its inception. As one of the most famous car manufacturers in the world and founded by Henry Ford, the brand has been consistent in everything it does, including logo design.

Their well-known logo hasn’t changed much over the decades they’ve been around, and the version we have today, with its iconic blue and cursive wordmark, has been the foundation of the emblem since the beginning. In fact, the script dates back to 1909 and the color back to 1912.

General Motors

GM, also known as General Motors Company, is one of the largest worldwide and biggest American vehicle-manufacturing corporations. Established in 1908, the brand currently has production plants in over 30 countries across the world.

For most of its history, GM has used its initial-based logo design in an iconic light blue, and it remained in use until very recently.

In 2021, the symbol of the General Motors brand was changed and now features a stylized letter “M” in lowercase and a matching lowercase g. The “m,” along with the solid line beneath it comes together to represent the company’s transition to electric vehicles, resembling an electric plug in the negative space. The symbol is drawn on a plain white background and enclosed by a thick square frame with rounded angles. The blue coloring has remained, but this new logo is entirely different from the one most people are familiar with, bringing the brand solidly into the future.

Whirlpool

Officially, the Whirlpool brand appeared in 1950. However, the company was actually operating as far back as 1911. With that kind of history, it’s unsurprising that nearly everyone in the US knows this brand of kitchen and home appliances.

During the late 20th century, the current logo’s primary icon, which reflects the Whirlpool philosophy (turbulent rotary movement), debuted. Throughout its history, the brand has conquered several markets by buying local manufacturers’ securities and stocks and merging with promising projects. As a result, the Whirlpool logo was quick to flood the conquered markets.

Today, the Whirlpool logo is recognized on all continents, and the company has affiliates in many countries. The brand ideology speaks to high speed, high-quality household work achieved through their innovative technologies, providing time and energy for everything else you’d rather be doing over cleaning and laundry.

Originally, the W in the wordmark was crowned by an actual whirlpool, but over the years, the brand has pared down its somewhat complicated logo and only kept the bright yellow diagonally oriented orbit drawn around the middle of the wordmark. It does a fine enough job representing the whirling motion, and the simplified logo is much more modern.