Top 10 Business Logos

Let’s get right down to business with the most widely recognized castle from one of the world’s most iconic and beloved companies. This spectacular château is modeled after both Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle and Cinderella’s Castle at Disneyworld’s Magic Kingdom. While not many ventures would utilize such a fantastic piece of architecture to represent their brand, Disney’s castle undoubtedly towers above the rest, making appearances in almost every piece of intellectual property within the Disney family. Though this simple logo is an icon in its own right, Disney’s various renditions of the castle for its film openings make it all the more magical.

With this coffeehouse empire’s reputation for setting up shop on every other corner, it’s difficult not to acknowledge this constantly expanding company’s mark. Named after a character in Herman Melville’s novel “Moby-Dick,” the coffee chain embraced a maritime theme in its logo as well, in part to represent its home city of Seattle. The iconic twin-tailed mermaid has since become synonymous with the company, but existed in another lifetime before Starbucks’ founding – as a 16th century Norse engraving. It’s been through numerous iterations, but today’s is a modern, simplified logo that speaks to the company’s past and future.

Whether it’s the original blue quadrilaterals from 1985, the colorful re-imaginings that lasted twenty years from ’92 to 2012, or the full-circle blue rectangles for Windows 8, this iconic logo is widely recognized by many generations. Appropriate considering the name of the product it advertises, the Windows symbol is found on every Microsoft product you’ll ever purchase – and considering the company at one point held a 90% share in the PC market, it’s logo was ubiquitous as well. That’s a ton of screens with even more eyeballs to see and appreciate the efforts of the world’s largest computer company.

Speeding things along is the sole automotive industry logo on our list. While there are many equally respectable car emblems out on the road, Volkswagen’s modified initials get top vehicular honors for its fusion of simplicity with a futuristic feel. With more currently produced vehicle models in the top 10-bestselling cars of all time than any other company, this logo is a legendary icon beheld by billions of pedestrians and motorists alike – and who can forget the punch-buggy game?

Found in your everyday grocery stores, parties, restaurants – fast food or fancy – and just about anywhere else, these delightfully designed letters foreshadow an equally delightful taste from the world’s bestselling beverage brand. Like many of the business logos on our list, these letters have seen their share of reworkings – some fancier and curvier than others – but always using the Spencerian Script font. And while other soda logos have enticing designs that pop out just as beautifully, Coca-Cola’s seat on the proverbial market throne has made it clear that more have seen and bought the red can with the colorful cursive.

The story behind the company name and its subsequent logo is shrouded in mystery, but one’s thing’s for sure: there’s no mistaking what this symbol means. While we’ll always have a special place in our hearts for the rainbow colors, it’s the contemporary illustration of Apple’s logo that bore witness to the company’s emphatic rise. With Apple carrying a unique reputation for modern and sleek designs, it’s no surprise that its colorful logo eventually experienced a modern overhaul. Keeping the basic architecture that illustrated the company’s name; Apple upgraded its mark to parallel its products’ classic lines and to showcase its growing presence in the computer market.

You know imagination is at work when your business has a logo like General Electric’s. Originally designed in the late 19th-century, the interlocked initials of the GE logo have gone through a few changes since then – most of them fairly subtle. All in all, this is one logo that has stayed true to its roots, ignoring modern trends and sticking to the trustworthy blue symbol they know works. With the multinational conglomerate retaining a presence in numerous consumer industries, from household appliances to electronics, this logo has discreetly found its way to billions of homes one way or another.

We’ll bet you’re probably watching this video on our #3 pick right now. As the world’s most popular video streaming domain and one of the most visited websites in general, it should be no surprise that this business logo would stream its way onto this list. While there is something colorful about the logo of its parent company, Google, YouTube’s logo ultimately takes the bronze for its semi-simple design, which gives newcomers a hint about what they’re in for – watching lotsa stuff.

The Golden Arches and the company they represent are a fast-food force to be reckoned with. As the most successful fast-food restaurant chain in terms of revenue, McDonald’s logo has been seen the world over as the company has served literally billions of customers. Originally part of the store design but eventually incorporated into the logo as part of the restaurant’s name in the late-‘60s, the Golden Arches were an attempt by the McDonald brothers to get their burger joint noticed – and it worked. For better or worse, this logo has appeared everywhere from the company’s commercials to amusement park outlets.

Before we unveil our leading logo, here are some honorable mentions:
- The Prancing Horse
Ferrari
- The Leaping Puma
Puma
- The Rings
The Olympic Games
- The Handwritten
Virgin Group
- The Bird
Twitter
- The Globe
AT&T
- The Target
Target
- The Interlocking Cs
Chanel
- The Chevron & Star
Converse
- The Peacock
NBC
- The Lion
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Haha, just kidding.

Taking the top spot on our list is the check mark logo from the world’s most successful athletic and footwear brand. Designed in 1971 by graphic designer Carolyn Davidson – who was originally paid $35 for her work – the Swoosh became a living legend in commerce, despite company founder Phil Knight’s initial hesitation about it. Worn and advertised by thousands of athletes around the globe, professionals and little-leaguers alike, the Swoosh stands as the quintessential trademark acknowledged above and beyond its sportswear roots, emerging as a fashion statement for non-athletic trendsetters and as a pop-culture phenomenon in entertainment.


Do you agree with our list? What do you think of as the most iconic business logo? For more business-y top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.