There’s a fine line between “brand evolution” and “why did you take that away from me?”

This week I want to talk about my fascination for logos, specifically logos that no longer exist because we have seemingly shifted to a culture where every logo lacks personality and feels overly sterile and unnecessarily minimal. The death of “extras” if you will; shadowing, texture, mix-matching colors, bells and whistles.

Logos mark a moment in time. And perhaps that’s why I’m so nostalgic for some of these. They mark a time when life was simpler. They make you feel.

Thinking on it more, I could probably do a better job at drawing these old logos from memory than I can the logos of today, for the same products/brands.

These old logos are memorable, effortless, and filled with personality. Let’s talk about some of them:

Doritos

This is a logo evolution I think about a lot. The 1992-1997 option is my favorite. There was a moment in time where I think that drawing/marker design element was in several logos. It gives off that purple and turquoise pattern we used to see on cups. This 92-97 Doritos logo feels inviting, playful, and filled with personality. The others aren’t bad per se, but they feel too forced. And I also like a bold, thick serif in a logo, and this 92-97 option accomplishes that.

Baskin Robbins

I feel like we almost need to talk more about how bad the current version is of this logo because it’s really bad IMO. This old logo, however: the color scheme, the softness of the pink and indigo-y blue, the arch in the middle; it feels like an ice cream brand, whereas the current logo, while clever to embed the “31” into the “BR”, just feels waaaay too playful for me for an ice cream brand. Ice cream is the classic treat. A logo can be simple and straightforward, even if the product represents joy, fun, and togetherness.

Walkman

What a classic. Ok, brief side note. This logo reminds of that point in time where Microsoft Office changed their Word/PPT/Excel desktop icons on Mac; this kinda reminds me of the Word icon lol. Anyway, back to walkman. This logo felt alive; it leaned into the futuristic vibes that many products and ads designed in the early 2000s. This was one of those logos that was trying to be felt, it wasn’t necessarily aiming for versatility. (Also side note: kinda reminds me too of the design of the Cingular logo, which I believe turned into AT&T).

Honda

For the most part, my family was a Honda family. We always had Japanese cars; they were well-built and lasted long. Honda has been in my life for a while. When it comes to the logo, my preference, esp when a brand uses a letterform style logo, that it is as close to the actual letter as possible, visually. That’s why the 1981 (and sure, 2000 too) get my vote for the better of the logo bunch. I feel the same was about Kia. The logo today is ugly and waaaaaay too futuristic looking with no personality. It’s also hard to read. Anyway, love you, Honda. (for the record, that 2026 logo is just not it for me).

Diet Coke

Again, personality. I don’t mind today’s logo, but it’s all in the full picture. This had the bubbles, the thicker serif, the white mixed with grey; it gave you the feeling of the deliciousness that is Diet Coke, and the bubbles and carbonation you’d feel, see, and hear when drinking it. I know I know; it’s not that deep. But actually, it is! Logos and the design systems behind shape perception, attitude, and feelings. And if we’ll buy again, let’s be honest.

This is probably one of my favorite early 2000s fast food logos. Top 5 at least. First of all, the color palette is beautiful. Though it was highly likely that was intentional (reds and yellows are typically seen in fast food logos to signal urgency and happiness), this color palette reminds me of growing of up in Southern California. I remember many storefronts has this wood texture paired with white lettering, and then Taco Bell took it to the next level with their Bell icon design. And the font: playful, chunky, but not overly polished. Reminded you to keep it casual. And not to mention, you couldn’t really confuse it with anything else. It was highly distinct.

I could talk about logos and fonts and color palettes for days. What are some of your favorite old logos? Why do you love them? What do they remind you of? The more niche, the better.

Thanks for reading and for being here. I don’t take for granted that you care what I have to say. Or even if you don’t care, and you’re still here; thanks for being a fan anyway. ❣️

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