Adidas Brand Logos: Meaning and History Explored

The Adidas brand logo has undergone numerous transformations over the years in response to changing circumstances and new product launches. A logo is essential for any brand as it attracts attention and creates a lasting impression.

The iconic Adidas logo holds significant narratives and historical importance. Originally, it symbolized the family business of the Dassler brothers, Adolf and Rudolf. The Cobbler brothers initially adopted a logo depicting flying birds with outstretched wings.

The company, originally known as the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory or Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, experienced a split in 1949 for reasons that remain unclear, though there are numerous stories surrounding the event.

In 1950, one of the brothers, Adolf Dassler, assumed control of the business. Under his leadership, he not only redesigned the logo but also rebranded the entire company, renaming it Adidas—a combination of his own nickname "Adi" and the first three letters of his last name.

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The history of the Adidas brand logo and its meaning

In 1950, Adidas introduced a new logo as part of its focus on athletic footwear. Under the direction of Adolf Dassler, the founder, the first Adidas logo featured a sports shoe with spikes. The logo prominently displayed the name 'Adidas' with the two extended tails of the letter 'D' holding up the shoe. Below the Adidas wordmark, the German term 'sportschuhe' meaning 'sports shoes' was included.

Between 1950 and 1970, the Adidas brand logo maintained a consistent design with lowercase letters, albeit with slight variations in font style. The design was influenced by pop culture, emphasizing simplicity with a rectangular bold border surrounding the words.

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The introduction of the iconic trefoil as the Adidas brand logo

After the spike boot on the track, the trefoil became the first Adidas brand logo that represents the whole product line. In 1971, the brand introduced the apparel collection along with the logo.

The brand hired a design agency from Germany and after several consultations, the board finally published the logo of the floral petals. It symbolizes the diverse product line of the brand. The Adidas insignia of three lines was etched at the bottom.

According to Hatchwise, a publication, the idea of three floral petals for the logo was to represent the three continents— North America, Europe, and Asia. During this time, Adidas used to supply products to them only.

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The bar logo of Adidas

Another notable Adidas brand logo is the three bar arrangements, which are seen nowadays too. In 1991, Adidas appointed Peter Moore as the creative director, who used to cater to Nike, having a gamut of contributions in Jordan's lineup.

After the appointment, the designer restructured everything. To align the triple lines, the Adidas brand logo was illustrated in the triple bar arrangements. It was also called the mountain logo, introduced for the Adidas equipment.

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These two Adidas brand logos have been the trademark since then. However, the brand explored several other logos after them. In 2005, the brand introduced a minimalistic logo, featuring an Adidas wordmark and three simple lines beside it.

In contemporary times, Adidas has several logos and they are incorporated for different purposes. The most common of them are the trefoil and the mountain logo, working as the insignia for the brand.

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