Apollo Tyres Ltd., is one of the leading tyre manufacturers in India, with a global presence and a reputation for quality and innovation. Established in 1972 and based out of Gurgaon, Haryana, the company has its manufacturing units spread across the world, such as in India, Hungary, and the Netherlands. In fact, its journey from a small Indian enterprise to a multinational corporation shows its resilience, adaptability, and commitment to excellence.
The logo of the company has served as its brand identity for many years now. It has seen a few changes since the founding of the company. The article delves into the various logo iterations of Apollo Tyres over the years.
The Genesis of the Apollo Tyres Logo (1972–2009)
This vintage logo comprised an emblem featuring the hollow of a tyre in red and the wordmark “APOLLO TYRES LTD” in a bold, black serif typeface with sharp contours of individual letters. The letters had straight cuts and protruding glyphs, which conveyed a sense of straightforwardness, friendliness, and inventiveness. Conveying a blend of form and function, the red coloured emblem could also be interpreted as a winding road set against a white background. And when enclosed within a thin roundel, the logo pointed to the core product of the company.
A Clean Wordmark (2009 – Present)
The logo redesign of 2009 ditched the circular emblem in favour of a clean wordmark comprising the brand name. In this iteration, the brand name “Apollo Tyres” is written in two levels, styles, and sizes, and in contrasting shades of purple. For instance, “apollo” in the first level is rendered in lowercase with rounded contours to convey modernity and approachability. Here, each letter of “apollo” except the “l” features a distinct ‘o’ in the middle to reinforce the identity of the company as a manufacturer of tyres.
The second level showcases the italicised wordmark “TYRES” in uppercase but in a smaller size. It offers a visual anchor to the logo and suggests the dependable nature of the company. Blending visual aesthetics with functionality, the logo in a lighter shade of purple gives the impression of the company being customer-friendly, innovative, and an industry leader.
The Current Logo (2021–Today)
In 2021, the logo iteration saw the evolution of the company’s branding yet again, wherein the brand name “APOLLO TYRES LTD” was shown in a black sans-serif typeface in uppercase. Exuding reliability and professionalism, the wordmark conveys a feel of authority and robustness. The distinct feature of this logo iteration is the presence of a stylized “A” with an extended glyph wrapped in a swirl-like element. On its part, the swirl-like element in gradient purple denotes the rotational motion of the tyre and is a nod to the nature of the business.
The purple colour conveying energy and vibrancy stands in sharp contrast to the black wordmark conveying solidity. Further, the 3D aspect of the swirl-like element gives a modern touch and symbolises the dynamism of the company. The overall logo has a modern and progressive appearance.
The Elements of the Apollo Tyres Logo
Font
The wordmark that forms a part of the logo of Apollo Tyres is rendered in a sans-serif typeface in black to display reliability and professionalism. Besides, the stylized letter “A” with a glyph of straight cuts is wrapped around by a swirl-like element, both of which represent the speed and movement of tyres.
Colour
The colour palette of the logo comprises a shade of gradient purple forming the swirl, a black wordmark, and a white background. Here, the shade of gradient purple represents the vibrancy and energy of the brand, while black symbolises solidity and a sense of authority.
Finally
The various iterations of the Apollo Tyre logo reflect the journey of the company from a local Indian manufacturer to a global tyre company. Each iteration of the logo has represented the growth, aspirations, and commitment of the company to innovation and quality. With Apollo Tyres continuing to evolve and expand its global footprint, it remains committed to its core values of customer-centricity, innovation, and sustainability.