Amazon is arguably the largest and most popular online marketplace in the world. Founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos and based out of Seattle, Washington, the company offers goods in various categories. Additionally, the eCommerce behemoth is also involved in providing SaaS and PaaS cloud-based services. The visual identity of Amazon has had an interesting evolution. It has gone through a few changes since its appearance. And each logo iteration has provided individuality and recognition to the Amazon brand in the highly competitive segment of online marketplaces. The article traces the history and evolution of the Amazon logo over the years.
The Genesis of the Amazon Logo (1995-1997)
As Amazon established itself in the eCommerce space, its visual identity played a crucial role in ensuring the brand’s presence and ethos were recognised. The first logo of the company was designed by Turner Duckworth in 1995, which featured the domain address “amazon.com” in a bold, black sans-serif typeface in lowercase. On top of the wordmark was a graphical element comprising a black pyramid with a flat top. The pyramid was punctuated by a winding white line to symbolise the Amazon River. The positioning of the graphical element gave it the appearance of the letter “A.”
Logo Redesigns Over Time
In the years that followed, the Amazon logo underwent several iterations. They reflected the continuous growth and evolving brand identity of the company.
(1997–1998)
In the 1997 logo iteration, the graphical element had white horizontal lines flowing from the long, winding Amazon River at the centre. In addition to looking like a river, the horizontal lines also gave the impression of a tree. The colour palette of the graphical element remained monochrome and the wordmark featuring the domain address became bolder.
(1998)
In 1998, experimentation led to changes in the typography and colour scheme of the logo, which paved the way for a more refined and polished look. The year saw the emergence of three logos. The first one featured a large-sized wordmark, “amazon.com,” in a sans-serif typeface. Below the wordmark was the tagline, “EARTH’S BIGGEST BOOKSTORE,” in an elegant sans-serif font in uppercase.
(1998)
The second logo did not have the tagline and featured the domain address with a big-sized “O” in a combination of yellow and orange. This particular logo was continued for a year and then replaced by one that became the source from which today’s logo was inspired.
(1998-2000)
It was at the end of 1998 that the famous Swish logo was crafted. It displayed a young and fresh spirit, even though the wordmark shown in an officina sans typeface was similar to the previous iterations. Besides, the first part of the wordmark was highlighted in bold compared to the “.com” part. The wordmark in lowercase was complemented by an arched yellow line underneath. It symbolised a bridge that connected the past to the future.
(2000-2024)
It was in 2000 that the familiar Amazon logo we recognise today began to take shape. It embraced a clean and modern aesthetic and reflected a progressive and positive approach. The new logo iteration combined a sleek sans-serif font for the company name with a distinctive hand-drawn arrow in a light orange colour beneath it. This ingenious design featured an arrow extending from the letter “a” to the letter “z” to symbolise the expansive product range of the company.
It also showed the commitment of the company to deliver a seamless user experience from start to finish. The upward curve of the arrow subtly formed a smile to represent customer satisfaction—a core value that has driven the success of Amazon from the very beginning.
(2000)
The Amazon Prime logo refers to those customers who pay a monthly fee to enjoy free shipping and faster delivery of products. The Amazon Prime logo displays the signature logo comprising the arrow along with the slanted word “Prime” in a lighter shade of blue. The logo here represents excellence, speed, and friendliness.
(2024-Present)
The latest Amazon logo reflects the evolution of the company and its desire to stay relevant and innovative. At the same time, it aims at keeping the recognisable elements intact. In the new logo, there are a few noticeable changes in font as well as in colour, especially of the arrow. For instance, the letter “a” has been made more refined and rounded to add a sense of friendliness and modernity. The previous curled tail of the letter “a” has been shortened to give the logo a harmonious appearance.
The upper portions of the letters “m” and “n” have been adjusted to add stability and balance to the wordmark. Further, the arrow below the wordmark has been made a little thicker, and the colour has been changed to a vibrant orange. The change makes the logo grab more attention from customers and stay memorable.
(2025 Onwards)
In 2025, the Amazon global brand has undergone a seamless metamorphosis. The new brand identity is aimed at building a new comprehensive brand system that will be simple, modern, visually expressive, unifying, more consistent, and more confident. It will deliver clarity across every touchpoint and exude “charm and disarm” to the vast ecosystem of Amazon. Created by the branding agency Koto, the new brand identity retains the iconic design and its signature grin. With the new design, the emphasis is more on a deeper and emphatic “smile” rather than the arrow.
In order to correct typographic inconsistencies, designers crafted a new custom alphabet, the Amazon Logo Sans. The brand name was written using the evolved, impactful, bold, and playful typeface, aka Ember Modern. It is designed for small-scale and long-form reading and achieves optimised clarity, performance, and legibility at smaller sizes. Additionally, Ember Modern works well in both light and dark modes. The colour scheme of Smile Orange is chosen for its bold and vibrant hue.
Symbolism and Impact
The evolution of the Amazon logo shows the remarkable growth of the company and its ability to adapt to changing market dynamics. Each iteration has carried significant symbolism and meaning. It reflected the commitment of Amazon to innovation, customer satisfaction, and to deliver an unparalleled shopping experience.
The arrow in the current logo is not a style statement; it represents the seamless service and end-to-end delivery that Amazon strives to provide and ensures that every user journey remains smooth and hassle-free. The smile, which is an integral part of the logo design, captures the joy and satisfaction that Amazon aims to bring to its customers.
Beyond its visual appeal, the Amazon logo has become a powerful symbol of the company’s relentless pursuit of excellence. It reminds us continuously about the humble beginnings of the brand and the visionary spirit with which it became a global powerhouse.
The Elements of the Amazon Logo
Font
The font used to craft the new Amazon wordmark is designed by Koto and NaN and seeks to be consistent across scripts, cultures, touchpoints, and contexts. Called Ember Modern, the new singular typographic system provides support for 364 languages. Besides, Ember Modern offers clarity and consistency and enables cultural nuance for every region.
Colour
The new colour palette has unified all shades of orange into the signature “Smile Orange” to bring about visual cohesion to the Amazon brand.
Finally
The Amazon logo reflects the ever-changing ambitions and aspirations of the company. Yet, at its core, the logo symbolises the extraordinary journey that began in a Seattle garage as a bookstore. It is a journey that has forever changed the way we shop, live, and experience the world around us.