Bridgestone is arguably the largest tyre manufacturer in the world. Founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi in Japan, the company had humble beginnings. Its visual identity in the form of its logo has undergone several changes to adapt to market changes and corporate philosophies. This article is a detailed overview of the history and evolution of the Bridgestone logo and includes key timelines of its changes.
The Genesis of the Bridgestone Logo (1931 – 1940)
The original Bridgestone logo featured the brand name in black alongside an emblem that included the letters “BS” within an intricate shape that resembled a “stone.” The individual letters of the brand name were spaced apart. This design symbolised the “Bridgestone” name and laid the foundation for the brand’s identity.
(1940 – 1950)
In this period, the typography was slightly updated to feature bolder letters to enhance legibility. The letters in a classic serif style were spaced close to each other. This change aimed to make the brand name more recognisable. However, the emblem was retained.
(1950 – 1974)
The logo underwent a significant transformation in 1950 as it transitioned to a typeface without the serifs. This made the logo appear minimalist. Further, the glyphs were designed to appear uneven, similar to a natural stone, which connected the logo back to the brand’s name. The “BS” in the emblem was written using thin, tiny serifs.
(1974 – 1977)
During this time, the glyphs in the wordmark became wider, which affected legibility. The “stone” symbol adopted a yellow background with red outlines. This made for a colourful but awkward phase in the logo’s history.
(1977 – 1980)
In this logo redesign, the “stone” symbol was removed entirely, and the brand name in black, bold was italicised. This version lost its previous “stony” style and moved towards a more streamlined look.
(1980 – 1984)
To address the shortcomings of the previous design, a black triangle was introduced before the wordmark. The brand name was written in white with black shadows. This design element provided a dynamic feel while also symbolising the trucking industry, which was relevant to Bridgestone’s market.
(1984 – 2011)
In 1984, the logo was redesigned by PAOS, Inc. It removed the black triangle in the logo but subtly integrated its shape into the lower part of the letter “B.” The top of the “B” was coloured red to create a vivid accent against an otherwise monochrome design. The glyphs in the individual letters were shown similar to Nightwraith Italic, that is, streamlined and a rounded sans-serif. This logo represented a professional image while still being visually distinctive.
(2011 – Present)
In celebration of its 80th anniversary, Bridgestone refined its logo to enhance legibility and reflect its corporate philosophy of “coexistence with people around the world.” The new design features larger characters with increased spacing for better readability. The rounded top corner of the “B” symbolises accessibility and friendliness, which aligns with the global outreach goals of Bridgestone.
The Elements of the Bridgestone Logo
Font
The font of the Bridgestone logo changed with every iteration. For instance, the original serifs of the 1950s were replaced by the custom sans typeface. In 1974, a generic bold sans typeface came to the fore and was italicised a few years later in 1974. Since 1984, the Bridgestone logo has featured two custom typefaces.
Colour
Initially, the colour of the Bridgestone logo was monochrome. However, it was changed to yellow and red in 1974. Three years hence, the yellow and red colour palette was changed to monochrome. It was only in 1984 that the Bridgestone logo received a red accent.
Finally
Bridgestone’s logo evolution reflects changes in design trends as well as shifts in corporate philosophy and market strategies. Each iteration has contributed to establishing Bridgestone as a recognisable global brand within the automotive industry.