Founded in 1919 by Isaac Carasso in Barcelona, Spain, Danone is a world-renowned producer and distributor of food products, especially dairy. This French multinational company owns more than 180 manufacturing sites, several laboratories, agro-industrial entities, and trademarks. The Danone logo has undergone several changes since the inception of the company, which reflect its growth and evolving brand identity. This article explores the history and evolution of the Danone logo and highlights the key design changes and their significance.
The Genesis of the Danone Logo (1919–1968)
Since Danone began its journey as a yoghurt manufacturing company, its original logo has reflected the same. It consisted of two wordmarks at two levels rendered in brown. The top level featured the wordmark “YOGHOURT” in a smaller size. Under the wordmark was the brand name “DANONE” in a thick, bold geometric style font. Besides the pointed glyphs, the letters “A” and “E” had unusual design elements (a small inverted triangle and circle) as crossbars.
(1968-1980)
The first logo redesign saw a change in the styling of the wordmark and the removal of the word “YOGHOURT.” Rendered in a blue-violet colour scheme, the letters appeared in a playful font where the letters “A” and “E” had diagonal crossbars.
(1970-1995)
The next iteration of the logo was introduced in 1970. It featured a simple design with the word “DANONE” displayed in white capitals on a horizontally oriented ellipse in purple. The bottom of the oval was separated by three white stripes to create a distinct visual element. And below the ellipse was mentioned the brand name in bold uppercase letters in purple. This logo aimed to establish a recognisable brand identity as Danone began to expand its market presence.
(1971-1994)
In 1971, the logo underwent a redesign that introduced a blue hexagon as its background. The white wordmark was now prominently displayed within this hexagon, which had rounded angles except for the top and bottom. The upper section of the hexagon was deep blue, while the lower part was a lighter blue, thereby giving the logo a friendlier appearance. This change reflected Danone’s commitment to quality and its growing reputation in the dairy market.
(1992-2004)
By 1992, the logo saw the addition of a red swoosh-like curve at the bottom of the blue hexagon with a gradient. This curve brightened the overall design and gave it a more dynamic feel. The logo became more visually appealing and modern and aligned with Danone’s ambitions to create a strong global presence.
(2004-Present)
In 2004, the logo was further refined. The red curve transformed into a smile and was positioned beneath the wordmark, which was now rendered in a modern white typeface. The hexagon was replaced with an oval shape that had two sides cut at rounded angles. This version of the logo aimed to evoke warmth and professionalism to reinforce the image of Danone as a trustworthy brand.
(2013-2020)
This logo was built upon the previous design but features a significant change in colour. The wordmark is now a gradient blue pinned against a white background, which made the red smile element stand out more prominently. This design emphasises confidence and clarity and aligns with Danone’s mission to promote health and well-being.
(2020-Today)
In 2020, the previous logo was refreshed wherein the elements were made simpler. The gradient blue in the wordmark was replaced with solid blue, while the smile underline was made bigger and brighter.
(2007-2010)
In addition to the logo, Danone introduced an emblem in the 1990s, which featured a boy looking up at a star. This figure represented Daniel Carasso, the founder’s son, and symbolised the brand’s heritage and commitment to quality. The emblem was designed to reflect the company’s values of purity and naturalness.
(2010-2017)
This particular emblem replicated the earlier one of a boy looking at a star. However, the wordmarks were changed with “DANONE,” “NUTRICIA,” and “Early Life Nutrition” featured in three levels.
(2017-Present)
The emblem was updated in 2017, with the boy’s face turned to the right. A lighter gradient blue colour was introduced as well. The tagline “ONE PLANET, ONE HEALTH” was added beneath the image and presented in a handwritten style. This change signifies Danone’s dedication to sustainability and health. It reinforced Danone’s mission to create a positive impact on the planet.
The Elements of the Danone Logo
Font
Danone’s visual identity has undergone various changes over the years, especially in its background, typography, and design elements. However, most of these alterations have often been subtle. The logo prominently features the Futura Heavy font, designed by Paul Renner, which is characterised by its geometric shapes.
Colour
In 2005, the logo was modernised with the introduction of a curved crossbar in the letter “N.” Additionally, the colour palette evolved from a monochromatic scheme to a vibrant blue with gradient transitions. The logo is further complemented by white and red accents.
The History of Danone
The journey of Danone begins with Isaac Carasso, a visionary pharmacist from Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1919. He established a company in Barcelona that would have a lasting impact on the food industry. He named it Danone after his son Daniel, who recognised the potential of yoghurt for its health benefits, especially for children with digestive issues. In 1929, Daniel Carasso took the reins and expanded the yoghurt business across France. However, during World War II, Daniel relocated to New York, where he introduced yoghurt to the American market with Dannon Milk Products, Inc.
After the war, Danone continued to grow and launched fruit-flavoured yoghurt and baby food during the 1950s and 1960s, which soon became a global favourite. In the 1970s, the company expanded into bottled water and beer with brands like Evian and Kronenbourg. It later added LU biscuits and Royal Numico to its portfolio and ventured into medical nutrition with Nutricia.
In recent years, Danone has emphasised health and sustainability through probiotic yoghurt Activia and plant-based drinks from Alpro. In 2017, it acquired WhiteWave Foods, a major player in organic and plant-based products, for $12.5 billion. This cemented the position of Danone as a leader in the healthy and sustainable food industry. Today, Danone operates in over 120 countries, with well-known brands like Dannon, Activia, Actimel, Alpro, and Evian. The company focuses on three main areas: dairy and plant-based products, specialised nutrition, and bottled water.
Thus, from its modest beginnings as a small dairy business in Barcelona, Danone has grown into a global leader. It has consistently stayed at the forefront of the dairy and wellness industry. And with its commitment to meeting consumer needs and offering nutritious, sustainable foods, Danone is poised to lead the way in healthy eating.
Interesting Facts About Danone
- Danone is arguably a world leader in producing food products, especially dairy, baby food, bottled water, and medical nutrition.
- Danon is the biggest Yoghurt brand in the United States.
- PepsiCo is rumoured to have tried taking over Danone in 2005-2006. However, the French government thwarted the move.
- Danone was established by Isaac Carasso in 1919 to produce cultured yoghurt for medical purposes.
- Though a French company, Danone was established in Barcelona, Spain. It was only after 10 years that the company shifted its base to France.
- The company is named Danone after Daniel Carasso (Danon), the nickname of the founder’s son.
- Danone has a significant presence in more than 120 countries.
- Since 1987, China has been the leading market for Danone.
- In 1992, Antoine Riboud visited Russia and saw long queues in front of a McDonald’s store. Interestingly, there was a long queue in front of the Danone store in Russia the next year.
- Danone organises the Danone Nations Cup (DNC), the biggest competition for children aged between 10 and 12 years.
- Some of the popular Danone products include Activia (a probiotic yoghurt) and Evian (bottled water).
- Danone has a strong research and development section that works towards developing innovative and nutritious products. In fact, it has founded Nutricia Research in the Netherlands, with 400 scientists and experts.
Finally
The evolution of the Danone logo shows the journey of the company from a small yoghurt producer to a global food giant. Each design change has been purposeful and reflects Danone’s values of quality, trust, and commitment to health. Today, the logo symbolises the rich heritage of the brand and its ongoing mission to promote the well-being of people through nutritious products.