Can You Recognize These Brands from the Old-School Logo?

By: Monica Lee
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Recognize These Brands from the Old-School Logo?
Image: Youtube via Riswan Hanafyah Harahap

About This Quiz

Why change a logo when it's so well recognized? When reviewing the type font and colors chosen, an old logo can indicate old-fashioned thinking - not progressive or innovative. Your favorite brand manufacturer knows how important impressions can be and will put a lot of money toward their business symbol, the logo. But it's not just the font chosen that is important. There are colors and symbols to consider as well. It's not easy, especially when fashion changes so quickly. For instance, colors that were trending for a minute, let's say avocado, can look outdated now. 

Another hurdle is that viewers' attention-spans top out after about three seconds. That means it's important to use simple, clear graphics and strong colors to get the most brand recognition for the buck. Designers who create these logos also recognize the importance of how big and how small the logo might be on a product. If the company has a long name, the logo can be difficult to use on a button or imprinted on merchandise and still be readable. 

So take a good look at the original logos and appreciate what these brand logos look like today. Take the quiz now - if you're a consumer, you've got this! 




Apple  original logo
Youtube via Matthew Pearce
Which old-school logo is this?
Career Education Corporation®
Jewels® Food Store
Web M.D.®
Apple®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although an apple a day will keep the doctor away, This Apple gives you the power to connect to the internet and more. As with all its products, the company has simplified their look today, as well as their logo.

Mozilla Firefox original logo
Youtube via Riswan Hanafyah Harahap
It has some similarities to Apple. Which old-school logo is this?
Starbucks®
Mozilla Firefox®
Goose Island Beer®
Hot Duck BBQ Sauce®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Similar to Apple® in that it deals with the internet, Mozilla Firebox is a platform you can use to surf the web. Someone realized that the name "fox" should be reflected in the logo.

Starbucks Original Logo
Youtube via Jinnmonkey
This company will wake you up. Which old-school logo is it?
Red Lobster®
Sam's Scuba® Rental Gear
Starbucks®
Mermaid Maid Service®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Does the smell of coffee feel like a siren (half woman, half bird), calling you? Well that's the creature from Greek mythology depicted with two tails or two wings, summoning you for your morning latte.

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Walt Disney  original logo
Youtube via Botany Bay Picture Films Inc.
This old-school logo feels like it has the stamp of the creator. Which logo is it?
Disney®
Carnival Cruises®
Apple Vacations®
Club Med Vacations®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Walt Disney is the creator of the company, Disney. This name now includes, movies, cartoons, merchandise, world-wide amusement parks, and so much more.

Google  original logo
Youtube via Riswan Hanafyah Harahap
You'll never be in doubt with this company. Which old-school logo is it?
Bing®
Playskool®
Lego®
Google®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Have a question? Google it. This is one of today's top companies, and the logo hasn't changed much over the years - just a fresher type front.

Nokia  original logo
Youtube via Riswan Hanafyah Harahap
Hello? Can you hear me? Which old-school logo is this?
Nokia®
Graty's Fish Food®
Sportmart®
Sprint®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nokia's first logo, designed in 1871, when Nokia was based in Nokai, Finland. At that time the company was manufacturing paper!

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Lego  original logo
Youtube via Mario Power
Which old-school logo is this?
Eggo®
Lego®
Playskool®
Tiny Tots®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You may have played with these as a kid, or you know children that play with them. The Lego Group began in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen (1891-1958), a carpenter from Billund, Denmark, and his business will continue for years to come.

Canon  original logo
Youtube via Zaida Muñoz Reyes
Smile! And answer this question: Which old-school logo is this?
Kodak®
Canon®
San Francisco Zen Center®
BlessedOne Wealth Planners®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The company was named, Kwanon after the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. This Goddess was the possessor of thousand arms and spitted flames. When bringing its products to the world, the company came up with a more forward-looking logo.

Amazon  original logo
Youtube via Riswan Hanafyah Harahap
It's too popular NOT to know it. Which old-school logo is this?
Amazon.com®
Amazonian Trading Company®
U.S. Postal Service®
Federal Express®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Amazon first started, it was only an online bookseller. That's why under the old logo's translucent "A” were the words "Amazon.com, Earth's biggest bookstore.”

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nintendo original logo
Youtube via Uncle Grusha
Play video games? Then which old-school logo is this?
Activision®
Sega®
X-box®
Nintendo®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Since their start in 1889, the logo consisted of the company name in kanji. It is believed to mean, "leave luck to heaven.” However, there are other opinions regarding the thoughts of the founders at that time.

Ford Motor Company original logo
Youtube via Hidden Halo
Car connoisseur? Then which old-school logo is this?
Nissan®
Forge and Fire®
Ford Motor Company®
Ford River Company®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The very first Ford logo was much different from today's. It contained a circle (now an oval) with a fashionable art nouveau border. It carried the entire name of the company.

Twitter original logo
Youtube via Riswan Hanafyah Harahap
When you can turn your logo into an image only, the company is well known. Which old-school logo is this?
Facebook®
Twitter®
Snapchat®
Instagram®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you can turn your logo into a bird without any words around it, you are a well-known company. The colors also changed from green to sky blue.

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Volkswagen original logo
Youtube via Logo Evolution
A car question for you: Which old-school logo is this?
Volvo®
Vision®
VL-Automotive®
Volkswagen®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The company's most famous car is the VW Beetle. This logo started out complicated, but today it is a simplified version.

Coca-Cola original logo
Youtube via CF'sLogoHistoryChannel
Soda or Pop? Either way, which old-school logo is this?
Coca-Cola®
Pepsi-Cola®
Dad's Root Beer®
Barq's Root Beer®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

From getting the world to sing about Coca-Cola, this company has always updated itself to remain as relevant as possible in countries across the world. The old logo was black typeface, but in today's logo the color red is highly associated with it.

Radio Shack original logo
Youtube via Box500 Productions
Which old-school logo is this?
Radiohead®
Radio Shack®
Ghost Busters®
Firestone Radial Tire ®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1921 two brothers wanted to provide equipment for the then-nascent field of amateur, or ham, radio. They chose the name "Radio Shack." The name has stayed the same, but the type face and use of the "circle R" have changed with the times.

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Playboy Logo
osdatabase via Youtube
This logo has been around for a long time. Which old-school logo is it?
Peter Rabbit® books
Playboy®
Robo Cologne®
Rabbit Hole Bourbon®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This playful little logo is from the Playboy Club. As you can see, the logo was simplified into a bunny head and made more masculine looking with the bow tie and black-and-white choice of colors.

MTV original logo
Youtube via CF'sLogoHistoryChannel
Here's a musical question: Which old-school logo is this?
Music Box Theatre®
MTV®
El Mundo Television®
XRT Radio Station®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Here is another company who simplified their logo since it was first launched in 1981. The original logo, a gloved hand holding a musical note popping out of the letters "MTV" has been transformed to a rockin' "M" with a funky "TV."

Kentucky Fried Chicken original logo
Youtube via EvolutionDay
Which old-school logo is this?
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Brown's Chicken
McDonald's
Taco Bell
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's a good thing the original logo isn't being used today - the floating head of Colonel Sanders is a little unappetizing. Today's logo is sleek and strong, using "KFC" instead of the long cumbersome name, and Colonel Sanders has a neck and shoulders.

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Discovery Channel original logo
Youtube via Raz Channel
Here's another easy one. Which old-school logo is this?
The Lewis & Clark Discovery Exhibition®
The Discovery Channel®
Discovery Vacations®
Journey to Discovery®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the original logo, the company used a flat representation for the world. In the latest version, there is a globe, cleaner lettering and eye-pleasing kerning (the spacing between letters) to give it a contemporary flair.

Shell Gasoline Company original logo
Youtube via Mahaan Jankari
This original logo is hard to identify. Which old-school logo is it?
Einstein's Bagels®
Shell Gasoline Company®
Damascus Falafel®
Playdough®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The original Shell logo appeared in the early 1900s and was a poor drawing of a mussel shell. Once the scalloped shell replaced it, the logo became much stronger and sleeker, with bright red and yellow brought in to accent the logo.

Microsoft original logo
Youtube via Dylan Taylor
Which old-school logo is this?
Micron Imaging Industries®
Microeconomics Consulting®
Micro Surgery Suppliers®
Microsoft®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Microsoft changed logos a few times, the original 1978 design used the cool type font of the times, and then dropped it in 1987 and used a dark green background. Today's logo is angled forward, as in accelerating, and has a clean, easy-to-read type face.

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Nike original logo
Youtube via EvolutionDay
So well known, today it only needs a symbol. Which old-school logo is it?
Nike®
Adidas®
New Balance®
Nokia®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

All you need to recognize this logo today is a single curved line that goes thicker at one end. This swoosh was incorporated in the first logo, along with the name.

Pepsi-Cola Company original logo
Youtube via PvP Beasts
Do you remember the taste test? Either way, which old-school logo is it?
Pepsi-Cola Company®
Coca-Cola Company®
Pepi Pet Store®
Petri Dish Supplies®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pepsi's original logo was red script on white. They swapped the fancy script for clean black lettering in 1962. Introduced in 1972 , the bottlecap stylized circle had many iterations up until today, where the striped circle stands alone as Pepsi's logo.

Walmart original logo
Youtube via CF'sLogoHistoryChannel
This company has storefronts across the country. Which old-school logo is it?
Wallpaper City®
Walmart®
Sam's Club®
Costco®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The original 1962 logo was simply the brand name in a font that was available to its printer. There have been various versions throughout the years until 2008, which was when they included its company tagline as well as placed a yellow star-like symbol on the side of its name.

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Renault original logo
Youtube via Box500Productions
Here's a bit of a challenge: What old-school logo is this?
Rolex®
Versace®
Renault
Rosso di Montalcino® Wine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Renault's logo began as a medallion with the founders' initials in 1900. There were other versions until 1925, when Renault displayed the diamond shape logo. The signature yellow color was added to the logo in 1946.

Zayre original logo
Youtube via The Museum of Classic Chicago Television
Although now defunct, this store offered good values. Which old-school logo is this?
Venture®
Zayre®
Sam's Club®
Costco®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Zayre was a chain of discount stores that operated in the eastern half of the United States from 1956 to 1990. The logo used red, black and white with a clean, crisp type face. It also sometimes contained a red flower-like design next to the "Z".

Venture® original logo
Youtube via The Museum of Classic Chicago Television
Was there one in your town? Which old-school logo is this?
Venture®
Zayre®
Service Merchandise®
Sam's Club®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Venture Stores, Inc., was a chain of retail stores aimed at the discount department store market. Although now defunct, you may recognize the zebra striping that went along with its name.

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Service Merchandise original logo
Youtube via The Museum of Classic Chicago Television
Which old-school logo is this?
Merchandise Mart®
Service Merchandise®
Service ManPower®
Merchandise Showcase®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bringing catalogs and showrooms together, Service Merchandise had a good run for 68 years (from 1934 to 2002). This retailer chain had one of everything, including fine jewelry, toys, sporting goods and electronics.

Siemens original logo
Youtube via What a Brand
This company has been around for a while. Which old-school logo is it?
Lexus®
SKYY Vodka®
Springbank®
Siemens®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Siemens original logo in 1899 combined the "S" and "H," which were the initials of its founders - Siemens and Halske. When the company was renamed as Siemens AG, the logo changed. The latest update in 1991 contains the cyan-colored "SIEMENS" typeface.

Xerox Haloid original logo
Youtube via Kryakvina
Another challenging one. Which old-school logo is this?
Henderson and Loyd Clothier®
Xerox®
Polariod®
Halo Top®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1937 the company was known as Haloid Company, but the name was changed in 1961 when its best-selling printer, the Haloid Xerox 914, was remembered more than the company name. Since then, the Xerox typeface became the only feature of the logo until 2008, when a red ball symbol with the white letter ‘X' on it was added.

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Fiat original logo
Youtube via xAlby Tecno
This has been changed immensely since the original logo. Which old-school logo is it?
World of Mapmaking®
Cobble Hill Jigsaw Puzzle Company®
Fiat®
Flat-Top Grill Restaurant®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fiat's first logo was an unappealing brown leather patch that contained company information. It was only two years later, in 1901, that Fiat came up with a proper logo. Although there were many iterations over the years, the tilted letter "A" is present in most of them.

IBM original logo
Youtube via Bisesbimby
Which old-school logo is it?
ITR America®
IBM®
IT International®
iTunes®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When International Time Recording Company and Computing Scale Company merged in 1911, the first IBM logo was created. It was not until 1947 that IBM created its well-known typeface logo. Since 1972, IBM blue horizontally-striped logo has remained as is.

LG Electronics original logo
Youtube via Alin Tecsan
Another puzzler. Which old-school logo is it?
Lucky Cigarettes®
LG Electronics®
Goldstar Ticketron®
LG Cleaners®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

What does LG stand for? It's a merger of Lucky and GoldStar companies. In 1995, this company changed its name to LG Electronics and included the company tagline ‘Life's Good' in it's present-day logo.

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MasterCard original logo
Youtube via Bionic Disco
Here's another head-scratcher. Which old-school logo is it?
Interbank Currency®
International House of Pancakes®
Interbank Harvester®
MasterCard®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Looking at the 1966 logo, it is hard to imagine it became the MasterCard logo we know today. MasterCard used to be known as Interbank in 1966. The "Interbank/Master Charge" was renamed "MasterCard" in 1979. Subsequently, a logo was created with two overlapping red and orange circles and the name "MasterCard" added.

Mitsubishi original logo
Youtube via BE AMAZED
This one started out as a symbol. Which old-school logo is it?
Lexus®
Volvo®
Mitsubishi®
Mercedes Benz®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first logo of Mitsubishi was derived from a combination of two age-old Japanese family crests in 1875. The logo was updated in 1964 to thicken each diamond shape. The latest logo update includes the word 'Mitsubishi' and its tagline.

Peugeot original logo
Youtube via Evolution Logo
Does this look familiar? Which old-school logo is it?
First Midwest Bank®
Art Institute of Chicago®
Harris Bank and Trust®
Peugeot®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the original logo and all other variations, the Peugeot lion has been a constant symbol. The most significant change was the addition of the blue background to the logo in 1998.

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Palm Computing Platform original logo
Youtube via TheTsuno1111
Which old-school logo is it?
Palm Tree Vacations®
Palm Plantations®
Palm®
Palm Facial Cleanser®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Palm was founded in 1992, when it was known as Palm Computing. The logo was a simple dotted ‘P' on five horizontal lines. The company, now know as 'Palm", has a circular orange logo.

General Electric original logo
Youtube via Zaida Muñoz Reyes
Which old-school logo is this?
Jewelry Exchange®
Jennifer Hudson Productions®
Jammies Unlimited®
General Electric®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Created around 1900, this design was originally made to be a symbol for the center of one of the first electric fans. In 2004, together with the introduction of the new corporate color blue, the new, easier-to-read logo was designed.

Target (Daytons) original logo
Youtube via Riswan Hanafyah Harahap
Do you know your business history? Which old-school logo is it?
Target®
Dayton and Smith®
Daytime Playschool®
Macy's®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you know your history of buyouts, mergers and name changes, you might recognize the Dayton's logo as Target. Dayton Hudson changed its name to Target in the year 2000.

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UPS Model T 1921
Wikimedia Commons
Which old-school logo is this?
UPS®
US Postal Service®
Federal Express®
Spirit Airlines®
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Eagle and Shield was the very first UPS logo, created in 1916 by the founder of UPS. The logo also had the words "Swift, safe and sure” as a description of their services.

You Got:
/40
Youtube via Riswan Hanafyah Harahap