In the year 1929, in the city of Hiroshima, Jujiro Matsuda laid the foundation for what would later become the Mazda brand of automobiles in Japan. 1931 was the year when the business debuted its first vehicle. It is now one of the top 15 manufacturers in the world as measured by volume, and it is one of the automobile brands that sells the most units in both Asia and Russia.
Mazda Slogan
- Sakes Alive!
The significance and the past
The name of the company comes from that of its founder, Jujiro Matsuda, whose name is pronounced Mazda in Europe. But in addition to this interpretation, it may also refer to Ahura Mazda, the deity of harmony, knowledge, and illumination in the religions and cultures of Asia. As the creator of the company was a profoundly spiritual person, many people believe that the Mazda name and emblem contain a great deal of cryptic information.
In the early years of the company’s existence, one of its primary focuses was on the production of various types of tools and heavy equipment. Therefore, the first version of the brand’s logo was straightforward and understated.
What exactly is a Mazda?
Mazda is one of the most well-known vehicle manufacturers in Japan. The company was founded during the end of the 1920s, and it presented the world with its very first automobile in 1931. Today, Mazda is one of the industry’s leading manufacturers, and the company exports both passenger cars and commercial vehicles all over the globe.
1920 – 1928
In 1920, Mazda debuted its very first corporate logo, which continued to be used by the illustrious Japanese business for the next eight years. It was a striking abstract geometric insignia that was rendered in bold black lines and positioned against a backdrop that was unadorned. The round form of the logo was reminiscent of shuriken, which are among the most recognisable types of ninja weaponry.
1928 – 1931
The redesign that took place in 1928 resulted in the introduction of a red and white emblem with a simplistic appearance. The badge had a clean and flawless circular form, and it featured two broad horizontal lines emerging from the red frame and meeting in the middle of the badge. The severance points of the lines were separated from one another by a substantial distance.
1931 – 1934
In 1931, when the Mazda logo was first designed, it was based on a well-known Mitsubishi diamond insignia. This emblem was made up of three rhombuses joined at their corners to form a triangle. On top of the geometric insignia was written the logotype in a gorgeous bespoke cursive font, and it was white and blue.
1934
1934 saw the removal of all other elements from the emblem, leaving just the logotype. It replicated the outlines of the wordmark from the earlier version, but the lines of the letters were thinner, and this time they were solid black, in-line with the blue outline that had been used for “Mazda” since 1931.
1934 – 1936
In 1934, Mazda debuted its first official logo, which was a straightforward wordmark that was italicised and included graceful lines around the letters. The same year saw the introduction of the company’s very first vehicle with three wheels.
1936 – 1959
The geometrical sign that represents the company, which was modelled from the emblem of Hiroshima. There are three parallel lines that meet in the centre to create the letter “M” three times. Mazda Motor Manufacturer is represented by three capital letters “M.” There is a strong resemblance between aviation and the emblem that depicts the movement of the Hiroshima river.
1951 – 1972
In 1951, the Japanese automobile manufacturer debuted the black-and-white geometric logo that they used on their vehicles. It had a very intriguing abstract composition that was made up of three triangles heading in a downward direction. They were all comprised of diverse components, such as thin black and white lines that were cut straight through, and they were arranged in a variety of ways to produce distinctive forms for the symbols. For almost twenty years, Mazda used this enigmatic and cutting-edge emblem as their primary identifier.
1954 – 1974
The rebranding that took place in 1954 resulted in the introduction of a text-based logo in a new colour scheme of blue and white. Only the word “Mazda” was written in uppercase, and it was done in a constricted italicised sans-serif font. The letters were firm and rigid, and the contours and strong lines had sharp edges.
1959 – 1975
The letter “M” is rendered in a less bold fashion in the logo during this time period. It was introduced with the very first Mazda passenger automobiles and was intended to draw attention and stick in people’s minds. The strong brand, which places a high importance on design, is reflected by the letter’s bold lines inside a circular frame.
1975 – 1991
The company’s logo consisted just of a letter mark for close to three decades, during which time further elements and symbols were absent. That particular font went on to become instantly recognisable and is still used by the company to this very day. It is forward-looking and daring, and it is easily identifiable. However, there is nothing that is comparable to it.
1991 – 1992
Mazda made the conscious decision to include symbolism into their emblem. The company employed an insignia in the form of a diamond, which was meant to signify brightness and the sun. In its original form, it had sharp angles and precise lines; in 1992, however, it underwent a makeover that used rounded corners and gentle curves. The Mazda logo that was used in 1992 served as the foundation for the present design, which we are all familiar with.
1992 – 1997
In 1992, the outlines of the logo were smoothed down and improved. Every form was polished, then made more rounded and reduced in thickness. The writing, on the other hand, grew a little bit lighter, and the size of the letters shrunk as they went down the page. The Diamond and the framing became more circular than angular, which balanced the straight lines of the inscription, adding friendliness as well as a sense of loyalty and trustworthiness to the badge. In addition, the straight lines of the inscription were balanced out by the circular Diamond and framing.
1997 – 2015
1997 was the year that saw the introduction of the now-iconic trademark sign. The brand’s fluid way of thinking and vibrant spirit are reflected in the “V”-shaped wings, which form the letter “M,” in an oval frame. It is a celebration of motion and an orientation toward the future. It is innovative as well as fashionable.
The nameplate of the brand that was used in the 1970s may also be found here. It is positioned behind the insignia, and its execution is in a brilliant blue, which conjures up images of flying.
2015 – 2018
The famous silver Mazda logo was not altered in any way; the only change was that its formerly shiny surface turned matte. As for the logotype, it had also become silver by this time, but it had acquired a thin but noticeable blue edge. This was similar to the early brand’s logos, as was their colour palette, but it also spoke to the development and expansion of the automobile manufacturer.
2018 – Today
The Mazda logo is an insignia from 1988 that has been somewhat altered, as well as a wordmark, in which all of the letters are in lower case with the exception of the letter “D.” The colour scheme of silvery grey lends a contemporary and elegant air to the logo, which also contributes to its overall appeal. It is organised and cutting-edge, showcasing the very finest aspects of the company and the ideals it upholds.
Size and hue of the text
The primary badge of the Mazda automobiles features a stylized bold lowercase inscription that is set in a custom futuristic sans-serif typeface. This typeface is fairly similar in appearance to fonts such as Snasm Regular and Toxigenesis Bold, but it has been altered in a few places, and stencils have been added to the letter “Z.”
The Mazda visual identity has a colour palette that is mostly gradient silver metallic tones. There are no coloured elements included in the design. Because of the badge’s inherent simplicity, its appearance has been raised, and as a result, it is both beautiful and timelessly relevant. This enables the symbol to be placed on any backdrop without having its identity compromised.
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