Gucci is a brand with a history of luxury goods, iconic power, and extravagance. When people think of Gucci, they think of a brand with lasting power that only sells high-quality, expensive, luxurious products. Part of the reason people associate Gucci with luxury is due to its logo design.
The Gucci logo design is iconic. It is not only associated with the brand, but it acts as a symbol. When people see the double G’s on a product, they immediately elevate its value. That’s the power of branding and the power of world-class logo design.
While you may want to convey different features — affordability, comfort, or something entirely unrelated to the fashion/clothing industry — understanding how the Gucci logo design has helped Gucci can help you learn more about the power of logo design. It can help you discover how your own logo can work for you and your business.
Table of Contents
- The Gucci History
- Operating without a Logo Design
- The Double G Logo
- Logo Recognition
- The Logo Design Fight
- How Can You Model the Success of the Gucci Logo Design
The Gucci History
Guccio Gucci once worked as a hotel employee shuttling between London and Paris. While he was working, he noticed the kinds of luggage he would carry for guests. Specific patterns and styles caught his eye. He was particularly impressed by the kind of materials used. This high-quality luxe luggage wasn’t something he was used to seeing in his everyday life.
In 1920, Guccio Gucci moved back home to Florence. Once he was there, he decided to use the luggage he had previously handled as inspiration. He specialized in high-end, luxury items including designer leather luggage. He officially launched his first store in 1921 in Florence. Gucci chose to start small with a single store where he could monitor the quality of the work and where he could test the waters to see if he could succeed as a store owner.
His shop had a number of talented artists and craftsmen working for him to help create these luxury leather products. Gucci had admired the little details of the leather luggage he previously handled and wanted to incorporate those details into his business. The store took off and Gucci found himself with a successful business. To help the business grow, he brought in his three sons. He then looked at expanding the business to new locations, adding a store in Rome and another store in Milan shortly thereafter.
Operating without a Logo Design
From 1921 until 1933, Gucci operated without a logo design. It’s not clear whether the logo design was simply something Gucci had not considered or whether the business was simply doing well enough without one.
This brings up an important topic that clients often ask: do I really need a logo? Yes, it’s possible to have a successful business without a logo. However, when a logo design is missing, there isn’t an opportunity to imprint a specific image in a customer’s mind. There isn’t that chance for additional recognition. When someone sees the Gucci logo today, they immediately think of high-quality fashion products. This design not only gives the fashion label a professional image, but it gives customers an easy way to sort through products when looking for Gucci products.
At the time, Guccio Gucci was focused on several small areas of marketing while maintaining most of his business through word of mouth. With that kind of promotion, he really didn’t need a logo for name recognition. However, as Gucci expanded (and as the company entered the modern technological age) — the logo design became vital to the company’s success. As competition within the business world continues to grow, people are quick to realize that every detail really does matter. Name recognition and logo recognition are important revenue pieces for any successful business.
The Double-G Logo
Aldo Gucci decided to create a logo for the Gucci company in 1933 when he was brought into the business. He took a look at what his father had created with his brothers and decided that the company should have a professional logo that they could use for marketing purposes.
The Gucci design is two G’s put together to resemble two circles or a chain link image such as a jewelry chain. Not everyone notices that the image is actually two G’s put together, but the reason for the two G’s has to do with Gucci’s full name. Aldo Gucci wanted the logo to honor the hard work that his father had put into building the company. He also wanted to honor his lineage and create a legacy for his family as his three brothers worked there too. It made sense to use the name Gucci but to add the additional “G” for his father.
The reason this particular logo design is clever is because of the way the two G’s are connected to create the symbol. It’s clean and classy. It’s easy to understand and comprehend, while the hidden element of the two G’s adds mystique and a sense of uniqueness. This would have been missing from the logo design if Aldo had simply slapped two G’s together in succession.
The Gucci company often includes the name “Gucci” above the double G’s to ensure that customers recognize the brand. That said, after years of successful branding the double G’s can just as easily stand alone on products. The symbol logo design has been used to create textile designs and act as tassels on luggage or purses. Some customers specifically seek out Gucci products that feature the double G’s as a sign of status and of course due to the underlying aesthetic appeal.
Logo Recognition
At the time of this article, the Gucci logo design has existed for 80+ years. This logo recognition is something that cannot be bought but has to be earned. Rather than rebrand their logo, Gucci rebrands their overall image every fashion season with different themes. This is the kind of longevity that a logo should have for a business. You want a logo that can stay relevant while still capturing the essence of your business for years to come.
Preserving a logo design (and avoiding costly rebranding), allows businesses to build recognition. Logo design recognition can change the way your clients and customers perceive you. This recognition can help you sell more products and services. It can also serve as another marketing touchpoint for new offerings.
When you begin the process of branding (or rebranding) your company, be sure to talk about the importance of having a logo that can stand the test of time. Make sure that your designer understands logo recognition.
This is also a great time to make sure that you are 100% satisfied with your business name. You want to choose your business name, color scheme, and logo design with an eye towards the future. Align your future goals and vision with all of the above. Consistency is important if you want to achieve logo recognition for your brand. Consistency is often a direct result of proper planning from the beginning.
The Logo Design Fight
So just how important is logo design to Gucci? In 2012, the brand made a colossal mistake. They lost their UK trademark for the actual logo design itself. The UK’s intellectual property laws allowed other brands to legally create fake imitations of the logo. This wreaked havoc on the Gucci brand because their iconic logo was legally allowed to be used by anyone selling goods.
When cheaper and lower quality brands started using the logo, Gucci knew that it would damage their reputation. Despite their long history of high-quality, luxury goods, it was inevitable that a loss of quality control would begin to change the way the public viewed Gucci products.
Gucci went to court to fight for their logo design, aka trademark. They desperately needed their trademark status back. Unfortunately, Gucci lost their logo design fight. In the UK, other brands can continue to use the Gucci logo design on their materials. However, Gucci has made sure to keep their trademark status active in other countries after their UK trademark debacle.
This is an important lesson for business owners. Always pay attention to your trademark filings and to any legal protection for your logo. It’s also important to consider what logo designs your competitors are using in your space. You do not want to break trademark copyright rules and copy another logo design. You must have your own recognition throughout the industry. Your name, color scheme, symbol/icon, or graphics all directly affect that recognition.
How Can You Model the Success of the Gucci Logo Design
You can model the success of the Gucci logo design by defining/understanding what makes your brand great. Aldo Gucci knew that what made Gucci great was his father. It was his eye for detail that prompted the hiring of highly skilled, talented craftsmen to work on the brand. It was his inspiration for the high-quality luggage that he carried as a hotel employee that launched the company. It was his idea to include his family in the company.
Use this as inspiration to identify your core values as a brand. Create a brand identity. Discover what matters most to the recognition of your brand. Ask yourself:
- What do others see in your brand?
- What do you sell and why?
- Who do you impact?
- Who or what makes your brand what it is?
Answering these questions will reveal a perfect starting point for creating your logo design. In addition to defining your unique selling proposition, it’s definitely beneficial to find a designer to work with. It’s difficult to create a high-quality logo design on your own, particularly one that is going to be recognizable by customers and clients.
You want a logo that you do not need to constantly update because it looks out of place or outdated. While Aldo Gucci was able to come up with something interesting and innovative (that captured the spirit of his brand), the logo itself has a modern touch that was added later on by a designer.
Building a logo that works cohesively with your brand will give you the greatest potential for growth and development as a company. The Gucci logo design can be used as inspiration when defining goals for your own logo design.
If there is something about the Gucci logo design that speaks to you, or a design aesthetic you would like to emulate, try not to shy away from sharing this with your designer. Professional logo designers can help you evoke the key characteristics of your business without copying or coming too close to another design.
Our briefing process here at Logo Coast always welcomes input from the client. We love when clients present with their own ideas. We believe that for a logo to truly succeed it should not only appeal to the target audience but to the owner themselves. Passion influences dedication. Does your current logo/branding identity represent you to the fullest?
