American Tourister Logo PNG
Although simple, the American Tourister logo is incredibly informative. It conveys important messages to potential customers, encouraging them to use the brand’s products with confidence. That’s why almost every traveler takes a sturdy suitcase or a branded bag.
In 1933, European immigrant Sol Koffler opened a small workshop in an empty grocery store in Providence, Rhode Island. He had worked with steamer trunks and handbags and had seen the weakness of cheap American luggage. Most low-cost suitcases used thin plywood covered with paper or fabric. Koffler founded American Luggage Works with a practical goal: a stronger suitcase for $1.
The company sold 5,000 suitcases in its first year. Its major technical move came when Koffler adapted machinery once used to bend plywood for radio cabinets. The process created suitcase shells from a single curved piece with rounded corners, reducing the weak seams that often cracked. The line, fitted with zippers and soft linings, was named American Tourister, and the product name gradually replaced American Luggage Works.
In 1946, the brand launched its first national advertising campaign. During the 1950s, as postwar travel grew, American Tourister introduced molded plastic hard-shell luggage and the Trim and Slim Tri-Taper line. Later, Hi-Taper suitcases were designed for air travel, with lighter bodies and tapered profiles. In the 1960s, flight attendants tested the luggage on real airline routes, and the famous gorilla TV campaign turned durability into the brand’s main public message. Samsonite remained its main competitor in the higher-price segment.
In 1978, Koffler sold American Tourister to Hillenbrand Industries. In 1993, Hillenbrand sold it to Astrum International for about $70 million. Astrum already owned Samsonite, bringing the two major U.S. luggage rivals into one group. Astrum became Samsonite Corporation in 1995, and in 1996, it closed American Tourister plants in Rhode Island and Florida. The brand stayed separate, positioned as a more affordable alternative to Samsonite.
Meaning and History
Irving Koffler and the Sol brothers founded the company. The Sol brothers made the first investments in what would become a world-famous project. In 2009, the company was acquired by Astrum International Corporation. It was later renamed Samsonite Corporation. Even though the brand’s history goes back almost 100 years, its logo has changed only twice. This helped significantly increase the brand’s visual recognition.
What is American Tourister?
At the very least, it is an opportunity to buy a quality travel bag at an adequate price. Suitcases come in different sizes and colors, from children’s bags to sporty ones.
1933 – 1962
The first version of the logo appeared almost immediately after the company’s founding in 1933. It was made using a black-and-white color palette. It was a rectangle with rounded corners, containing the company logo and the brand’s name. The emblem featured a stylized airplane wing with a circle between the wings. Similar emblems were used by many airlines at that time. The emblem’s background was all black. ATheword “American, asatat the btop “and Tourister” at the bottom, in classic bold, sans-serif type. The letters were white and uppercase, with a black outline. The company logo also references the American market, as it completely repeats that era’s style.
1962 – 2014
The first major redesign made the logo more modern and appealing to the target audience. Its style is extremely similar to airline logos. It is an oval with a gradient gray edge that creates a sense of three-dimensionality. Toward the center, the color becomes completely white. At the center, the company name, “American Tourister,” appears in a classic, bold sans-serif font. The voluminous, thick capital letters look formal and serious, attracting buyers worldwide. Two curved lines, red and blue, sit above and below the name. This also refers to the airplane. Below the blue line on the right is also the inscription “Since 1933”. This shows the company’s experience and understanding of the market.
2014 – today
The most recent logo redesign took place in 2014. As a result, it became even more minimalistic, with the logo completely removed and only the wordmark remaining. It uses the same font as the previous version, but all the letters are slightly angled to the right. Overall, it feels italicized, which gives the logo a sense of speed. The dark red color looks more distinctive and fresh than the old color palette.
Under the name, a horizontal line runs through the middle, with “Since 1933” written in capital letters in the same color.
Font and Colors
As a rule, American Tourister always chose comfortable, readable fonts. They typically used classical sans-serif fonts in capital letters.
At different stages of the company’s functioning, a different color palette was used for the logo. The latest variant is based on dark red. It symbolizes passion and the desire to develop. As a world-renowned brand, the company fully realizes its goals.