The atmosphere of the Wild West is conveyed in the emblem of this fast food chain because Arby’s logo consists of an imitation of a cowboy hat. It also resembles the headdress of Hispanics and the tip of hot pepper. That is, the identity of the restaurants is associated with well-seasoned dishes intended for lovers of simple and tasty food.
Arby’s: Brand overview
Founded: | July 23, 1964 |
Founder: | Forrest Raffel, Leroy Raffel |
Headquarters: |
Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
Website: | arbys.com |
Meaning and History
Arby’s company was founded in 1964. Many people assume that its name is composed of the first letters of the phrase “Roast Beef” (“Arby” can be considered the phonetically recorded sound of “RB”), but in reality, it is not. The possessive apostrophe “s” indicates that “RB” is an abbreviation for Raffel Brothers.
Leroy and Forrest Raffel were born businessmen. At first, they were engaged in supplying restaurant equipment and then decided to open a fast-food chain, excluding popular hamburgers from the menu. Arby’s served sandwiches, salads, sauces, and soft drinks. In the second half of the 1970s, the family business was bought by RC Cola, which in the early 1980s was acquired by DWG corporation. Inspire Brands Inc now own Arby’s trademark.
The sandwich restaurant chain stands out from the competition with its iconic cowboy hat logo. It changed many times but almost always remained within the same concept.
What is Arby’s?
Arby’s is a US-based fast-food chain created for sandwich lovers. The restaurant menus have sandwiches with duck breast and cherry sauce, chicken and parmesan, meatballs, turkey, beef stew, crispy onions, tomatoes, and other fillings.
1964 – 1976
Arby’s first emblem was for road signs, so sign maker Peskin Sign Co. designed it. It was a giant hat in a classic western style. The headdress consisted of two uneven brown fragments. The top half-read “Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich” in white letters and “IS DELICIOUS” on the bottom. For the first part, the designers used a block typeface with expressive rectangular serifs; for the second, a thin typeface with short and sharp serifs.
1975 – 2012
In 1975, the full drawing was replaced with a red line depicting the outline of a ten-gallon hat. The text was shortened to a short and extensive “Arby’s,” and the developers rounded all the corners and placed the word in the center, dividing the unbroken outline of the headgear into two winding stripes.
2012 – 2013
On the eve of its 50th anniversary, the fast-food chain decided to redesign. Many people associate this event with an attempt to divert attention from high-profile scandals that have spoiled the image of Arby’s. The most famous of these is the case when a client found a severed finger in a sandwich. The changes were timed to coincide with the Slicing Up Freshness marketing campaign. To interpret the new slogan, the designers stylized the apostrophe mark as a circular, rotating blade that hung over the letter “s.” So they wanted to show that cutting meat does not occur in a factory but directly in a restaurant.
The font has become lowercase and has lost the iconic serifs. He lost his individuality: there was no Western spirit left in him, but cold geometric precision appeared. The cowboy hat was retained, but consumers did not like its three-dimensional sheen around the edges. It was unambiguously acknowledged that the design did not evoke an appetite among visitors, so the company was forced to change the logo again after a few months.
2013 – today
Realizing their mistakes, the Arby’s restaurant chain returned to the classic style of identity. The developers used the 1975 logo as a base. They slightly changed the shape of the lines and used a block font with rectangular serifs for the inscription. This is a tribute to the brand’s long history.
Why does Arby’s logo work?
1. Simple
Arby’s logo is very modest. It doesn’t have a lot of details to look at. Therefore, everything in the brand name is simple and clear: the name and a stylized cowboy hat symbolize high authority, trust, nobility, and positive moral qualities. As a result, visitors will instantly recognize the emblem. And extra design elements only confuse.
2. Scalable
The Arby’s badge adapts comfortably to any screen, small or large. This is explained: a universal image is easy to reduce or, conversely, enlarge. It works equally well on websites, business cards, vans, streamers, banners, and other promotional media.
3. Actual
The graphic specialists have ensured that the Arby’s emblem with the famous cowboy hat is instantly associated with classic American cuisine. With well-done meat, French fries, and other Wild West delicacies, where this brand came from. The reason is in the red color and in the unusual shape of the headdress, which resembles a steak. Therefore, at one glance at the logo, customers immediately salivate.
4. Timeless
Legendary symbols are timeless. Arby’s logo is one of them. Like the identity of McDonald’s or Pizza Hut, it meets the needs of the food industry and consumer demand in the same way. As a result, the logo retains its graphic features for over half a century, thanks to which it has become recognizable and attracted many customers.
5. Memorable
The key factor in a memorable sign is charisma. Energy is transmitted through it, which is subconsciously or emotionally caught by clients. This is how they begin to distinguish the logo from its competitors. Arby’s logo falls into this category. Due to its internal charge, it easily pops up in consumers’ memory, although they do not make any effort for this.
Font and Colors
Since the Raffel Brothers originally wanted to call their business Big Tex, the ten-gallon hat on the logo seems very appropriate as it is the stereotypical headgear of the Texas people. As it evolved, it was simplified to a red outline. In some commercials, the hat was a symbol of the desire to go to Arby’s. The logo appeared overhead like a light bulb in cartoons, forcing people to go to a restaurant.
The closest font used for the modern Arby’s logo is known as Sanchez Black. But the designers modified it so that they got a distinctive block typeface, decorated with large serifs with rounded corners.
The typography of the previous brand name was completely different. It was based on sans serif line lettering. The letters were rounded like in Futura Bold but slightly different from the base font. Considering that such a design did not correspond to the cowboy style, the restaurant chain leaders decided to return to the classics.
But the color almost never changed. The red and white palette looks very emotional and conveys the atmosphere of the Wild West. Moreover, red symbolizes not only strength, energy, or power. It is associated with hunger, which is why it can often be seen in the identities of fast food companies.
Arby’s color codes
Neon Red | Hex color: | #fd121a |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 253 18 26 | |
CMYK: | 0 93 90 1 | |
Pantone: | PMS Bright Red C |
What does the Arby’s symbol stand for?
The cowboy hat logo reflects the distinctive Wild West ambiance that characterizes Arby’s restaurants.
Is the Arby’s logo a hat or an oven mitt?
Even though Arby’s used an animated character in the form of a potholder in the old ad, its logo depicts not an oven mitt but a cowboy hat.
What is the Arby’s logo supposed to be?
The fast-food chain logo consists of two parts: a wordmark and an abstract emblem. In the center is the word ‘Arby’s’ in bold serif type. It is surrounded by lines that form the silhouette of a cowboy hat.
What is Arby’s current slogan?
The brand’s current slogan was unveiled in 2018 as part of a new advertising campaign. It sounds like this: ‘Arby’s. We Have The Meats… for Sandwiches. ’
Why is arbys logo a cowboy hat?
The Arby’s logo is designed in the form of a cowboy hat because it symbolizes the Old West, where this fast food restaurant chain first appeared. In 1964, its creators wanted to make a new type of interior that would look more expensive than the standard catering outlets of those years. They took cowboy design and dishes popular in the Wild West as a basis. A tall hat is an element of style and a hint of American cuisine.
When did Arby’s slogan change?
Arby’s slogan was last changed in 2014. The company’s administration decided to keep up with the times, so they implemented a strategy focused on millennials. In order not to grow old with a constant customer base, the management approved a new motto – ‘We Have the Meats.’ It replaced the slogan ‘Slicing up Freshness.’ This was not reflected in Arby's emblem.
What was arbys old slogan?
Fast food chain Arby’s has some old slogans that have changed. The most recent is Slicing up Freshness (until 2014). There were others before him: ‘It’s Good Mood Food’ (until 2012), ‘Worth Every Penny’ (until 2011), ‘I’m Thinking Arby’s,’ ‘Every Day Tastes So Good,’ and ‘What Are You Eating Today?’ (until 2009), ‘Satisfy your grown-up tastes’ (until 2003). The very first motto of this company is ‘Roast Beef Sandwich Is Delicious.’ It was used in Arby’s logo.
What does the Arby’s logo mean?
The Arby’s logo signifies the excellence of Wild West cuisine, which is the staple menu of this fast food chain. Potatoes and meat are the key ingredients that serve as the basis of local dishes. On this occasion, the restaurant creators used a cowboy hat as the symbol of Arby’s. And the inscription present in it denotes the founders of the brand - Raffel Brothers (rb and ’s).
Is Arby’s logo an oven mitt?
No, the Arby’s logo is not an oven mitt because it’s not an oven mitt but a cowboy-style men’s hat. It is used to create the atmosphere of the Wild West with its traditional food and interior design. After all, this cuisine dominates the menu of these fast food restaurants. In addition, the hat represents authority, safety, respect, and nobility.