Arctic Cat Logo PNG
The Arctic Cat logo represents strength, speed, purpose, and forward momentum. The emblem reflects continuous development. Indicates the connection between technology and nature and a person’s ability to survive in any corner of the planet.
Arctic Cat’s history began with Edgar Hetteen, who had earlier co-founded Hetteen Hoist & Derrick in Roseau, Minnesota, with his brother Allen and David Johnson. That workshop grew into Polaris Industries. In March 1960, Hetteen crossed Alaska by snowmobile from Bethel to Fairbanks, covering 1,100 miles in 18 days. The publicity was strong, but the trip caused a conflict with Polaris investors, and in May 1960, he sold his stake.
By Christmas 1960, Hetteen accepted an offer from L. B. Hartz of Thief River Falls. With a $10,000 note, he rented an empty 30-by-70-foot food warehouse and founded Polar Manufacturing Company. About 30 snowmobiles were built in the first year. In 1962, the company became Arctic Enterprises, Inc., and it renamed its machines Arctic Cat. The Arctic Cat 100 arrived the same year with a front-mounted engine.
Hetteen left the president’s post in 1965, handing control to Lowell Swenson. By 1969, annual sales reached $21.7 million. In the 1970s, Arctic Enterprises expanded beyond snowmobiles, buying Silverline in 1970 and Lund Boat Company in 1977. It also produced boat motors, lawn mowers, and minibikes. The recession hit the snowmobile market hard, and in 1981, the company filed for bankruptcy after banks demanded repayment of $48.5 million.
In 1983, twelve former Arctic Enterprises managers and employees, including Hetteen, bought enough assets at auction to restart production as Arctco, Inc. Arctic Cat snowmobiles returned in August 1983. Fewer than 3,000 machines sold out for the 1984 model year. Arctic Cat went public in 1990, launched Tigershark watercraft in 1993, entered ATV production in 1996, and became Arctic Cat Inc. Textron Inc. bought the company for $247 million in cash on January 25, 2017.
Meaning and History
The logo suggests the company’s products fit naturally into the world around them. They move freely and easily, like animals in their natural habitat.
Above the green brand name, an aggressive black cat leaps. Below the name is a black inscription slogan.
What is Arctic Cat?
Arctic Cat is a division of Textron Inc., with primary manufacturing in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, and is a leading American manufacturer of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles. The company produces many ATVs, including rugged quad bikes, side-by-side models for utility and recreation, and high-performance snowmobiles built for deep snow. It plays a key role in competitive snowmobile racing, supplying machines built for harsh winter conditions and challenging terrain through an extensive dealer network across the northern U.S. and Canada.
The brand associates its cars with graceful, fast, predatory panthers.
- In nature, animals choose to live where humans can’t easily reach. The brand designs its products for travel in snow, on prairies, and off-road.
- The Panther moves with ease and grace across any terrain, just like Arctic Cat vehicles.
- The predator overtakes the prey in a jump. The brand’s vehicles always reach their goals and can make high-speed jumps.
The image’s sharp, smooth edges symbolize danger. The company’s all-terrain vehicles can slip on difficult terrain, navigate narrow passages, and evade predators.
The logo is complemented by an appeal that encourages the observer to contact the company, make a purchase, and evaluate the products’ capabilities. The sign reads, “Share our passion!”
Only an irresistible desire for and love of technology could have led the brand’s founder to pursue new inventions from school through old age. In his models, every detail is thought out to the smallest detail. He repeatedly refined products toward perfection. This reflects the passion that drives Edgar Hetteen and his followers.
The choice of the “snowy” production direction reflects a love of roots, Hetteen’s parents’ emigration from Switzerland, Minnesota’s weather, and a love of hunting and active pastimes.
The letters seem alive and slightly tilted forward. The inscriptions are shifted to the right edge of the logo, and the panther “pushes” them with its tail. The composition conveys movement and outwardly resembles the brand’s car image.
Font and Colors
Green represents friendliness, growth, and development. The company is always ready to offer customers something new to lead an interesting, active life. Green is a shade of nature. Arctic Cat transports people to pristine landscapes for outdoor adventures.
Logo font: Marble Display Condensed Heavy Italic.