AutoZone Logo PNG
The AutoZone logo looks like it’s racing down the fast lane. The emblem encodes the markings of the roadway and traffic lights. The company helps move cars. Thanks to its products, broken cars can continue on their way.
Joseph Reeves Hyde III, known as Pitt, came from Malone & Hyde, a Memphis grocery wholesaler founded by his grandfather in 1907. After studying economics at the University of North Carolina, he joined the family company and later led it. In 1978, he joined Wal-Mart’s board, where he studied the power of focused retail chains and centralized distribution.
Hyde saw an opening in auto parts for do-it-yourself customers. He considered buying Checker Auto Parts in Phoenix, then chose to build a new chain from scratch, using Pep Boys as a reference point. On July 4, 1979, the first Auto Shack opened in Forrest City, Arkansas, under the leadership of Doug Crane. Opening-day sales were $300, with 25 employees on staff.
By the end of 1979, the chain had 8 stores in Arkansas and Tennessee. In 1981, it reached 45 stores and launched Express Parts for special-order items. By 1984, Auto Shack had 194 stores in 13 states and introduced an industry-first quality-control program for auto parts. That year, Hyde and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. bought Malone & Hyde for about $500 million.
After a trademark dispute with RadioShack, Auto Shack changed its name to AutoZone in 1987. By year-end, it had 459 stores in 16 states. In 1988, AutoZone launched Duralast, later a major private-label line. The company went public on the NYSE in 1991, bought ALLDATA in 1996, expanded through Auto Palace, TruckPro, Chief Auto Parts, and Express stores, entered Mexico in 1998, reached the Fortune 500 in 1999, and opened its 6,000th store in Memphis in 2017.
Meaning and History
As a division of his family’s grocery business, the company was founded in 1979 by Joseph Reeves Hyde III. The firm’s first store opened in Arkansas. And just three years later, there were already 74 stores and a 9,000-square-foot warehouse in operation. In ’85, Hyde sold his stock to the investment fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts to attract additional investment, and in 1991, the stock was traded on the stock exchange. This led to the company’s separation from its parent business and to further expansion and modernization. In 2020, there were 6,500 units in operation.
The firm updated its visual mark only once, and only because the first one infringed on Radio Shack’s earlier copyright, established in 1921. So, in saying goodbye to its parent company, Malone & Hyde changed its name and logo to AutoZone.
1979 – 1988
The logo was a red Auto Shack in italics. It was an extension of the orange ribbon, divided into diagonal stripes by white lines of varying thickness.
This placement created a sense of movement. The company was moving forward, leaving more and more outlets and satisfied customers behind. The closer the lettering, the more partial the white stripes were, which visualized acceleration. The slant of the letters and the bright red color are another symbol of energy, a fast ride. Active growth and promotion of AutoZone in the market. The white background and the absence of obstacles. Constant updating of the assortment and striving for innovation. The company was the first to deliver spare parts on a driver’s call, organize tool rental, and actively introduce new electronic and Internet technologies into its work.
The white and orange stripes evoke the association with the road and guardrail signs installed during repairs. The company’s name leaves these signs behind, showing that they help cars keep going.
1988 – today
In 1986, Auto Shack severed ties with its parent company and followed that up with a complete rebranding in 1987. In addition to the name change, the logo underwent minor changes. A shadow was added to the letters and orange and white stripes. It gave the impression of the logo rising above the ground, leaving a shadow.
Such a decision indicated the great importance AutoZone held in the world of automobiles. Information about Pitt Hyde and his company was entered into the historical museum’s Automobile Hall of Fame data. Of the auto parts retailers, he is the only one so honored. The company sponsors NASCAR and owns a baseball team. In the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, there are 6.5 thousand service points for motorists. Therefore, the company’s contribution to the auto world is significant.
The white trim on the letters communicates the company’s positive reputation and commitment to new heights.
Font and Colors
The AutoZone logo uses three main colors: red, white, and orange.
- Red means energy, love for your business, speed, and a quick solution to a problem.
- Orange – care for customers, good service, the joy of troubleshooting.
- White – innovation, impeccable reputation.
The old and new logos have the same font, which resembles Sugo Pro Display Bold Italic.