The Avon logo is bright and shimmering. It represents the beauty industry and decorative cosmetics. The symbol emphasizes the company’s personality. Shows the work for the female audience.
Avon began in New York in 1886, when book salesman David H. McConnell noticed that the perfume samples he gave to housewives interested them more than the books. He left door-to-door book sales and founded California Perfume Company. Its first product, Little Dot Perfume Set, included five scents: white rose, violet, lily of the valley, heliotrope, and hyacinth.
The first representative was Mrs. P.F.E. Albee of New Hampshire, whose work shaped the company’s direct-selling model. In 1897, Avon opened its first laboratory in Suffern, New York, and in 1906 entered Canada. The Avon name came in the 1920s, inspired by Stratford-upon-Avon, and became official in October 1939, two years after McConnell’s death.
The brand expanded fast after World War II. By 1954, annual sales reached $55 million, and the catalog had over 500 items. The “Ding Dong, Avon Calling” campaign ran from 1954 to 1967. Avon entered the Fortune 500 in 1955, expanded to Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Britain, Mexico, Germany, Brazil, and Australia, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1964.
Diversification failed in the 1980s: Avon bought Tiffany & Co. in 1979 and Mallinckrodt in 1981, then sold both by 1985. In 1990, it entered China and later adapted following the 1998 direct-sales ban. Andrea Jung became CEO in 1999, launching “Let’s Talk” with Serena and Venus Williams. Amid pressure from Mary Kay and L’Oréal, Avon agreed in May 2019 to be acquired by Natura & Co; the deal closed in January 2020.
Meaning and History
Most of Avon’s visual identity choices were illogical. Places and inscriptions unrelated to the company itself and to the city where it appeared were used as images. The choices were based on emotions associated with a particular place or word. This emphasizes the brand’s special female orientation. It shows that the company works for women and thanks to women. Hence, the emphasis on emotions, pink shades, mother-of-pearl, and floral motifs.
What is Avon?
This is one of the largest cosmetics companies in the world, operating on a direct sales model that has transformed the lives of millions, turning everyday women into successful entrepreneurs through its innovative door-to-door strategy. The company offers beauty, personal care, and home products, including the bestseller Skin So Soft, advanced anti-aging solutions, vibrant makeup lines, and popular fragrances. A distinctive feature of the brand is its extensive network of independent representatives who sell products and build personal relationships with customers, providing individualized consultations and in-home services.
1886 – 1904
The company’s first logo is a beautiful coat of arms. The entire identity is tied to the state of California, even though the company itself has nothing to do with it. It is all about McConnell’s partner, who admired the abundant plant life in that area. That’s why the company was named California Perfume Company.
In the upper scrolls of the coat of arms are the first letters of the company name: C, R, Co. In the center is placed the state of California’s seal, slightly modified. The image depicts the ancient goddess Minerva, who patronizes artisans. In her hands are a spear and shield of the goddess of war. In the distance are mountains and the rising sun, absent in the original.
In the logo, Minerva represents a beautiful woman ready to conquer the world, stand up for herself, and showcase her talents. It is for such ladies that Avon was created. The sun symbolizes the company’s flourishing and growth.
Archimedes’ exclamation at the bottom of the image is “eureka,” from the California seal. In the emblem, the word conveyed a unique idea: a discovery about selling cosmetics through personal sales.
1904 – 1911
The number of sales representatives reached 10,000. Success is celebrated by renewing the logo. This time, the emphasis is shifted from California and its identity to the company itself.
The general image of the emblem is preserved, and so are the signatures at the top and bottom, but instead of the central image, two capital letters are placed on the coat of arms: C and R.
1911 – 1929
With his partner Alexander D. Henderson, McConnell founded the California Perfume Company in New Jersey, although it was not located there.
The emblem for the occasion is transformed again. Its oval is formed of individual squares representing beads. Inside each is a letter of the name California Perfume Co. In the center is a monogram of the company’s name and the inscription: “a mark of quality.” When distributing the goods to individuals, it was important to show that the products were of very high quality, better than in the store. That is why such an accent was made.
The beads represent sales representatives. Working together, the members form a company.
1930 – 1936
In 1929, the first Avon logo appeared on packaging for its cosmetics line; in 1939, the company was renamed Avon Products Inc.
Anne Hathaway’s thatched cottage was chosen for the logo. The cottage was built in 1463 and is known for the fact that Shakespeare’s wife and then widow were born and lived here. According to legend, the future writer married for love to a simple girl from the village. The house has been turned into a museum, with a matrimonial bed on display and a beautiful garden planted. The cottage in the logo was a model of style, love, and beauty.
The name Avon came from the Celtic language and means “flowing water.” It is the name of a river in England. The name conveys the spread of cosmetics from person to person, like a stream.
The English sentiment in the name and emblem is related to a visit of the founder’s son, David McConnell, to his fellow man in Great Britain. Seeing the beauty of the city of Stratford-upon-Avon, he transferred the emotions into the company’s visual identity.
1936 – 1947
The company reached an unprecedented scale. Its income is approaching $ 4 million, and its sellers are already over 20,000. Therefore, it was decided to advertise nationally in the popular magazine Home Hearth.
To show Avon’s growth and distribution, choose a new logo that represents the letter A as a fountain pouring two waterfalls, the legs of the letter. They demonstrate the sales flow and the number of customers. A lotus flower is placed at the base of the A as a symbol of beauty and femininity.
1947 – 1954
After the founder’s and his son’s deaths, the board passed to John A. Ewald. Thanks to his management, the company’s products are displayed in perfume stores. The move helped boost sales to $17 million.
The period logo is a unique flower of exquisite curls. The four petals are formed by the letters A, made ornate and exquisite. Each petal resembles a lily bud and contains the symbol of infinity.
The composition indicates Avon’s global reach, its development, and its high income.
1954 – 1972
The emblem becomes simpler, reduced to the name. The word is written in elegant lettering that goes upward. This is how the firm demonstrated its desire for growth. The connection between the letters represents the constant contact between representatives and customers.
1970 – 1997
The new logo is impressive and powerful, with added smoothness and refinement in the serifs and the varying thicknesses of the glyphs. The lettering represents the company’s femininity and power, which already employs 450,000 representatives.
1997 – 2007
Avon seeks to conquer the world by actively opening offices in Africa and Europe and launching a website. The logo reflects this in the widely spaced letters of the name and the elegant underlining of the first A, alluding to the planet’s circle.
For the first time, the logo uses an orientation message toward women.
2007 – 2019
Avon launches “Together Against Breast Cancer” to support cancer victims. The initiative is recognized as one of the best in philanthropy.
The company’s new logo features the pink ribbon, which symbolizes the fight against breast cancer worldwide. All of the letters are written in a thin pink font spaced apart. Each one is like a separate ribbon in support of women.
Pink is also the recognized color of femininity and points to the company’s female ambassadors.
2019 – 2020
In 2019, Avon Products, Inc merged with Brazilian Natura Cosmeticos, which acquired a 76% stake. The result is the world’s fourth-largest perfume company. This globality is evident in the emblem’s massive letters.
2019 – today
In 2016, the company split into New Avon LLC and Avon Products, Inc. The former was contracted for sale to South Korea’s LG Household & Health Care in 2019. The logo became simple and subtle after the split, showing that the firm was on a journey of self-determination, finding its face and place.
2020 – today
After all the reorganizations, the firm creates a new visual mark full of color, life, and great cheer. The logo draws attention to the company and women’s issues. It shows the variety of cosmetics, tones, and pigments the industry giant offers.
2023 – today
Font and Colors
The main colors of the logo are purple, lilac, and pink. All of them indicate emotions. Purple is creativity, lilac is self-knowledge, and pink is femininity. Avon allows you to express your femininity.
The font of the name is unique. The semi-circular glyphs represent the word in a smooth, growing way. The unusual “A” line represents a star, telling of a brand that rose to the sky, and each customer is a star.















