The Benelli logo depicts the leader in its segment. Shows the premium quality and power of the company’s motorcycle motor. The emblem guarantees a long service life of the vehicle, during which the buyer expects maximum performance.
Benelli: Brand overview
Founded: | 1911 |
Founder: | Teresa Boni Benelli |
Headquarters: |
Pesaro, Italy |
Website: | benelli.com |
Meaning and History
There are many lion emblems in the history of Benelli. The proud predator has adorned the shiny sides of motor vehicles for at least a century, emphasizing the brand’s visual identity.
For a hundred years, only the art has changed. It was once primitive, which made the animal look cartoonish. But as the company grew, the artists updated the logo to make the lion black and white. Also, they added additional elements that have deep meaning: a laurel wreath (a symbol of victory and triumph) and three stars (an omen of a successful future).
What is Benelli?
Benelli is an Italian motorcycle brand, the second oldest in the country. It has existed since 1911 and still manufactures two-wheeled vehicles. The factory is currently owned by Qianjiang Motorcycle of China, which is part of Geely Holding Group. The headquarters is located in Pesaro (Marche).
1911 – 1925
The Italian motorcycle brand’s debut emblem resembled a wheel with a studded tire. High and low protrusions spanned the entire circumference and were positioned in sequence. They served as edging. They were followed by a wide azure stripe with two inscriptions, indicating the founders of the trademark – “Fratelli” at the top and “Pesaro” at the bottom. Next, a green circle was located, which horizontally intersected a red rectangle. They also had the text: “Brevetti,” “G. Benelli,” and the company’s name in large print. The center lettering was yellow with a black border.
1925 – 1932
In 1925, the developers undertook a logo redesign. It turned out to be successful because it became visually simpler: a laurel wreath took the place of thorns and stripes, a shining star appeared at the top, and the central circle decreased. Some of the inscriptions disappeared – only three remained. Among them are Benelli (middle), Fratelli, and Pesaro (green background).
1932 – 1951
The designers have kept the round shape of the emblem and made some refinements. First of all, they tweaked the laurel branches by adding more detail. To make the wreath look realistic, they painted veins and berries. Removed the triple border from the rectangle, enlarged the letters, and made them white. In the upper part of the circle, symbolizing the sky, there are three large stars in the lower part – a pale green field on which a lion walks. The predator has a proud posture and a raised paw, with which it points to the left.
1951 – 1972
1951 is a turning point in the logo’s history because, after the long existence of a round logo with a lot of small details, a laconic text version appeared. This is how the era of the lettering emblem began. The letters’ shape also changed significantly: they became italic and lowercase, except the capital “B.” The developers made the dot above the “i” oval; the in-letter gaps were painted black. All characters now have a dark outline, so the contrast makes white characters appear hollow.
1972 – 1995
Having delved into the topic of the text logo, the designers changed its style. The letters are now serif, printed, and gold-colored.
1995 – today
At the turn of the millennium, the brand regained one of its old emblems – 1932. The adjustments mainly affected the colors and internal elements. The developers painted the laurel wreath green, the lion, the stars and the earth white, the sky, and the background metallic. Also, they removed short strokes around the stars, which gave them a radiant effect. In the center, as before, is the company name taken from the previous logo.
Font and Colors
The current emblem looks like a silver medallion, from which horizontal lines extend to both sides. A shadow is cast on the lower half of the circle, creating a gradient effect.
Inside is a green wreath with detailed leaves. It surrounds the rest of the elements. Below is a lion walking to the left. Above – three white stars with black outlines. In the very center is the name of the company. Previously, the word “Benelli” was placed in a red rectangle, but now it is not limited by any borders.
The font of the inscription is antique, with short serifs. It cannot be considered a classic one because the designers used original typographic techniques. The tops “n,” “l” and “i” are slightly chamfered. The connecting strokes “e” is also uneven: they stretch upwards along the diagonal.
Benelli color codes
Silver | Hex color: | #c0c0c0 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 192 192 192 | |
CMYK: | 0 0 0 25 | |
Pantone: | PMS Cool Gray 4 C |
Shamrock | Hex color: | #51c69a |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 81 198 154 | |
CMYK: | 59 0 22 22 | |
Pantone: | PMS 3395 C |
Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 0 0 0 | |
CMYK: | 0 0 0 100 | |
Pantone: | PMS Process Black C |