Big Lots Logo PNG
The Big Lots logo draws attention, promising benefits and discounts. With its impressive appearance, the elements show the full scale of savings available to customers. The sign seems to rush buyers to check out the sale before they miss their chance.
Big Lots is a discount retailer with a presence in every state in America. It sells home goods: electronics, furniture, appliances, health and beauty items, holiday paraphernalia, décor, textiles, and groceries. It belongs to Consolidated Stores Corp. and operates more than 1,400 outlets with 35,000 employees, supported by five distribution centers. Profits for 2020 were $630 million.
The corporation’s headquarters in Columbus has remained a permanent fixture for 54 years, since its founding in 1967. But the business direction has shifted and expanded significantly, as has the name. It has expanded into car manufacturing, toy stores, and furniture. Sol Schenk bought up companies of various kinds and also opened his stores. Initially, under the Odd Lots brand, it turned out that there was a competing company with a similar name. So the new stores had to be called Big & Small Lots, and the existing stores were renamed Big Lots. Only after the purchase of MacFrugals did the owners (Schenk died in 1994) bring the business to a “common denominator” and sell the “superfluous” areas. All the outlets worked under one brand.
Meaning and History
The Big Lots logo has evolved as the company has grown and expanded with new stores throughout the United States. At first, it was a very laconic wordmark, recognizable only by its pink-orange color. Later, a modern emblem appeared with more diverse elements. Everything in it is symbolic, from a massive two-level inscription to an original curved exclamation mark.
Using two contrasting fonts emphasizes the variety of products the discount offers. The exclamation point can also be interpreted as a call to use Big Lots’ services immediately. This shows creativity and aims to evoke positive emotions, which can lead people to make purchases.
What is Big Lots?
An American discounter with a retail chain of 1,400 stores selling home goods. It spans 47 states. The main concentration of business is in Florida, Ohio, Texas, and California. Revenues: $6 billion.
1985 – 1999
Initially, the Big Lots brand encompassed only stores open in and around Columbus. A very concise, simple logo consisting only of the name was created for the growing brand. However, the uppercase, bold type conveyed the seriousness of the young chain’s claims. It foretold its great future.
The letter O in the word Lots is slanted, standing out from the overall style. It evokes an association with zero and suggests the low value of the products being offered.
1999 – 2001
The new logo comes months after Big Lots bought MacFrugal’s stores and added them to its chain. The brand name is now red with thin black outlines, inside a bright yellow, rounded rectangle. In the same place, but slightly lower, was the dark blue phrase “Bargains Closeouts,” divided into two parts by a small red circle. The first line used a serif bubble font similar to Typewriter FS Condensed Bold in FontSite Inc. The second one is bold, grotesque, and has much in common with SoftMaker’s Limerick Cd Serial Heavy.
2001 – today
In 1997, the company bought the MacFrugals chain of stores. On this basis, the company created the Big Lots brand, combining its retail outlets with toy stores. With this change, the logo also changed.
The new Big Lots logo reflects the essence of the company’s name. The word “big” was written in very large, bold letters. And this is no accident. The company is constantly:
- Emphasizes the desire to provide great benefits to its customers by selling valuable items at the lowest possible price. It’s a way to live larger, more conveniently, and save more.
- Strives to give employees great opportunities by being the best place to work.
- Makes great demands on its suppliers regarding legal compliance, food safety, and the absence of child labor. Audits and cooperates only with those who meet all points.
- Regularly organizes “Give More” campaigns that raise funds for children’s hospitals.
That’s why the word “Big” is both a real slogan and an action guide. The logo reflects this through the letters’ size, color, and thickness.
The arrangement of the name on two “floors,” with the dominant position of the inscription “Big,” further strengthens the association with something large, large-scale, and imposing.
They chose a subtle font for the word “lots” and shortened it. As a result, they placed a large, curved orange exclamation point next to it. It differs from the rest of the composition in both color and its perky curve.
The same exclamation point appears on the company’s website and marks sections on sales and discounts. In the logo, it draws attention and encourages us to hurry up. Hints at a flexible system of discounts. It is associated with hammering at auctions. The word “lot” hints at an auction.
Font and Colors
The main colors of the visual marks are black and orange.
- Orange is the predominant shade in the first logo. This warm color, a symbol of care, joy, and a friendly attitude to customers, indicates home products. It evokes associations with sunshine and the good spirits of customers who found affordable items. In America, orange echoes gratitude. It is the color of pumpkins for Thanksgiving. Many customers leave the chain thankful because, with a little money, they can solve their problem.
- Black is the main color of the modern emblem. It reflects the brand’s strong push and reach. It symbolizes large-scale market dominance and confidence. However, keeping the orange accent as an exclamation mark shows the company still cares about its customers and does good in the world. The sign serves as an exclamation of “Wow!”, expressing the surprise and delight of customers who found something wonderful at such a price.
The ITC American Typewriter Pro Bold Condensed font was used for the first logo, which served the company for thirty years. The serifs made the lettering elegant, so the store was associated not with cheap, low-end goods but with beautiful, vintage items.
In the new logo, the font was replaced with the sleek, austere Insta Story Bold. This made the lettering more modern. It showed that the store offers simple, reliable, essential items.