Coppertone Logo PNG
The Coppertone logo conveys the brand’s reliability and recognition. Its simplicity and clarity highlight the importance of skin protection and the company’s longstanding reputation with consumers.
Coppertone began in 1944 when Miami pharmacist Benjamin Green created sunscreen for American soldiers. After World War II, he refined the formula by adding coconut oil and cocoa butter and released Coppertone in 1946. The name indicated the desired tan shade.
In 1953, the iconic advertising image “Little Miss Coppertone” debuted, featuring a puppy tugging on a girl’s swimsuit to reveal her tan lines. In 1957, Schering-Plough acquired Coppertone, establishing market dominance.
The 1960s marked the introduction of the first self-tanning products and SPF systems, revolutionizing sunscreen standards. In 1985, Coppertone introduced water-resistant creams that protected against both UVA and UVB.
The brand was acquired by Bayer in late 2014 and transferred to Germany’s Beiersdorf AG in 2019. Coppertone remains a leader in sun protection in the U.S., offering a wide range of family-oriented products.
Meaning and History
What is Coppertone?
It is an American sunscreen brand associated with family beach vacations. The product line includes creams, lotions, and sprays with various SPF levels for all ages. It remains popular with both tourists and locals, ensuring comfortable sun protection.
1944 – 1953
The first official Coppertone logo debuted alongside the launch of Benjamin Green’s suntan lotion. The mid-1940s marked a pivotal period for the brand, during which it sought to establish itself in the market through a distinct visual language. The symbol that developed was intended to emphasize the product’s purpose.
The visual structure was based on a circle with a golden border. Inside, against a dark brown background, was the profile of a Native American chief in a traditional feathered headdress. Around the composition ran the slogan “DON’T BE A PALEFACE,” set in capital letters. The slogan was built around the main commercial idea: protecting the skin from paleness and ensuring an even tan. Below the circle was the wordmark COPPERTONE.
The wordmark typeface was large and strict, with a slight roughness reminiscent of early 20th-century typography. This created the effect of hand printing and gave the text visual independence within the restrained composition. The proportions of the letters were calibrated to maintain balance with the circular composition and the slogan.
The palette was built from a combination of the dark brown field, the golden frame, and the image’s light tones. The contrast of shades evoked a sense of warmth associated with sun exposure, aligning with the product’s purpose.
The use of an ethnic profile reflected the advertising culture practices of the mid-20th century, when associations were built on direct, provocative imagery. The visual mark created an emotional focus on the idea of a suntan and linked the product to notions of brightness and skin color intensity.
1953 – 1963
The change in Coppertone’s visual concept began with the abandonment of the previous Native American chief profile. A new image appeared on advertising materials and packaging in 1953: a scene featuring a girl and a dog, developed by Tally Embry Advertising. The illustration was created by artist Pete Porter, with his daughter, Robin, as the model.
The signature motif from advertising materials became the foundation of the visual identity. The change of imagery was accompanied by the rejection of the old slogan “Don’t Be a Paleface.” Whereas earlier the marketing focus had been on the contrast between paleness and a suntan, communication now turned toward themes of playfulness, care, and family summer leisure.
Along with the illustrative part, the word “Coppertone” was transformed. The logo was rendered in large capital letters. The sans-serif typeface stood out for its heaviness and precise geometry. The visual weight of the letters was balanced by the use of shadow, which added volume and strengthened the mark’s perception.
The palette was built on yellow-gold, used for the letters. The contrast was reinforced by the dark shadow, evoking sunlight and linking the name to the theme of summer.
1963 – 1970
The new Coppertone visual image was built around associations with the sun and tanning. The main carrier of the text was a yellow shield placed on a brown background. The composition enabled the integration of the verbal part and symbolism into a unified whole, while creating a distinction between informative and decorative elements.
The word COPPERTONE occupied the upper part of the shield. A straight sans-serif gave the word a sense of strength. Below is the element “Suntan Lotion,” executed in italics to imitate a handwritten style. The contrast between the two typefaces created a play: the monumentality of the upper level was balanced by the softness of the lower, reflecting both the product’s practical reliability and its ease of use.
The sun symbol was placed above the shield. The decorative form, with sharp rays and a spiral at the center, referred to the source of the suntan. The motif’s yellow color strengthened the visual association with bright light and warmth.
The palette used two main colors: brown and yellow. The first recalled the tone of tanned skin, the second conveyed the energy of the sun. The interaction of the colors created a sense of heat, heightening the emblem’s emotional impact.
The composition reflected the brand’s commercial direction, transitioning from abstract symbolism to a visual concept centered on the atmosphere of beach leisure.
1970 – 1980
The abandonment of illustrative motifs marked a move toward restraint for the brand. The Coppertone emblem lost decorative details and was built on the textual rendering of the name. This emphasized the name as the main carrier of identity and strengthened its independent perception.
The word “Coppertone” was set in a rich, dark brown. The association of suntan and skin tones with sun exposure linked the brand to products for tanning protection and enhancement.
The typeface was sans-serif, with dense outlines and soft, rounded edges. The capital “C” stood out larger than the other characters, creating a visual accent at the beginning of the word. The proportions of the letters were arranged evenly.
The palette was limited to one dominant color. This enhanced the composition’s monolithic character and simplified perception.
1980 – 2006
The new composition also focused on the word “Coppertone,” which became the brand’s primary visual mark.
The inscription was executed in white letters without serifs, each outlined with a rich blue contour. The contrast of the two colors created a sense of freshness and evoked associations with the sky and the sea, linking the brand with beach leisure and a sunny atmosphere.
The typeface was based on geometric construction, yet the lines were softened with rounded outlines. Their form made the word friendly and modern. The capital “C” was slightly taller than the other letters, forming visual balance and strengthening recognition.
The palette was limited to two basic shades. White symbolized purity and trust, while rich blue enhanced the impression of depth and was associated with water. Their combination reinforced the link to marine themes and water-based recreation.
The emblem achieved its impact through the power of the typeface and the contrast, elevating the Coppertone name to the status of an independent symbol associated with the sun, the sea, and summer leisure.
2006 – 2014
Coppertone’s return to the girl with pigtails and the puppy became the main visual focus of the new logo. The composition once again played on the recognizable moment: the dog tugging at the blue swimsuit bottoms, exposing tanned skin. The image carried the brand’s message, conveyed through the idea of an even, attractive suntan. Details amplified the emotional effect: the blue bows in her hair matched the swimsuit’s tone, while the brown puppy added contrast and dynamism.
The textual part was placed under the illustration. The word “Coppertone” was executed in white letters surrounded by a dark blue outline. A geometric sans-serif typeface was used, characterized by straight forms and thick strokes.
The background was built on a gradient of blue shades. Deep color transitions linked the composition to the sky and the sea, creating the atmosphere of beach leisure.
The visual symbol from the 1950s was updated with a more saturated execution, bright accents, and a modern balance between the textual and illustrative elements.
2014 – 2019
The image of the girl with the puppy, established for Coppertone in the mid-2010s, was reworked in a more delicate form. Instead of swimsuit bottoms, she wore a light blue sundress, and the dog only slightly tugged at the hem. The gesture preserved the scene’s recognizability while adding restraint and alignment with new advertising standards.
Above the characters, an arch appeared in warm tones. A smooth gradient from yellow to orange evoked associations with the sun’s rays, adding a sense of warmth and protection. The arch connected the illustration to the text, creating a unified composition.
The word “Coppertone” was placed below. It was rendered in a large, light-blue typeface. A geometric sans serif was used, modern in structure and based on strict proportions. Its saturation conveyed a sense of openness and reliability.
The color combination was built on contrast: the orange-yellow tones of the arch reinforced the theme of the sun, while the blue accent in the word connected the composition with the sea and the sky. All this supported the association with beach leisure and the summer atmosphere.
2019 – 2022
The change of ownership and Coppertone’s transition under Beiersdorf marked the beginning of a new visual direction. The logo lost its long-standing symbol of the girl with the puppy, replaced by a restrained composition focused on text and an abstract element.
The dominant inscription was “Coppertone.” The letters in deep blue were executed in a geometric sans serif with softly rounded corners. This form combined modernity with a sense of reliability, conveying the brand’s balanced character.
An arch in a golden-orange tone complemented the upper part of the composition. It stretched above the logo as a thin line, resembling a sun arch. This served as a metaphor: the light and warmth of the sun, the source of tanning, and the object of protection to which the product appealed.
The palette was limited to blue and orange-yellow. The contrast intensified perception and reinforced the theme of the sun and the sky.
The logo relied on the power of the Coppertone name itself. The abandonment of illustrative motifs became a subject of discussion. Some consumers saw it as professional minimalism, while others regretted the loss of the emotional image that had long accompanied the brand.
2022 – today
The Coppertone rebranding, developed by the Pearlfisher studio in 2022, aimed to reconcile the brand’s historical legacy with the demands of the digital environment and contemporary views on visual ethics. The primary objective was to maintain recognizability while updating the image to meet new standards.
The verbal part remained the key element. The word “Coppertone” was continued in deep blue. A geometric grotesque with rounded corners was used to maintain continuity and balance professional rigor with accessibility.
The main difference was the reworking of “Little Miss Coppertone.” The iconic character was brought back in a silhouette, minimalist interpretation: the girl in a swimsuit was depicted next to a playful puppy. Their interaction was based on play, without the previous gesture in which the animal exposed the child’s skin. The change reflected sensitivity to ethical issues and a shift away from visual accents.
The palette centers on a blue shade associated with reliability and safety, aligning with the function of sun-protection products. The color reinforced the brand’s trustworthy character and shaped a modern perception.
The new visual concept respects the past but shifts the focus to a more universal plane. The symbolism of play and the sun is combined with a modern typeface and minimalist composition, allowing Coppertone to adapt to the current environment while maintaining a strong connection with the theme of summer and sun protection.