The Frito-Lay logo immediately says, “This is insanely delicious!” That’s because the company it represents produces iconic chips beloved worldwide. The emblem on the vibrant packaging entices fans of spicy snacks and stimulates the appetite, as it is designed in vivid colors.
Frito-Lay: Brand overview
Founded: | September 1961 |
Founder: | PepsiCo |
Headquarters: |
Plano, Texas, U.S. |
Website: | fritolay.com |
Meaning and History
This company is the result of years of work by two specialized firms, which merged in 1961 and became Frito-Lay. Its founders are The Frito Company and HW Lay & Company. They chose the name for the joint structure following the principle of merging: both words are part of the old companies’ names.
The logo is no exception, representing a harmonious combination of the previous names in an abbreviated form. Designers combined the first letters to create an original and informative emblem that embodies the image of chips. That is, it’s not just text but an allegorical graphic.
What is Frito-Lay?
Frito-Lay is an American company that produces and sells snacks under several brands. It owns the trademarks of chips, tortillas, salty pretzels, Fritos, Cheetos, Doritos, Tostitos, Lay’s, Ruffles, Rold Gold, and Walkers others. It is part of the PepsiCo corporation and is located in Plano, Texas. The company was established in 1961.
1961 – 1981
The Frito-Lay logo features two letters: “F” and “L.” They are uppercase, large, and bold. Their main function is to represent the company, as they are an abbreviation formed from its full name. The developers successfully combined the glyphs, imbuing them with the main concept of the food brand, which revolves around the production of chips.
If you look closely at the “F,” you can notice that the upper part clearly conveys the shape of the company’s main product. Straight angles balance the smooth curve, soft line, and gentle rounding. One glyph is colored black, the other red. Underneath them, the phrase “Frito Lay” is placed with a small dot between them. The letters are lowercase and slightly flattened (wide). The background for all elements is a white square with a black frame.
1981 – 1997
After a redesign carried out by Landor Associates, the logo acquired entirely different features:
- The inscription was given a two-level layout with center alignment;
- The letters were converted to lowercase, except for the first;
- A red rectangle with rounded corners replaced the white square;
- The abbreviation was completely removed.
The only thing the developers retained was the idea of conveying the shape of chips through the glyphs. They are clearly visible in the curves of “F” and “Y,” one of which is directed upwards and the other downwards. To achieve this, a slight italic was added to the letters.
1997 – today
The emblem features three elements:
- A red ribbon;
- A white inscription;
- A yellow circle.
According to the designers’ idea, these represent chips, the name, and fire. The circle also symbolizes the sun, while the ribbon conveys dynamism. Together, they embody the passion, energy, and taste that Frito-Lay embodies in its products. The wide strip is positioned diagonally. It has visible and invisible parts, resembling an infinity symbol. The circle is located to the right, in its folds, and the name is placed horizontally in the middle.
Font and Colors
The Frito-Lay logo uses Futura Pro Extra Bold Condensed typeface and a custom font created specifically for the company. With their help, designers were able to accurately convey the rounded shape of chips without compromising the readability of the text.
The color scheme of the emblem corresponds to bright impressions and unforgettable tastes. It includes red, yellow, white, and black (in earlier versions). These colors symbolize reliability, an emotional burst, dynamism, and passion.
Frito-Lay color codes
Fire Engine Red | Hex color: | #ca1f2f |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 202 31 47 | |
CMYK: | 0 85 77 21 | |
Pantone: | PMS 185 C |
Red Cosmos | Hex color: | #551117 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 85 17 23 | |
CMYK: | 0 80 73 67 | |
Pantone: | PMS 1815 C |
Yellow | Hex color: | #f6e278 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 246 226 120 | |
CMYK: | 0 8 51 4 | |
Pantone: | PMS 127 C |
Fulvous | Hex color: | #de892c |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 222 137 44 | |
CMYK: | 0 38 80 13 | |
Pantone: | PMS 715 C |