Mars Logo PNG
The Mars logo, part of the legendary Mars chocolate bar, is known to generations of sweet lovers. This dynamic brand visualization embodies high taste and symbolically depicts space and the eponymous planet.
Mars entered the confectionery market in 1932, when Mars Limited was established in Slough, England, by Forrest Mars Sr. The launch of the Mars Bar in the same year set the foundation, combining nougat, caramel, and milk chocolate into a format that defined the brand’s early direction. Expansion across Europe followed, with products like Maltesers appearing during this phase.
By 1940, the company moved into a larger headquarters in Slough, reflecting steady growth. In 1941, Forrest Mars returned to the United States and partnered with Bruce Murrie from Hershey’s, leading to the creation of M&M’s, which became one of the most recognizable products in the portfolio.
Through the 1950s and 1960s, Mars expanded across Europe and North America, adding brands such as Skittles and Whiskas. In 1967, the merger with Kal Kan Foods marked entry into the pet food segment, which gained weight in the 1980s through acquisitions, including Advance Pet Care and Royal Canin.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Mars continued to expand its portfolio with brands such as Uncle Ben’s and Pedigree. A major deal followed in 2008 with the acquisition of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company for $ 23 billion, adding chewing gum to its core categories.
During the 2010s, Mars focused on supply chains and environmental targets while operating in more than 80 countries and maintaining a broad presence across confectionery and pet food markets.
Meaning and History
Mars is a well-known brand popular in many countries. As a legend, this brand has a strong and recognizable visual style. It was created after the company’s founding and has undergone only slight changes since.
The Mars logo features a wordmark: bold red letters in a yellow outline are set against a black background. The brand style was created in the mid-20th century.
Later, in the 1980s, the wordmark was set against a black background, with the letter outlines repeated. The font was also replaced with a more modern one.
The logo we know today was developed in the early 2000s and consists of a wordmark in a modern font that resembles Comic Sans, with playful, energetic lines and red letters accented with specks of yellow gold. The logo has a three-dimensional and dynamic appearance.
The Mars inscription is set on a horizontally positioned black oval, slightly stretched, creating a sense of a cosmic plane and adding meaning to the planet in the brand name.
It’s a strong and simple visual identity built on confident lines and bright color combinations. The logo portrays the brand as timeless and powerful, one that has always been present and will continue for many more years, an instantly recognizable classic.
What is Mars?
This name is used for both the American company Mars Incorporated, which has produced food products since 1911, and its chocolate bar brand, which debuted in 1932.
1932 – 1950
The first Mars logo was simple and monochromatic. The only thing that distinguished it was the diagonal inscription. It consisted of contrasting letters: “M” and “A” had straight lines and pointed elements, while “R” and “S,” on the contrary, were dominated by smooth curves and roundings. Under the first two characters was a single graphic element, a short stroke with thickening.
1950 – 1978
Following the redesign, the logo underwent significant changes. It became modern and original. The glyphs were hollow, consisting of thin black lines with pronounced shadows on the right side. The inscription was placed horizontally and decorated with serifs, with a short underline extending from one of the legs of the letter “M.” The letters were capitalized and placed closely together. In the top left corner was a white star with five sharp rays.
1978 – 1988
The owners of the confectionery company decided to retain the word “style” in the logo, so they removed the star and added some color. Capturing the connection between the founder’s name and the name of the well-known celestial body, the designers suggested a red-yellow version of the emblem to resonate with the concept of the “red planet.” As a result, they achieved attractive brightness. Black was chosen for contrast. The word “Mars,” as before, was placed obliquely. The letters became lowercase (except for the first letter), rounded, and smooth.
1988 – 2002
The developers presented a logo with a modern, more accentuated font. The glyphs had angular transitions, sharp expansions at the ends, and solid black shadows across the inscription. They repeated the contours of the letters. Underneath the lower part was an underline. The text’s slope was minimal.
2002 – today
In the early 2000s, Mars got an emblem with a font resembling Comic Sans. It was non-classical and individualistic, with a free-writing style. The serifs disappeared from the glyphs, but they remained bold. Designers also removed the yellow outline around the letters, replacing it with a blurred white stripe. The logo’s background is a black oval.
Font and Colors
The Mars company logo stands out with a unique, smooth, and friendly typeface. This font features rounded, full strokes, creating a welcoming look similar to casual fonts like Comic Sans and Sign Language Italic. Still, it’s specially tailored to match Mars’s distinct brand identity.
The logo features a vibrant color palette of red, gold, and black, highlighting the luxurious quality of Mars chocolate bars. Red brings warmth, gold brings luxury, and black adds sophistication. This color scheme makes the logo eye-catching and conveys the brand’s dedication to excellence and fine detail.