Martini Logo

Martini Logo PNG

The Martini logo directs the audience’s attention to the purpose for which brand drinks are produced. The symbols convey a message of pleasant warmth spreading through the body and increasing appetite and mood. The sign warns: use alcohol in moderation.

Meaning and History

The martini producer made its appearance in Italy in 1863, although the basis for it was laid much earlier, in 1847, when Piedmont merchants founded the Distilleria Nazionale di Spirito di Vino. It existed until it was bought by the distillery employees: winemaker Luigi Rossi, accountant Teofilo Sola, and salesman Alessandro Martini. The new owners immediately named the organization after themselves: Martini, Sola & Cia. When Teofilo left the business, the company was renamed, Martini & Rossi. The company under this name is now owned by Bacardi Limited and manages several brands, including Martini.

Recipes used to make Italian drinks are kept secret: only blending engineers and herbalists carefully selecting the ingredients know them. The unique combination of white wines and aromatic plants made the brand a leader. So when it got its famous red and black logo, it quickly became recognizable in many countries around the world. But it is worth noting that this trademark was not created at once, but only in 1925. That was the time when the vermouth producer first used a black rectangle with a white inscription “MARTINI” and a background in the form of a red circle. Today, both geometric shapes are outlined with yellow lines: the circle is thicker, and the rectangle, on the contrary, is thinner.

Where did this idea come from? It is not reliably known. There are rumors that its author is the designer Livio Cibrario. According to some experts, he was inspired by a trip to the capital of Great Britain and came up with three versions of the logo. By happy coincidence, the owners of Martini chose exactly that graphic symbol, which eventually became the face of the famous brand. It has hardly changed since then, except for temporary updates. For example, in 1944, the outline was briefly repainted in green, and in 1995 the Italian branding company Di Robilant reworked the overall style, making the colors, figures, and lettering more consistent in appearance.

No one knows what the Martini logo means or if it means anything at all. English-speaking consumers call it “ball and bar” because the combination of a circle and a rectangle is no longer associated with anything. On the other hand, after so many years of use on bottles of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, the emblem has taken on a special meaning: it has been remembered by generations of Martini fans as the hallmark of their favorite brand. It is also an example of how a seemingly insignificant drawing becomes a cult symbol.

Font and Colors

The font for the brand name was designed individually, but there are several similar variations. These include the paid Sweet Sans Heavy Small Caps by Mark van Bronkhorst and the free MavenProBlack Font by Joe Prince. What they have in common is bold lettering, straight lines, no serifs, and about the same thickness as the primary and secondary strokes.

The color scheme of the Martini logo is as recognizable as its structure. The classic combination includes yellow (#ffdf00), red (#e02534), black (#000000), and white (#ffffffff).

Martini color codes