The eagle is one of the most common animal figures in heraldry, which has long been present on the emblems of not only companies or brands but also cities and states. This is explained simply: the head of the feathered world is considered a great character. After all, he personifies royalty, height, freedom, strength, power, greatness, pride, victory, courage, and vigilance, courage. In general, the king of birds is the master of the sky.
Swiftness, power, courage, confidence, and strength are the qualities that most organizations and enterprises aspire to; therefore, they approach themselves with the help of an eagle. Some use a heraldic image, the second – a real one, the third – something in between, the fourth – anthropomorphic, the fifth – abstract. In general, these birds are an incredible variety in visual identity and their species. Indeed, depending on the type, they are divided into eagles, condors, falcons, and golden eagles.
We tried to combine the most famous eagle logos and characterize them in order to understand the essence of the choice. And we came to the conclusion that in most cases, they should be considered as an expression of the high professionalism of companies, or at least as a desire for it. The menacing bird does not so much instill fear as it expresses confidence in superiority; that is, brands are convinced that they have the strength, thanks to which they can reach unprecedented heights. The signs are presented in random order.
American Airlines
The US air carrier American Airlines uses an allegorical logo. It lacks specifics. The abstract bird is gliding in height, resembling an airplane wing. This is facilitated by the selected geometry and color differentiation into three zones: blue, white-silver, and red. Due to the correct distribution of shadows, the central element looks like the neck and head of a huge bird with a hook-shaped beak. The sign is supplemented with a calm inscription, divided into two lines, and aligned to the right. The letters are tall, lowercase (except for the first ones), grotesque and dark gray. There is also a line at the bottom that says “A Comcast Company.” It is black, with a wide character spacing and uppercase font.
Winston
For Winston cigarettes, the logo consists of two parts: graphic and text. The style of the emblem is minimalistic, as other elements are absent. The image shows an eagle flying to the right. It is large, with widespread wings, a spread tail, and a white head. The drawing is made in an abstract style, without specifics; therefore, it conveys the general atmosphere of a free-floating bird and not its details. The lettering font is thin, tall, and elegant. The eagle adds sophistication and freedom of action to the cigarette label.
Gulf Air
Gulf Air has been using the eagle logo since its inception as an airline committed to royal service, luxury facilities, and high standards. These are the trends in Bahrain, where he works. The bird has been present on the emblem of the largest aviation service of this state since almost the 50s of the last century. The brand’s visual identity has always been focused on noble perfection, which is why it includes gold and dark blue palettes. The key element is the soaring eagle. It has very large wings, which shows the reliability of the air carrier. To the right of the bird is the name, divided into two lines: the top inscription is in Arabic, and the bottom is in English.
Wilson Combat
The weapons manufacturer Wilson Combat chose the logo in the appropriate design – strict, businesslike, with an impromptu sight on the barrel. An eagle is made under it, combined with the first beech from the word “Combat.” A large “C” replaces his body, above which are wings raised upwards, consisting of five-pointed feathers. The bird’s head is white, with black eyes, a beak, and a thin outline. The entire composition is located under a two-line inscription, which includes the company’s name. The words are aligned on both sides and outlined in gray, along with the rest of the elements.
American Eagle
This casual fashion brand also has an eagle on its emblem. I chose the American Eagle logo with it because of the freedom, royalty, pride, and majesty that this bird possesses. Not in last place is the territorial binding because the bald eagle is one of the important symbols of the United States. With it, the company seeks to show that its products are made in the United States. Both the icon and the inscription are painted in a solid dark blue color. The flying eagle is drawn without detailing. His dark silhouette is above the inscription, placed in two lines. The top row is the name, and the bottom row is the word “Outfitters.”
Vauxhall
Vauxhall designed the logo with the heraldic eagle to demonstrate the unbreakable connection with history, to show reliability and experience, and to emphasize market dominance and premium products. The bird on the emblem resembles a mythological creature: it has a specific head contour, like a griffin – a cross between an eagle and a lion. This is indicated by an ear sticking up, a sloping forehead, and a paw stretched to the left. In addition, the plumage in the neck area looks like a shaggy mane. Such a symbiosis was needed to focus on the exclusivity and elitism of the brand and everything connected with it. The bird is painted deep red and surrounded by a wide ring of the same color. Next to it is a trapezoidal flag with the first letter of the company name.
USPS
The USPS logo does not have an abbreviated, but with the full name of the company – United States Postal Service. It is ungrouped into two lines and separated by a horizontal red line. The font is italic, grotesque, and smooth, with a non-standard “A”: the glyph is replaced by an open triangle, reminiscent of the Phoenician letter delt (or Greek delta). Previously, it marked the door or entrance to the tent, which is very well in common with the postal service, whose representatives enter each door when delivering correspondence. As for the eagle, it is schematic and depicted with a few strokes. The bird consists of blue and white stripes that form the beak, eye, and head.
Anheuser Busch
Anheuser-Busch has a legendary logo: it has been using it for decades, keeping the concept. Only the details change, which does not affect either the theme or the style. The basis of the emblem is a block Old English “A” with semicircular ledges and figured legs. Instead of a crossbar, a bald eagle is drawn: it flies through the letter, spreading its wings wide. Both elements are painted in golden color with white patches. The bird is massive and confident, with detailed feathers. Above the glyph is a five-pointed star; below it is the name of the brewing giant. The inscription is made in italics, imitating calligraphic handwriting. She is black, thin, and graceful.
USMC
USMC logo uses symbolic, bright, and filled with many meanings. Each detail has a specific legend and purpose. The center of everything is the planet. It depicts two continents: North America and South America. They are painted in gold color, so they stand out clearly on a white background. On top of the globe stands an eagle with widely spread wings and a fluttering ribbon. It has the inscription “Semper Fidelis,” which is the Marines’ motto. Behind the globe is a sea anchor entwined with a rope horizontally. The center is colored red. Next are several stripes of different widths. The largest is black, serving as the background for the full name of the United States Marine Corps organization. A thick rope folded into a ring is used as a frame. In general, the emblem looks like an official seal.
USAA
USAA presented the logo in two colors: blue and white. They balance well with the futuristic striped eagle emblem. Abstract bird consists of diagonal lines with a bend at the ends: on the left, they are bent down, on the right – up. This creates the illusion of spread wings. A head is drawn on the top of the peak. It is located in profile and complemented by a powerful beak. The icon is minimalistic: the eagle’s body resembles the letter “A,” and there is nothing superfluous in it. Below is the abbreviated name of the American organization United Services Automobile Association because otherwise, it would not fit in the length of the format of the top element. The font is smooth; even capital, only “A” has serifs.
Barclays
The visual identity of one of the largest banks in the world is very authoritative and serious. The developers proposed for Barclays a logo with an eagle in the style of the state emblem. The two-dimensional bird occupies the entire space of the makeshift shield because its wings are spread out. The head is turned to the left, so the blue beak is visible on a white background. The wings are twisted at the top and divided into several segments at the bottom. The name is italic, capitalized, and decorated with miniature serifs.
U.S. Air Force
Designers made for the U.S. Air Force logo is geometric in the style of cubism. Therefore, the eagle is not realistic but conditional, consisting of rectangles, trapezoids, and triangles. In the center is a small circle with a solid blue fill, and around it, in negative space, white rays are visible, forming a five-pointed star. The bird’s wings are raised up, and the tail is straightened as if flying over a military organization’s name. The inscription is made in squat, bold, and capital letters.
TicketCity Bowl
The TicketCity Bowl has a logo with an aggressive eagle holding a rugby ball in its claws. This element is in the foreground at the bottom. At the top are the wings and head of a bird with an open beak, as if it emits a formidable cry. A blue banner occupies the central part with a white and yellow title. In the background, high-rise black buildings are visible – as if it were a nighttime cityscape. From the bald eagle, triangular rays diverge in different directions. The entire logo is outlined in grey-blue.
Benfica
Benfica has a emblem with a golden eagle standing on a bicycle wheel as a symbol of what sport this Portuguese team started with because they took up football later. At the bird’s paws, there is a ribbon with the motto, painted in red and green. In the center is a triangular shield with a stylized ball, which is diagonally covered by a blue stripe with the inscription “S. L.B.” The eagle has horizontally even wings, fluffy feathers, and an open beak as if it were protecting the paraphernalia of a sports club.
The Independent
The visual identity of The Independent is based on the logo with an eagle flying with a newspaper in its paws. It has been used for decades because print publications are the specialty of the British media, even though today, it exists in an Internet format. The eagle, in this case, symbolizes confidence, protection of freedom of speech, and availability of truthful facts. He is a reliable and authoritative news source. A white bird with spread wings is drawn against a red circle. Such a sign reflects a stormy and full of passions world, over which a confident and calm eagle hovers, having collected the most interesting information.
Smirnoff
The brand of vodka Smirnoff chose the logo with a double-headed eagle – a classic example of Russian heraldry. By this, he emphasized his roots, although he works abroad. In the early versions, the bird was close to realism, and now it looks allegorical, resembling a mirror image. Instead of wings, she has two stripes on each side, her tails are forked, her heads are turned in opposite directions, and one common crown is drawn above them. The eagle is painted silver with cold reflections, which resembles a piece of ice. Across it is a red ribbon framed with the name of the company. It is typed in white capital letters with a minimum of rounding: only “S,” “R,” and “O” have them.
CIA
The sign of the Central Intelligence Agency also contains the main American symbol – the bald eagle. Therefore, the CIA logo denotes high status, authority, compliance with state requirements, protection of the country, power, and confidence. All this is embedded in a bird peeking out from behind a pentagonal shield with the image of the azimuth. Two inscriptions surround the central part: at the top – the expanded name of the organization, and at the bottom – an indication of the country it represents. None of the fonts contain serifs. All elements are placed in a blue circle and form a seal with a thin yellow frame.
Salewa
The Salewa fashion brand has an improvised logo. It resembles rather a label than a full-fledged emblem, which, however, does not prevent it from being widely recognizable. The bird consists of only two figures of a simple shape, similar to long trapezoids. They are painted black and are located above the inscription of the same color. The font is stylized, geometric, and capital divided into letter pairs.
Colorado Eagles
The designers proposed a logo in the color format with an eagle head for the Colorado Eagles hockey team. The bird is located to the left of three stripes (red, yellow, and blue) that resemble feathers. She looks menacingly, showing a pointed beak. Below it is a two-level inscription, in which the first part of the name is placed between the letters of the second row – “E” and “S.” In both cases, the font is capital, white, with serifs and a yellow border. The background is black, which forms deep shadows.
Ramones
The Ramones has a logo that looks like a classic round seal. The eagle is drawn in the center and represents strength, rebelliousness, superiority, and rebellion. He has a bat in one paw, a laurel branch in the other, a ribbon with a motto in his beak, a square with a white ornament on his chest, and seven arrows above his head. The bird is surrounded by a ring of five-pointed stars, followed by a wide band with the names of the members of the musical group. The name is located at the top: it is typed in bold grotesque. The color palette of the emblem is monochrome.
New York
The designers made a logo for the state of New York in a heraldic style and in bright colors. The eagle denotes goodwill, reliability, pride, courage, and high authority. It stands on a globe, which is located above a shield with a landscape of American nature. On the right and on the left are two women – Freedom and Justice. Under their feet is a ribbon with a Latin saying. The state slogan surrounds the composition. The frame of the emblem is made in the form of a braided rope. The palette is rich and consists of blue, red, gold, green, gray, and white.
Crystal Palace
The British football team Crystal Palace uses a logo with a blue eagle and a red ball. These are the brightest elements in it. Both colors are combined in the name ribbon at the bottom. It’s undulating, blue, with red trim and white lettering in bold sans-serif. The background is a composition of architectural structures painted in gray.
Nationwide
The building society from the UK has opted for an outline eagle flying to the right side against the backdrop of a block “N.” This is the first letter of the name of the organization. Nationwide chose a minimalist logo to emphasize the simplicity of the process when professionals take it. The contour bird looks calm and confident; therefore, it symbolizes reliability. Her wings are raised up, and her head, back, and tail are stretched horizontally in a straight line. The main colors of the emblem are blue and white. At the bottom is a black inscription made in sans-serif.
Moto Guzzi
For Moto Guzzi, the logo is not just a way of identifying but a visualization of the concept. With it, the manufacturer of two-wheeled vehicles shows its capabilities: reliability, speed, superiority on the road, confidence, and impeccability. The main element of the emblem is a golden eagle with widespread wings and detailed elements. However, this does not mean that the image is made in a realistic style. No, this is a stylized image with detailed feathers. The bird’s paws are folded, and its neck is stretched out as if it is directed forward. The wings are perfectly aligned horizontally. Below the bottom is the brand name painted in black.
Eagle
At the car brand Eagle, the logo predictably contained an eagle. He was her only graphic element and was in a triangular shield with convex sides. It featured a head with a sharp, hook-shaped beak. The bird was directed to the right and looked forward intently. The image was made with white lines on a black background. At the top was the name in rounded capital letters.
Lazio
Lazio has a logo with an eagle sitting on a shield. The bird spreads its wings wide and carefully looks to the right side – that is where its head is turned. The upper line of the wings is even, horizontal. The visual identity palette of the Italian football club is light: it includes white, two-tone blue, and gold. The coat of arms has wide vertical stripes. The team’s name is set in italic capital letters, complete with serifs.
FPV
The FPV brand logo is used with an abbreviated version of the name because its abbreviation stands for First-Person View. The drone manufacturer identifies its products as powerful surveillance tools, with the keen eye of an eagle that can see every little detail from above. Its emblem is minimalist and consists of an oval with a black stroke, in the negative space of which a bird’s head looms. At the bottom right is the name in rounded and italic letters.
IMSS
Protection and security are what the eagle stands for in the identity of the Mexican State Department of Public Welfare. For IMSS, the logo was designed taking into account the direction of its activity, so the bird covers the chick with its wings, protecting it and creating favorable conditions for life. It is placed in a green square with rounded corners and is visible in the negative space. The inscription contains narrowed letters stretched vertically. The glyphs are on a white background below the icon and have small extensions at the ends.
Hogwarts
At the mythical educational institution Hogwarts, the logo is divided into four parts, and in one of them, an eagle is depicted on the shield. It is located in the lower right corner, symbolizing the Ravenclaw faculty. The rest of the sides are occupied by a badger, a snake, and a lion. Between them (in the center) is the capital “H” – the first letter of the name. The emblem generally looks like a coat of arms of complex configuration, complemented by the top and bottom ribbons.
Giorgio Armani
The Giorgio Armani brand has the most stylish and iconic logo. The Italian fashion house has placed an abstract eagle on the emblem, consisting of alternating black and white stripes. Dark lines are broad and expressive, with rounded ends. They are divided into three parts in the middle, forming a body and wings raised up. Such geometricity is associated with the specifics of a company engaged in a pattern of clothes. The bird is located above the inscription, typed in a thin capital font with short and narrow serifs. At the bottom of the eagle, there is a white mark – an elegant monogram “GA.”
