The eagle is one of the most common animal figures in heraldry, and it has long appeared on the emblems of not only companies and brands but also cities and states. The explanation is simple: the head of the feathered world is considered a great character. After all, he personifies royalty, height, freedom, strength, power, majesty, pride, victory, courage, and vigilance. In general, the king of birds is the master of the sky.
Strenuousness, power, courage, boldness, confidence, and strength are the qualities that most organizations and businesses strive for, so they approach them with the eagerness of an eagle. Some use a heraldic image, others a real one, some a hybrid, some an anthropomorphic one, and some an abstract one. These birds represent incredible diversity in both visual appearance and species. Indeed, depending on the species, they are divided into eagles, condors, falcons, and golden eagles.
We tried to unite the most famous eagle logos and characterize them to understand the essence of the choice. I concluded that, in most cases, they should be considered an expression of companies’ high professionalism, or at the very least an aspiration to it. The formidable bird does not so much inspire fear as express confidence in its superiority; brands are convinced that they have the power to reach unprecedented heights. The signs are presented in random order.
American Airlines
American Airlines, an American airline carrier, uses a symbolic logo. It lacks concreteness. An abstract bird glides in the height, reminiscent of an airplane wing. This is facilitated by the chosen geometry and color differentiation into three zones: blue, white-silver, and red. Thanks to the correct distribution of shadows, the central element appears to be the neck and head of a huge bird with a hook-shaped beak. The sign is complemented by a calm two-line inscription, aligned to the right. The letters are tall, lowercase (except for the first), grotesque, and dark gray. A line at the bottom with the inscription “A Comcast Company.” It is black, with wide character spacing and uppercase lettering.
Winston
For Winston cigarettes, the emblem consists of graphics and text. The emblem’s style is minimalist, with no additional elements. The image shows an eagle flying to the right. He is large, with widely spaced wings, a spread tail, and a white head. The drawing is created in an abstract style, without specific details, so it conveys the general atmosphere of the free-floating bird rather than its specific details. The lettering font is thin, tall, and elegant. The eagle gives the cigarette label sophistication and freedom of action.
Gulf Air
Since its inception, Gulf Air has used the Eagle logo to represent an airline that strives for royal service, luxury amenities, and high standards. This is also the trend in Bahrain, where it operates. The bird has been on the emblem of this nation’s largest aviation service since the 1950s. The brand’s visual style has always focused on noble perfection, featuring gold and dark blue palettes. The key element is the soaring eagle. It has very large wings, which speaks to the air carrier’s reliability. The name is divided into two lines to the bird’s right: the upper inscription is in Arabic, and the lower one is in English.
Wilson Combat
The Wilson Combat gun manufacturer has chosen a logo with an appropriate, strict, businesslike design, featuring an improvised sight on the barrel. Under it is an eagle, combined with the first letter of the word “Combat.” Its body is replaced by a large letter “C,” above which are raised wings consisting of five-pointed feathers. The head of the bird is white, with black eyes, a beak, and a thin outline. The composition is below a two-line inscription that includes the company’s name. The words are aligned on both sides and circled in gray like the other elements.
American Eagle
The emblem of this casual fashion brand also features an eagle. I chose the emblem featuring the American eagle because of this bird’s association with freedom, royalty, pride, and majesty. The territorial reference is not in the last place because the bald eagle is one of the USA’s important symbols. With its help, the company aims to demonstrate that its products are manufactured in the United States. Both the badge and the inscription are solid dark blue. The flying eagle is drawn without details. Its dark silhouette is above the inscription, which is written in two lines. The upper line contains the name, and the lower line contains the word “Outfitters.”
Vauxhall
Vauxhall designed the heraldic eagle emblem to demonstrate an unbreakable link to history, showcase reliability and experience, and emphasize market dominance and premium products. The bird on the emblem resembles a mythological creature, with a distinctive head shape resembling that of a griffin, a hybrid of an eagle and a lion. This is indicated by the protruding upward ear, sloping forehead, and extended to the left paw. In addition, the plumage in the neck area resembles a shaggy mane. This symbiosis was necessary to emphasize the brand’s exclusivity and elitism, as well as everything associated with them. The bird is painted in a rich, deep red color and is surrounded by a wide ring of the same hue. Next to it is a trapezoidal flag with the first letter of the company name.
USPS
The USPS logo is not an abbreviation; the company’s full name is the United States Postal Service. It is divided into two lines by a horizontal red line. The font is italicized, grotesque, and smooth, with a non-standard letter “A”: the glyph has been replaced by an open triangle resembling the Phoenician letter delt (or Greek delta). Earlier, it referred to a door or entrance to a tent, which very well corresponds to the postal service, where representatives enter each door to deliver mail. As for the eagle, it is depicted schematically with a few strokes. The bird features blue and white stripes that form the beak, eye, and head.
Anheuser Busch
Anheuser-Busch has a legendary logo: the company has been using it for decades, maintaining the integrity of the concept. Only the details change, not affecting the theme or the style. The emblem’s basis is a blocky Old English letter “A” with semicircular protrusions and shaped feet. Instead of the crossbar, a bald eagle is drawn: he flies through the letter with spread wings. Both elements are painted in gold with white dots. 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 in italics, mimicking calligraphic handwriting. It is black, thin, and elegant.
USMC
The USMC logo is symbolic, colorful, and full of meaning. Each detail has a specific legend and purpose. In the center of everything is the planet. It depicts two continents: North America and South America. They are painted gold, so they stand out on the white background. An eagle with wide wings and a fluttering ribbon is at the globe’s top. It bears the inscription “Semper Fidelis,” the Marine Corps motto. Behind the globe is a sea anchor horizontally intertwined with a rope. The center is painted red. Then, there are several stripes of different widths. The largest is black, serving as a background for the organization’s full name, the United States Marine Corps, and as a frame, a thick rope coiled in a ring is used. In general, the emblem is similar to the official seal.
USAA
USAA presented the emblem in two colors: blue and white. They match well with the futuristic emblem of the striped eagle. The abstract bird consists of diagonal lines with a curve at the ends: on the left, they are bent downwards, and on the right, upwards. This creates the illusion of spread wings. The peak is ahead. It is located in profile and is complemented by a powerful beak. The icon is minimalistic: the eagle’s body resembles the letter “A,” and there is nothing extra. Below is the abbreviated name of the American United Services Automobile Association, as it would not fit within the top element’s format otherwise. The font is smooth, with even uppercase, and only the “A” has serifs.
Barclays
The visual identity of one of the world’s largest banks is authoritative and serious. The developers proposed a Barclays logo featuring an eagle in the style of the national emblem. The two-dimensional bird occupies the entire space of the improvised shield, with its wings spread. The head is turned to the left, so the blue beak is visible against the white background. The wings are curled at the top and divided into several segments at the bottom. The name is italicized, capitalized, and decorated with miniature serifs.
US Air Force
Designers created the US Air Force emblem in a geometric, cubist style. Therefore, the eagle is not realistic but conventional, consisting of rectangles, trapezoids, and triangles. In the center is a small circle filled with solid blue, and around it, in the negative space, white rays form a five-pointed star. The bird’s wings are raised, and its tail is spread as if flying over the name of the military organization. The inscription is in squat, bold, and capitalized letters.
TicketCity Bowl
The TicketCity Bowl logo features an aggressive eagle holding a rugby ball in its talons. This element is in the foreground at the bottom. At the top are the wings and head of the bird with an open beak, as if it is letting out a menacing cry. A blue banner occupies the center, featuring a white-and-yellow header. High-rise black buildings are visible in the background, creating a nighttime cityscape effect. From the bald eagle, triangular rays diverge in different directions. A gray-blue outline surrounds the whole logo.
Benfica
The emblem of Benfica features a golden eagle standing on a bicycle wheel, symbolizing the sport with which this Portuguese team began, as it later adopted soccer. At the bird’s feet is a ribbon with a motto written in red and green. In the center is a triangular shield with a stylized ball, diagonally closed by a blue stripe, bearing the inscription “S. L.B.” The eagle has flat wings, fluffy feathers, and an open beak as if protecting the sports club’s paraphernalia.
The Independent
The Independent’s visual style is based on a logo depicting an eagle flying with a newspaper in its paws. It has been used for decades, as printed publications are a specialty of the British media, although they are now also available online. The eagle, in this case, symbolizes confidence, the protection of free speech, and the availability of truthful facts. It is a reliable and authoritative source of news. A white bird with spread wings is depicted against a red background. Such a sign reflects a turbulent and full-of-passion world over which a confident and calm eagle has collected the most interesting information.
Smirnoff
The Smirnoff vodka brand chose a logo with a double-headed eagle, a classic example of Russian heraldry. By doing so, it emphasized its roots, despite its operations abroad. In earlier versions, the bird was close to realism, but now it looks allegorical, resembling a mirror image. Instead of wings, it has two stripes on each side, a forked tail, heads turned in different directions, and a common crown painted above them. The eagle is colored silver, with cold, reflective hues that resemble ice. Across it runs a red ribbon, framed by the company name. It is typed in white capital letters with minimal rounding: only “S,” “R,” and “O” have it.
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency’s sign also contains the main American symbol, a bald eagle. Thus, the CIA emblem denotes high status, authority, compliance with government requirements, defense of the country, power, and confidence. All this is embedded in the bird, looking out from behind a pentagonal shield with the image of azimuth. The central part is surrounded by two inscriptions: at the top, the organization’s full name, and at the bottom, the country it represents. None of the fonts contains serifs. All elements are placed in a blue circle and form a seal with a thin yellow border.
Salewa
The fashion brand Salewa has an impromptu logo. It resembles a label more than a full-fledged emblem, yet it remains widely recognized nonetheless. The bird consists of just two simple shapes, which look like long trapezoids. They are painted black and are located above the same-colored inscription. The font is stylized, geometric, uppercase, and divided into pairs of letters.
Colorado Eagles
The designers proposed a color logo featuring an eagle head for the Colorado Eagles hockey team. The bird is positioned to the left of three stripes (red, yellow, and blue) resembling feathers. It looks menacing, displaying 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 uppercase, white, with serifs and a yellow border. The background is black, forming deep shadows.
Ramones
The band Ramones has a logo that looks like a classic round seal. In the center, an eagle is drawn, symbolizing strength, power, and superiority. It has a bat in one paw, a laurel branch in the other, a motto ribbon in its beak, a square with a white ornament on its chest, and seven arrows above its head. The bird is surrounded by a ring of five-pointed stars, followed by a wide band listing the members’ names of the musical group. The name is at the top; it is set in bold grotesque. The emblem’s color palette is monochrome.
New York
The emblem of the state of New York is designed in a heraldic style and features bright colors. The eagle denotes benevolence, reliability, pride, courage, and high authority. He stands on a globe above a shield with a landscape of American nature. To the right and left are depicted two women, Liberty and Justice. Under their feet is a ribbon with a Latin saying. The state motto surrounds the composition. The emblem frame is shaped like a braided rope. The palette is rich, comprising blue, red, gold, green, gray, and white.
Crystal Palace
The English soccer team Crystal Palace’s emblem features a blue eagle and a red ball, its most colorful elements. Both colors are combined in the name ribbon at the bottom. It is wavy and blue, with a red border and white lettering in bold sans-serif font. The background is a composition of architectural structures painted in gray.
Nationwide
This UK building society has chosen to feature an outline of an eagle flying to the right against the background of block “N.” This is the first letter of the organization’s name. Nationwide chose a minimalistic logo to emphasize the simplicity of the professionals’ process. The contoured bird appears calm and confident, symbolizing reliability and trustworthiness. Its wings are raised upwards, and its head, back, and tail are stretched horizontally in a straight line. The main colors of the emblem are blue and white. The lower part has a black inscription in a sans-serif font.
Moto Guzzi
For Moto Guzzi, the emblem is not just a means of identification but a visual concept. With its help, the two-wheeler manufacturer demonstrates its capabilities: reliability, speed, superiority on the road, confidence, and impeccability. The main element of the emblem is a golden eagle with spread wings and detailed elements. However, this does not mean the image is realistic. No, it is a stylized image with detailed feathers. The bird’s paws are folded, and the neck is stretched out as if pointing forward. The wings are perfectly aligned horizontally. At the bottom, the brand name is written in black paint.
Eagle
The Eagle automobile brand’s logo predictably contained an eagle. The brand’s only graphic element was a triangular shield with convex sides. A sharp, hooked beak characterized the bird’s head. The bird pointed to the right and stared intently ahead. The image features white lines on a black background. At the top was the name written in rounded capital letters.
Lazio
Lazio has an emblem with an eagle sitting on a shield. The bird spreads its wings wide and looks attentively to the right side, where its head is turned. The upper line of the wings is flat and horizontal. The palette of the Italian soccer club’s visual identity is light, consisting of white, bicolor blue, and gold. The coat of arms has wide vertical stripes. The team name is typed in italic capital letters with serifs.
FPV
The FPV logo uses an abbreviated version of the name because its acronym stands for First-Person View. The drone manufacturer describes its products as powerful surveillance tools with the keen eye of an eagle, able to discern every detail from above. The company’s emblem is minimalist and features an oval with a black stroke in the negative space, where a bird’s head is prominently displayed. The name is in the lower-right corner, typed in rounded, italicized letters.
IMSS
The eagle symbolizes protection and security in the Mexican State Department of Public Welfare. For IMSS, the logo was designed to reflect the direction of its work, 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 negative space. The inscription consists of narrow, elongated letters. The glyphs are displayed on a white background below the badge and feature small extensions at their ends.
Hogwarts
The mythical educational institution Hogwarts has a logo divided into four parts. One part features an eagle on a shield. It is located in the lower right corner and symbolizes the Ravenclaw faculty. A badger, a snake, and a lion occupy the remaining sides. Between them (in the center) is a capital letter “H”, the first letter of the name. The emblem resembles a complex coat of arms, supplemented by upper and lower ribbons.
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani has one of the most stylish and iconic logos. The Italian fashion house placed an abstract eagle on an emblem featuring alternating black-and-white stripes. The dark lines are wide and expressive, with rounded ends. They are divided into three parts in the middle, forming a body and wings raised upwards. Such geometricity is associated with the company’s specificity in clothing patterning. The bird is above the inscription, typed in a thin, uppercase font with short, narrow serifs. There is a white mark at the bottom of the eagle, an elegant monogram of “GA.”