The Polaris logo is widely known among extreme sportspeople, fishermen, and hunters because this engineering corporation produces snowmobiles.
Polaris: Brand overview
Founded: | 1954 |
Founder: | Edgar Hetteen, Allen Hetteen, David Johnson |
Headquarters: | Medina, Minnesota, U.S. |
Website: | polaris.com |
The company’s production arsenal includes all-terrain, motorcycles, and electric vehicles. Its manufacturing and engineering sites are located in several cities nationwide, including Roseau (Minnesota), where it first appeared. The head office is in Medina, which is in the same state. The company’s original name is Polaris Industries Inc., received upon opening in 1954. Polaris Inc. became one in 2019. The Hetteen brothers (Allan and Edgar) and David Johnson are its founders.
The founders of Polaris had been business partners long before Polaris was founded, working for Hetteen Hoist and Derrick. One day, David Johnson and two employees (Paul Knochenmus and Orlen Johnson) decided to create a car to drive in the snow. He raged when Edgar Hetteen returned from a business trip and looked at their development. The reason was simple: the head of the company wanted to see something like a snowplow, and he was in for a surprise in the form of an incomprehensible transport with a conveyor belt instead of wheels.
Edgar was extremely skeptical of the concept and scolded employees for wasting company resources on an “unreasonable” novelty. However, the electric sled was bought by the owner of a local sawmill. Despite the protests of management, the workers continued their research and, in 1954, introduced a snowmobile under the brand name Polaris Sno Traveler. Based on it, a whole series of such machines was created. The first sample from the line appeared in 1956. Allan Hetteen led the group of innovators. As the popularity of snowmobiles grew, his brother Edgar changed his mind about them and even organized a demonstration tour of Alaska. But then he left the company and founded his own.
The official appearance of Polaris dates back to 1966 when Hetteen Hoist and Derrick broke up and were replaced by Polaris Industries Inc. At first, it almost disappeared due to the risk of bankruptcy provoked by releasing an unsuccessful model. However, its members survived and created another prototype that could ride on all types of snow cover.
Meaning and History
Simultaneously with the emergence of snowmobiles, their logo was created. It reflects the idea of snow, north, and cold.
The visual identity of this transportation company contains both graphics and text. That is, it is a thematic icon supplemented by the name. The inscription is typed in capital letters with rounding. Smooth cuts and corners are available only at the ends of the lines. At the same time, the symbols are wide and elongated, with smooth curves. The “O” sign is rectangular with rounded corners. A star replaces the inner lumen in it.
What is Polaris?
Polaris is a US company that manufactures snowmobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and electric vehicles. It was registered in 1966 based on a company operating since 1954. The brothers Hetteen Allan and Hetteen Edgar, as well as their business partner David Johnson, are involved in its appearance. The manufacturer’s headquarters is located in Medina, Minnesota.
The Polaris logo is characterized by simplicity, minimalism, and symbolism. The central element is an eight-pointed star, symbolizing the North Star—one of the brightest and most well-known stars, a guide for travelers and sailors for centuries. This star is associated with reliability and stability, reflecting the brand’s core concept—a manufacturer of equipment designed for extreme conditions and rugged adventures.
Visually, the star is designed in the style of a snowflake, referencing Arctic regions and winter vehicles like snowmobiles, which were the starting point for Polaris’ history. Each point of the star features two colors: blue and white. This color scheme evokes winter frost and icy conditions, emphasizing the company’s product range, which originally focused on snowmobiles and other extreme-weather equipment.
The logo’s color palette consists of shades of blue and white. Blue is associated with cold, reliability, and advanced technology while also underscoring the brand’s status as a leader in its segment. The white in the star elements symbolizes purity, perfection, and clarity—essential qualities for any high-quality machinery.
The company name “POLARIS” is written in large, bold, sans-serif letters, creating a sense of strength and stability. A notable detail is the small star within the letter “O,” which reminds us of the North Star and its role as a guiding light.
The Polaris logo embodies the qualities that have been the foundation of the company’s success: reliability, resilience, advanced technology, and readiness for harsh conditions.
Font and Colors
The designers created an individual typeface for the emblem, which is close in style to Aldo Novarese’s Eurostile Bold Extended #2. It is similar to Handel Gothic Bold by Robert Trogman and Donald Handel. The logo’s color palette consists of cool shades of blue and blue. In tandem with white, they form a snowy-icy atmosphere.