Starbucks Logo PNG
Sirens in mythology symbolize the mysterious and alluring sea, which makes one’s head spin. The Starbucks logo, created for the brand, conveys the enchanting essence of the coffeehouse chain. The long-haired girl on the emblem smiles invitingly, beckoning travelers to stop by for a cup of freshly brewed drink.
Starbucks: Brand overview
The Starbucks logo is one of the most recognizable and visually unusual in the world – a coffee company owning a global network of coffeehouses, now totaling over 30,000 in 76 countries. The story of its success and the emergence of the original emblem is very interesting.
Meaning and History
The brand was founded in 1971 by three friends – writer Gordon Bowker, history teacher Zev Siegl, and English teacher Jerry Baldwin. Their acquaintance Alfred Peet taught the friends a new way of roasting coffee beans, prompting them to open their coffeehouse. The young men pooled $1,350 each, borrowed an additional $5,000, and rented a space in Seattle’s Puppy Market, Washington. Starbucks Coffee Tea Spices opened on September 30, and its incredible aroma attracted customers. The sign also featured a mythological mermaid with a bare bust and two tails.
The establishment was located right on the waterfront, and the young men decided to play on the maritime theme in the name and emblem of the company. They borrowed the name Starbucks from Herman Melville’s novel “Moby-Dick.” In the novel, Starbucks is Ahab’s friend, who is very fond of strong coffee. The sound and memorable words were slightly altered, adding meaning – Star (star) and bucks (dollars).
Artist Terry Heckler suggested the idea of the original emblem to young entrepreneurs. He studied over ten historical books on navigation and proposed using a drawing of a two-tailed mermaid – La Sirena. He found this engraving in a 1500 book as an illustration from Scandinavian sagas. D. Darden designed the first logo.
What is Starbucks?
This is the largest coffeehouse chain in the world, which redefined how people drink coffee by transforming regular coffee shops into welcoming “third places” between home and work. A special roasting method was developed to highlight the unique qualities of each coffee variety, allowing for coffee beans with varying roast levels — from light to dark. The chain offers various beverages, including signature Frappuccinos, seasonal drinks, classic espresso, snacks, and pastries. The product lineup includes coffee-making items like ground coffee, beans, capsules, and branded accessories.
1971 – 1987
First Starbucks 1971 logo
The first logo, created in 1971, exactly replicated a woodcut: a bare-breasted Siren with a lush bust and a crown on her head, holding her two tails with her hands. The image was placed in a circle, which in turn was placed in a larger concentric circle. At the top of the frame was Starbucks, and at the bottom was Fresh Roasted Coffee. The white image was set against a dark background of roasted coffee.
1987 – 1992
In 1987, the emblem was modified. The siren’s image became more stylized due to strong discontent among Seattle’s Puritan residents. By then, Starbucks had a large network of coffeehouses, branded paper cups, and branded coffee delivery vehicles. City authorities received complaints about small children seeing the mermaid’s bare chest. The owners decided not to provoke the public, making the mermaid more modest: her seductive bust was covered by wavy hair. The crown on her head became clearer and bigger, and a five-pointed star was placed in the center. The inner circle remained almost black, while the outer one became green. The Starbucks name was enlarged, leaving only the word coffee at the bottom, separated by stars.
1992 – 2011
In 1992, the owners of the thriving coffeehouses were again forced to change the emblem’s design under public pressure – the mermaid’s bare navel troubled conservative citizens. This was done radically – the lower part of the Siren was cut off, enlarging the rest of the image.
2011 – today
In 2011, as the brand became globally recognized, the company’s management decided to remove excess design elements – they cut out the entire outer circle with the inscriptions. Only the beautiful mermaid on a green background remained. Similar changes were made following the modern trend of ECO-logos – simplifying the design and reducing the amount of paint on the logo to preserve nature and the environment.
Starbucks: Interesting Facts
Starbucks is a super famous coffee shop that started in 1971 in Seattle. Three guys named Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker decided to sell good coffee beans.
- Starting: It all began at Seattle’s Pike Place Market, but they only sold coffee beans. You couldn’t grab a cup of coffee to drink on the spot.
- The Name and Picture: “Starbucks” comes from a book called “Moby-Dick.” There’s a character named Starbuck. The logo with a mermaid represents love for the sea and Seattle’s port.
- Big Changes: Howard Schultz joined the company and wanted to make it like the coffee places he saw in Italy. In 1987, he bought Starbucks and started opening places where you could hang out and enjoy your coffee.
- Going Worldwide: Starbucks didn’t stay just in the US. In 1996, they opened stores in Canada and Japan. Now, they have thousands of stores in over 80 countries.
- Cool Coffees: Starbucks made dark roast coffee a big deal and created drinks like the Frappuccino and the Pumpkin Spice Latte, which everyone loves when fall comes around.
- Special Coffee: Starbucks has a special Reserve program for unique coffees. They even have big fancy stores called Roasteries to showcase their best coffee and how they make it.
- Helping the Planet: Starbucks is trying to be good to the Earth. They want to use less water and make less trash, like getting people to use reusable cups.
- Taking Care of Workers: Starbucks calls its workers “partners” and gives them health insurance, helps with school fees for online courses, and even shares in the company.
- Helping Communities: Starbucks likes to help out in the places where it opens stores. It works to get young people jobs and help coffee farmers in other countries.
- Ordering with Your Phone: Starbucks encourages customers to use their phones to order and pay before they even get to the store. Their app is one of the best for this.
From just one store to a worldwide favorite, Starbucks has changed how we drink and think about coffee. They’re all about good coffee, caring for the planet, and helping their workers and communities.
Font and Colors
Another interesting feature is associated with this logo. Conspiracy theorists saw many strange signs in the trademark. The mermaid on the 1971 emblem closely resembles Queen Esther, suggesting the company owners are Zionists. If the image is turned upside down, it resembles a goat’s head, a devil symbol. The five-pointed star on the crown is a Satanic pentagram.
These speculations have long been exaggerated in the press. On the one hand, like Siren’s bare chest, it was additional free advertising; on the other, in conditions of successful growth, the company did not want to risk its reputation. Therefore, replacing the old image with a more beautiful and simple picture was decided.
An unconventional logo choice was one of the three main factors in global success, alongside product quality and the coffeehouse network idea.
Today, the new logo symbolizes the union of modernity with the traditions and values of American society. Green color and minimalism are a tribute to the company’s ecological direction aimed at preserving the environment.
From the beginning, the old logo played a key role in the rapid growth of the coffee shops’ popularity. The unusual design attracted attention and generated interest in Starbucks products. The history of creating this logo is studied in design schools as an example of a successful combination of smart marketing and visual language of information.
The product packaging is printed with the company name, documentation, class, and features. A font with clear, legible letters without serifs is used. The modern logo’s main color scheme is a green shade, with a hexadecimal code of #00704A; in the Pantone color system, it is designated as 3425C. The name is white (hexadecimal: #FFFFFF) and black (hexadecimal: #000000).
FAQ
What is the meaning behind the Starbucks logo?
The Starbucks logo features a siren, copied from a 16th-century engraving. There are parallels here: Starbucks coffee lures weary travelers, just as sirens lure sailors. At the same time, the maritime theme conveys the spirit of Seattle.
Who is the queen in the Starbucks logo?
Some people think the girl on the Starbucks logo is Queen Esther. This is not true. The image of the woman with wavy hair was taken from a 16th-century engraving depicting a two-tailed mermaid.
Is the Starbucks emblem a mermaid?
The Starbucks emblem features a two-tailed mermaid siren. Looking closely, you can see the tails to the right and left of her face.
Is Medusa the emblem of Starbucks?
The woman on the Starbucks emblem is not Medusa the Gorgon, as she does not have snakes on her head.