John Deere

John Deere (was established by the legendary inventor John Deere in 1837) is a top manufacturer of agricultural machinery all over the world, it's logo has gone through evolutionary changes in the time line.

Chronology of Logo Evolution

1876-1912

This trademark shows a deer bounding over a log. It‘s interesting that this original trademark shows a type of deer common to Africa. The native North American white-tailed deer is portrayed in future trademarks.

1912-1936

The second version of the John Deere trademark was shown again deer leaping over a log. However, there was more detail and definition this time. The slogan "The Trade Mark of Quality Made Famous by Good Implements" first appears here, extending across the bottom.

1936-1937

In later version the deer became a solid silhouette removing all the detail from the previous artwork. This change, combined with the outstretched legs, provided a stronger, more recognizable profile. A 12-sided border was added around the leaping deer, and the antlers were changed slightly. The words, "John Deere, Moline, Ill." remained in the same position but were made somewhat bolder. The slogan below it was unchanged.

1950-1956

The next version has multiple updates, the deer’s antlers were turned forward. Its tail was pointed upward to resemble the white-tailed deer. And it was no longer bounding over a log. The words "John Deere," now in a bolder square-serif font, were raised over the top of the deer’s head and antlers. A new slogan - "Quality Farm Equipment" was set in a bold sans serif typeface and reversed out of the ground beneath the deer. The words "Moline, Ill." were also dropped since John Deere was increasing its reach throughout the world. The surrounding border was modified, becoming a four-sided shape with flat sides and curves top and bottom to unify and contain the elements of the trademark.

1956-1968

The next version has slogan "Quality Farm Equipment" dropped. A radius was given to the corners of the border, and a slight curve was added to all four sides of the ellipse. The words "John Deere" were placed below the leaping deer for the first time

1968-2000

A next version features clean-cut, contemporary look ,The deer image was streamlined to show a straight-side silhouette with just two legs, instead of the four, and one four-point rack of antlers. The "John Deere" logotype was changed using a hand-modified version based on the Helvetica font. The width of the ellipse border was narrowed, and the size of the deer inside it was increased.

The latest version has its sharpened antlers, angles, muscularity and attitude give the trademark an energized and dynamic edge. John Deere’s logo, after being known for decades as the "leaping deer,” for the first time is actually leaping upward instead of landing. In the symbol itself, the deer's feet are rooted firmly into the ground for a strong leap into the new millennium. The body, head and antlers have a purposeful attitude, a sense of direction and a clear commitment to taking charge by running smart.

Punch-Line: Nothing runs like a Deere.