The Story behind the mercedes benz logo
Mercedes Benz is one of the most famous and historic car manufactures in the world often recognized not only for its luxurious and elegant automobiles but also for the most famous feature: The Mercedes Benz Logo. With the roots of the brand tracing back to the 1901 Mercedes by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorenwagen by Carl Benz, the company has led the car industry for over 100 years making the iconic 3-point star not only one of the oldest Logo but also one of the most historical.
origins of the mercedes benz logo
The three-pointed start that would later become Mercedes Benz’s emblem was the idea of Paul and Adolf Daimler, the sons of Gottlieb Daimler (Founder of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft). After their father passed away, they remembered a postcard given to his wife featuring a drawing of a star over their house promising it will one day shine brightly over his factory. Daimlers vision to not only build automobiles, but also ships and aircrafts were resembled in the three points of the star: “land, sea and air”.
First vision of the logo (1909)
in 1909, DMG adopted the three-pointed star as its emblem and registered it as a trademark. The first iteration of the star was simple and didn’t yet have the circle surrounding it. This Star was used on the vehicles from the late 1900s until the merger with Karl Benz (Founder of 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen) in 1926.
Fun Fact: At the same time the company also registered a four-pointed star but never ended up using it.
The Merger and first combined logo (1926)
After DMG and Benz & Cie. merged in 1926, the new company became Mercedes-Benz. With the merger, the three-pointed star of DMG was combined with the laurel wreath of Benz into one logo. the laurel wreath was from Karl Benz’s original brand, symbolizing victory and success.
notable chances of the mercedes benz logo (1933-present):
1933 – The laurel wreath was replaced by a simple circle around the star, making the logo more modern and sleek. The three-pointed star remained the central element, but the design became more streamlined.
1946–1989 – Following the end of World War II, Mercedes-Benz cars became symbols of postwar luxury and quality. The logo continued to evolve subtly, but the basic three-pointed star in a circle design remained.
1990s–2000s – Mercedes-Benz made the logo more minimalistic, with a sleek, flat design for its emblem on vehicles, while the printed logo was often shown in a chrome, metallic style.
2009-Present – Mercedes-Benz’s latest iterations of the logo are typically a 3D, chrome version of the three-pointed star within a circle, reflecting a modern, high-tech feel in line with the brand’s luxury status.
meaning of the name “Mercedes”
The name “Mercedes” has its own interesting origin. It comes from Mercédès Jellinek, the daughter of Austrian automobile dealer Emil Jellinek, who was an important early figure in Daimler’s history. Jellinek not only sold Daimler cars but also raced them, and he entered races under the pseudonym “Monsieur Mercédès” in honor of his daughter. The name stuck, and by 1902, DMG officially adopted “Mercedes” as the brand name for their cars.
