Škoda's Heritage
History of the logo
Bicycles, motorcycles and cars
Václav Laurin, a mechanic, and Václav Klement, a bookseller – both of whom were enthusiastic cyclists, began making their own bicycles in December 1895.
Due to a tense political era and a strong sense of patriotism at the end of the 19th century, they named their company Slavia. Beginning in 1899, they began producing motorcycles under the name Laurin & Klement.
At the turn of the century, Laurin and Klement moved to manufacturing cars. The first mass produced car– the L&K Voiturette A - was made in 1905.
1895
1905
The first logo of the L&K Company with lime tree elements symbolizing Slavic nations.
It was used on bicycles and motorcycles of the Slavia brand.
1905
1911
This logo was used on the side of Slavia motorcycles‘fuel tanks.
1905
1925
This round logo with the L&K initials surrounded by a laurel wreath was inspired by art nouveau.
It decorated the top of the Laurin & Klement automobile radiators.
1925
1995
The famous winged arrow has adorned the cars made in Mladá Boleslav for almost a century.
Its origin is veiled in mystery and is a source of many legends.
1995
2011
The ŠKODA AUTO logo is perceived as one of the most original and stylistically pure in the world.
2011
2015
The winged arrow is much larger and more prominent in the latest version.
2016
NOW
One significant change concerns the wordmark, which moves underneath the picturemark with the winged arrow in a chrome ring.
Where did the legendary winged arrow come from?
The inspiration
The commercial director of ŠKODA at the time, Tomáš Maglič, is considered the author of the idea.
A picture portraying a Native American decorating the ŠKODA Plzeň management office around the years 1918–1919 was likely his inspiration.
The visual trademarks
Two variants of the trademark were registered with the Office of Trademark and Design in Plzeň on December 15th, 1923.
The first variant, used in 1924 and 1925, was a winged arrow with a five-feathered stylized wing in a circle with the word ŠKODA.
The second variant showed a three-feathered winged arrow in a circle. The arrow in both variants pointed to the right. This stylistically perfect variant won and has not been significantly changed since.
The author
While it is clear that the design was not the work of an amateur, the author of the ŠKODA logo is not known. First class Czech sculptors Otto Gutfreund or Otakar Spaniel are rumoured to have been the authors.
Much of the historical evidence suggests, however, that the logo was probably the outcome of a competition called by the technical director of the ŠKODA headquarters in Prague, Dr. Ing. Sýkora, who also initiated the registration of the trademark.
The logo with the famous winged arrow first appeared on automobiles from Mladá Boleslav in 1926.
Merger in 1925
The continuity in logotype use
Automobiles have been made in Mladá Boleslav under the brand ŠKODA since 1926.
Even though the company name changed completely, the new logo shares many similarities with the older one.
1905
1925
The round logo is firmly connected with the Laurin & Klement brand. It decorated the top of the radiator.
1913
1929
The word trademark Laurin & Klement first appeared in 1913.
A round L&K logo appeared on the radiators and from 1925 the ŠKODA oval was used.
1925
1934
This logo was used only on car radiators.
Cars produced during the L&K era bore the trademark Laurin & Klement on the radiator until 1929.
1925
1995
This logo was created in ŠKODA Plzeň and the Mladá Boleslav factory adopted it in 1925.
It was used on automobiles until 1995 and on printed materials until 1992/93.
Even today, it is used on individual components such as the windshield or engine parts.
The meaning of the fundamental logo elements
The wing
Technical advancement, manufacturing scope, worldwide sale of products.
The large circle
Manufacturing versatility, perfection of production, the world, the Earth.
The circle, eye
Manufacturing precision, high level of technical development, innovation.
The arrow
Progressive production methods, high productivity.
The forward-aiming arrow
On fenders, hubcaps, hoods – wherever it was possible for the arrow to point forward.
The laurel wreath
The design of the original Laurin & Klement logo with the founders‘initials was influenced by art nouveau at the beginning of the 20th century.
The logo is decorated by a laurel wreath, which has always been connected with fame and victory. It was likely used due to the similarity between the name Václav Laurin and the Latin name for laurel, Laurus Nobilis.
Colours
1925
1995
Blue, metallic, silver
The basis of the logo was metal, and so silver (metallic) and blue were used.
As required by circumstances, inverted colours were used.
50s AND 60s
Red
The logo was sometimes used in red in the 50s and 60s, also inverted if needed.
1993
1994
Green
The first modification of the ŠKODA logo. The blue was replaced with green and a new circle with the company name was added.
1994
2011
Black and green
The black and green logo gave ŠKODA a large measure of originality – black symbolizes the century-long tradition of the company and green indicates ecological friendliness.
Printed materials
Different logos for cars and for printed materials were used in the past. There were no exact rules for using the logo until 1994 and, therefore, there were many variants. The first corporate identity manual was created in 1994 along with the FELICIA model.
Company Historical Materials
1930–1945 ASAP (Joint-stock company for the automotive industry)
Company Historical Materials
1930–1945 ASAP (Joint-stock company for the automotive industry)
Company Historical Materials
1930–1945 ASAP (Joint-stock company for the automotive industry)
Model Timeline
1895 1905
1906 1915
1916 1925
1926 1935
1936 1945
1946 1955
1956 1965
1966 1975
1976 1985
1986 1995
1996 2005
2006 present
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