Nissan is a Japanese automobile brand owned by Nissan Motor Company. It appeared based on the Datsun brand after the Jidosha Seizo Company acquired Tobata Casting and Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works. In 1934, the name of the main company was changed to Nissan Motor Company. The first word is short for Nippon Sangyo.
Meaning and History
The evolution of the brand from Datsun to Nissan can be traced to the change of logos. There are no less than 29, but most often, we are talking about the main options that left a noticeable mark in history.
1933 – 1940
The debut emblem shows a blue rounded rectangle. In the center is the name of the company, executed in white bold sans serif letters. The uppercase font makes the caption more expressive. In the background is a large red circle. It symbolizes the rising sun as a sign of respect for the Japanese nation.
At first, it was a reference to the word “Datsun,” which consists of two parts: “DAT” (short for investors Den, Aoyama, and Takuchi) and “sun.” Then, in its place, the name “Nissan” harmoniously fell in tune with the hieroglyphs “ni” (“sun”) and “ssan” (“birth”).
1940 – 1950
In the 1940s, the brand has a new logo. It has the shape of a trapezoid with rounded corners and a small protrusion in the upper part. The word Nissan is written in the middle of the geometric figure. The letters seem jagged because “A” is higher than “N,” “I” and “S.” All strokes are rounded at the ends; only two “S” top edges are cut at an angle.
A familiar symbol is depicted above the name of the automobile brand: a circle covered by a horizontal rectangle. This is a reference to the previous logo, which has been used since the early 1930s. Also, designers retained red color and wide white contours with gray shading.
1950 – 1959
In the 1950s, a rectangular red emblem with a white Nissan inscription was approved. The usual light frame remained in place. The font has become angular, which is why the letters “S” are similar to the number “5”.
1959 – 1960
Over time, the red rectangle decreased. Also, rounding at the corners and light contours disappeared.
1960 – 1967
In 1960, designers went on an experiment: removed the background geometric shape and made the word red. To enhance the effect, they chose the original handwritten font.
1967 – 1970
For three years, a logo with the italic inscription was used. Its characteristic differences: brown palette, uneven line thickness, protruding serif at the capital “N.”
1970 – 1983
The rectangular frame is back but in a different color. Designers preferred black as the main one and added a silver outline to it. The inscription “Nissan” is light. The font is completely unlike the one that was before: now, the letters are even unified, with large serifs.
1983 – 2001
In 1983, the brand gave a second life to the 1933 emblem by placing a small copy of it in a small white rectangle. The entire graphic composition is inside a large blue rectangle, on the right side of which is written the name, Nissan. The palette matches the classic.
2001 – 2020
When Renault bought the brand, the logo became three-dimensional. It consists of three elements: a wide ring (in the background), a convex rectangle (in the middle), and the word “Nissan.” The position of the horizontal strip is determined by two golden sections of the diameter of the circle. The geometric elements are gray with a silver gradient. The inscription is completely black.
2020 – present
In March 2020, an automobile brand applied for registration of a new trademark in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, and the UK. He decided to replace the chrome symbol with its minimalist version. Following the latest fashion, the manufacturer abandoned the multi-color 3D logo. The round shape has been preserved, but the lines have become much thinner.
Now the word “Nissan” is on a blank white background. Two thin black arcs adjoin it: one from above, the second from below. Small horizontal stripes stretch outward from their ends – the only thing left of the rectangle.
Font and Color of the Emblem
Nissan’s current logo consists of a wide silver crossbar ring that bears the automotive brand’s name. It differs from previous versions in a minimalistic style because earlier, the Japanese automaker tried to attract attention with bright trademarks of unusual shapes. But in 2001, the designers completely changed the logo so that the identity indicated the company’s scope. This happened after Renault took over the company.
Nissan’s logos have always featured the brand name. For this, the developers used different fonts, including rounded (from 1933 to 1950), angular (from 1959 to 1960), handwritten (from 1960 to 1971), italic (from 1967 to 1970), and antiquity (from 1970 to 1983). In its current version, the inscription “NISSAN” is grotesque and has no serifs.
Until 2001, the company had colorful logos with a palette dominated by shades of red and blue. The current color scheme is black, white, and silver. There is a gradient that creates a 3D effect.