Even though celebrities are people too, they’re increasingly recognised as brands in and of themselves. In the world of celebrities, the self is a product to some extent, and this results in the need for strong personal marketing and advertising. And in some cases relating to the very biggest celebrities, this means developing a personal logo.
Because this is an interesting concept from a graphics and design standpoint – and because we make a lot of logos for people, like these – we’ve taken the time to review some of the most prominent and effective personal logos among modern celebrities.
Tiger Woods
Although he was an athlete before becoming a major celebrity figure, Tiger Woods is now a brand unto himself. Perhaps to keep attention away from his sometimes-controversial personal life Woods has had his image very carefully managed. He has had a few logos, with the most memorable being the original and simple TW seen on so many of his apparel products. A few years ago, Woods revealed a new logo for Tiger Woods Ventures, with the “W” presented more subtly (though doubling as a tiger paw).
Michael Jordan
Another athlete with an iconic personal logo is Michael Jordan. The logo actually dates all the way back to the 1980s and has become so popular in sports since then that some people forget it is even associated with a particular athlete (particularly if they weren’t alive or paying attention during Jordan’s reign). After all, the logo is just a simple silhouette of a jumping basketball player – though one stretched out in a quintessentially Jordan move. Known as Jumpman, the logo is now owned by Nike and is used for advertising the company’s sub-brand of Air Jordan apparel. For some fans though, the Jumpman logo may as well be the official visual of the American National Basketball Association.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus may be one of the most unique celebrities of our time. Beginning her public-eye career as Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, Cyrus has since come a long way, and is now a world-famous musician and influential public figure. Not many solo musicians these days get away with their own logos, but Cyrus has one, and it captures her personality well: a bright-yellow smiley face with her initials in place of eyes. This logo has also been used for her Happy Hippies Foundation, with the M and C being replaced with two H’s. This foundation focuses on helping homeless youth, LQBTQ youth, and other vulnerable populations facing injustice in our society, so in this case, we can even go so far as to say that a successful celebrity logo has been of use in lending some weight to charitable efforts.
Roger Federer
If you watched the Wimbledon tournament that just wrapped up, you probably noticed many fans sporting hats or shirts with the simple and elegant RF logo on them. Although he ultimately lost to the bookmakers’ favourite Novak Djokovic in the final, Roger Federer asserted his enduring force as a tennis star, nearly winning the tournament despite being nearly 38 years of age. It was the latest exhibit of his legendary impact on the sport, which in turn has injected an iconic quality into the simple logo. Federer himself has actually been without said logo since leaving Nike, but reports indicate he may have acquired the rights. He’ll be among the betting favourites at the U.S. Open later this summer, and perhaps this time he’ll be sporting the initials once more.
Tyra Banks
Although it’s also affiliated with her new makeup brand, Tyra Banks’ most recent logo is too perfect to ignore. It is simple and elegant, consisting of just her name, with the blank space in the R replaced by an eye. If you watched her show America’s Next Top Model several years ago, you’ll remember her constant instructions to the models to “smize,” or “smile with your eyes.” Her logo captures this critical bit of advice and by extension her image as a celebrity.
Many other celebrities have toyed with the idea of having personal logos, but in our opinion, these are some of the most successful and immediately recognisable in modern times. If you’re ever thinking about developing your own brand, come and talk to us first… and be sure to look at these celebrities for inspiration!
