Given its name, most of us think that the name Mercedes and Benz refer to the people who brought Mercedes-Benz into existence. But in reality, Mercedes-Benz is not named two people who are the head of the companies that came together to create one of the world’s leading luxury car brands. Instead, the name came from the two cars who represented the two companies namely DMG and Benz & Cie.
The History and the Name
The 1901 Mercedes was manufactured by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft or DMG. The car was part of a series of cars that were built for an Austrian diplomat named Emil Jellinek. Emil was also a racing enthusiast who managed to bring the consumer’s interest towards the DMG cars by using it in the car races he participated in. This resulted in Jellinek being a part of DMG’s leadership and the name of his car, the Mercedes, was associated with a series of cars that he was involved in creating. Mercedes was the name of Jellinek’s daughter.
On the other hand, the 1885 Benz Patent- Motorwagen, is one of the world’s first automobile in the world. it is also the vehicle that made Karl Benz’s name. But it is said that he wouldn’t have made it if wasn’t for his wife, Bertha, who saw believed in his potential and invested her own dowry in Karl Benz’s business. The Benz Patent-Motorwagen became the symbol of Benz & Cie, one of the two companies who combined to from Mercedes-Benz.
The Mercedes-Benz Emblem Through the Years
Mercedes-Benz is one of the most recognizable brands in the world and its logo represents the professional attitude, integrity, and the legacy of the successful automotive company. The iconic three-dimensional star logo represents the power of the three parts of the Earth which are land, air, and sea.
1902 – Mercedes created their brand identity from DMG to Mercedes and they decided that the name will represent the company from then on. During that time, the emblems on their car just featured the “Mercedes” name with a little use of imagery or design element. But the emblem still managed to look elegant and sophisticated at the same time.
1909 – 1909 was the year when Mercedes saw the creation of their iconic three-pointed star logo design. It was created by Gottlieb Daimler who drew the design on a postcard that he was going to send his wife. When he pitched his idea, he said that this logo would be the most famous corporate identity in the coming years. It turns out that Daimler was right.
1916 – Mercedes introduced a new emblem in 1916. It featured the three-point star that was surrounded by a circle, has four small stars and the name of the company. The emblem remained Mercedes brand identity for ten years.
1926 – During this time, the emblem that had a laurel wreath was introduced. The wreath was once part of the Benz & Cie motors. The redesign included both names of the companies, Mercedes and Benz & Cie.
2008 – The logo remained to be in its original blue color and the badge that is standing at the radiator was changed to silver. The silver color is associated with Mercedes ever since it joined in the first Grand Prix in 1934. During that same year, Mercedes-Benz produced racing cars in which they called the “Silver Arrows”. The series became famous for their silver color which later became the primary color of the famous automobile company.
The famous three-pointed star logo still represents the corporate identity of Mercedes-Benz until today and it is used with different color variations in different products of Mercedes-Benz.