Mazda has apparently updated its logo for the first time in nearly three decades. However, the changes being made are the now-familiar minimalist approach taken by loads of other automakers in recent years.
In an effort to make their emblems more optimized for smartphones and tablets, loads of companies have introduced flat versions of their corporate logos. Occasionally, this has resulted in significant alterations. For example, General Motors gave their iconic logo softer edges and used a lower-case font for reasons I’ll never understand. But the recipe typically involves just issuing a monochrome version of the preexisting logo — which is what Mazda has allegedly done.
Based on a report from Japan’s Nikkei, the company could make a formal announcement about the change before the end of the month. There was even speculation that a press release would drop later today. But that doesn’t appear to have happened yet.
The real question is whether or not the new emblem (above) will eventually grace production vehicles. Some companies (e.g. Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan) are currently migrating their flat logos from marketing materials over to the vehicles, gradually replacing the older version. But others have continued to stick with their traditional designs wherever physical products are concerned.
Nikkei suggested the new Mazda logo would be used in tandem with the older one (below). There was also some speculation that the updated emblem could be reserved for all-electric vehicles.
All we know for certain is that the automaker trademarked the new logo with the Japan Patent Office in 2024 and that reports have the rationale for the design being that it looks better on smart phones. It’s almost a perfect silhouette of the old logo. However, upon closer inspection, we can see that the lines are slightly less curvaceous, particularly on the bottom edge of the gull wings.
[Images: Mazda; Japan Patent Office]
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