Choose an Animal as a Symbol for Your Logo

Why Choose a Logo that has an Animal as a Symbol?

 There are many reasons why logos with an animal are used to represent businesses, but also cities, countries or even families. They have been used for a very long time and have the distinct characteristic of conveying a message or values. For example, have you ever noticed that Mexico’s flag has a bird devouring a snake in the center or that a horse is in the center of the Porsche logo? During the middle ages, the owl was also used to represent the city of Athens. An animal can easily become a kind of mascot for your business. This is probably one of the reasons why there are so many animals as the main symbol of sports teams.

 But how do you choose the perfect animal for your company's logo? You have to start by asking yourself what your values are and what message you want to project with your logo. Also, it is important to choose an animal that is not used already by other companies in your field if you want to stand out.

The Symbolism of Animals

 Animals symbolize specific attributes just like colors or shapes. It is therefore essential to carefully choose the animal that will represent your business. It should also be mentioned that animals may not have the same symbolism from one part of the world to another. Here are some well-known examples of animal symbolism.

 Lamb: purity and innocence

 Eagle: power

 Donkey: stubbornness

 Beaver: entrepreneurship, work

 Horse: power

 Dog: loyalty

 Stork: the arrival of a child

 Swan: grace and beauty

 Elephant: longevity

 Owl: intelligence

 Lion: strength and royalty

 Fox: trickery

 Snake: temptation and deceit

 Turtle: longevity and wisdom

What Type of Logo Should You Choose?

 As you know, there are several types of logos such as the monogram logo, the signature logo, the symbol logo, the combined logo and the badge. Which one is best suited to a logo with an animal? Well, it depends on what you are looking for. 

 If you want to put your animal in the foreground and you want a strong brand image (it's easy to recognize your business by seeing the animal icon), the symbol logo could be a good option for you. For this we can look at the Mozilla Firefox logo as an example. The name of the company is not written on the logo, it is only a graphic.

Then there's the combination logo. As the name suggests, it is a combination of a graphic and a company name. This is currently one of the most used types of logos by companies. It turns out that several logos with an animal as their symbol are combination logos. For example, Dove and Red Bull companies have combined logos.

 Finally, if you want to give a slightly more solemn look to your logo, you could choose to go with the badge or coat of arms. This may be an option to consider if you are looking for credibility or want to set a more serious and professional tone to your brand image. For example, Italian companies Lamborghini and Ferrari use a coat of arms logos.

3 Logos with an Animal as a Symbol that We Find Quite Successful

 What could be better than analyzing successful logos before you work on yours? In order to spark your creativity, we found you three logos with an animal as the main symbol.

 Puma

 When Rudolf Dassler founded his own company, he decided to use the name Puma for marketing reasons. The German entrepreneur wanted to showcase the agility, power and speed of his sports products. Since this animal represents these characteristics well, it became the main symbol of the company. This feline can be found on each of Puma's logos, regardless of the version or redesign.

Mozilla Firefox

 Did you know that the animal on the Mozilla Firefox logo is not a fox? It is a red panda, a small mammal found in Asia. Initially, the web browser had chosen a phoenix to be the logo, but as the name was already taken, they chose another animal for their brand image. As the species is endangered, Mozilla Firefox’s choice to use this animal has raised awareness of the precarious situation of red pandas in the world.

Lacoste

 How did a French luxury brand end up with a crocodile as a symbol? René Lacoste, one of the founders, was a brilliant and persevering French tennis player, and as a result earned the nickname "the crocodile". When he decided to start his own business, it seemed natural to use this animal as a symbol for his logo displaying it proudly on his clothes.

In conclusion, do you know which animal would be perfect to represent your business? You can also choose your favourite animal or pet. When you create your logo, remember that it must be unique. If you're looking for some inspiration, take a look at our logo ideas page.