McDonald’s trademark golden arches are familiar to most everyone in the developed world. The distinctive arched design of the McDonald’s logo cast their golden glow on small towns, big cities, and stretches of highway all around the world. But how did that particular logo come into being?

In Phoenix, Arizona in 1953, Richard and Maurice McDonald were first conceptualizing the franchise restaurant that would eventually become the ubiquitous McDonald’s. The original architectural design for the building, by architect Stanley Meston, was a red and white tiled walk-up hamburger stand. Richard McDonald, wanting to add a little more flair to the design, quickly sketched two yellow arches, one on each side of the structure. While Meston agreed to other design changes, he continued to reject the arches, and ultimately, a sign-maker named George Dexter was retained to build and install them. The design and positioning of the arches gave the impression, when the building was viewed on a diagonal, of a capital letter M, for McDonald’s. The sign out front incorporated a third arch, along with the original McDonald’s mascot, a cartoon chef named Speedee.

In 1962, as the restaurant gained popularity, a new McDonald’s logo was sought as a way to upgrade the company’s overall image. At first, a stylized image in the shape of a letter V was suggested. Corporate head of design and engineering Jim Schindler inverted and extended it to the shape of an M that looked very similar to the M created by the original arches when the buildings were viewed at an angle, and the new McDonald’s logo in its current widely recognizable form was born.

Speedee the chef was phased out and replaced by the world’s best-known clown, Ronald McDonald, by 1967. Willard Scott, who would go on to become the beloved weatherman of NBC’s Today Show, pioneered the character of Ronald in 1963 after his successful run as television’s Bozo the Clown inspired McDonald’s marketing to approach him with the idea of a hamburger-loving clown that would appeal to kids of all ages. Today, Ronald McDonald enjoys name recognition second only to Santa Claus; one study indicates he is identifiable by a whopping 96% of American school children. For decades, commercials featured Ronald interacting in McHappyland with his motley crew of friends and cohorts, including Grimace, Mayor McCheese, and the Hamburglar. In recent years, however, the McHappyland characters have taken a back seat to commercials portraying Ronald interacting with real children in the real world.

McDonald’s locations all over the world have largely removed the original arches from their exterior designs, but the familiar pair of golden arches still graces their signs and comprises the official McDonald’s logo. The arches are so well known that “Golden Arches” has become a synonym for the McDonald’s franchise itself. Canadian McDonald’s chains add a touch of local flair to their establishments with the addition of a red maple leaf in the center of the arch design.

The McDonald’s logo is also often used to denote capitalism and increasing globalization. Along with Coca-Cola and Nike, McDonald’s is one of a select handful of American corporations that have gained worldwide fame and notoriety, permeating even the quietest corners of the planet with broad-scale advertising and ceaseless expansion.

The golden arches were even the subject of a political theory introduced in 1999 by Thomas L. Friedman in “The Lexus and the Olive Tree.” The Golden Arches Theory noted that, at that time, no two countries that had active McDonald’s franchises had ever gone to war with one another. The argument, in summary, is that countries with a middle class well-developed enough to support industries such as McDonald’s would be disinterested in engaging in global conflict. However intriguing and unique Friedman’s theory was, it has been disproven many times since, notably with the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia, both of whom had open McDonald’s franchises at the time of the conflict.

The golden arches and bright cartoon characters that comprise the McDonald’s logo are known the world over, recognized and loved by many. Any corporation globalized and economically dominant enough to spark political theory and hot debate is worth taking a moment to study. The simplest of logos–McDonald’s arches, Nike’s swish, Coca-Cola’s script–are often the most distinctive and memorable, and their consistent popularity point to strong marketing, excellent design–even if accidental–and the ability to capture consumers’ innate willingness to develop strong brand loyalty.

In addition to a fantastic product or service, advertising plays a key role in the success of a company. Behind a successful advertising campaign, there usually lies an attractively designed, eye-catching logo. When it comes to media exposure, logos help to define a company almost at a glance. In order for them to be so effective, they need to catch the public eye and staying within public memory. One example of a logo that has had tremendous success in capturing public attention for over 50 years is the Burger King logo. The Burger King logo is recognized in countries all over the world as the symbol of Burger King Restaurants. The logo has been highly successfully in enhancing the company’s public exposure and helping this fast food chain become one of the most popular in the world.

The Making of a Successful Logo

Many factors go into developing a successful logo for a company. Whether the company offers a product or a service, an eye-catching logo can do much to enhance the company’s image and place the company in the public’s eye. An attractive logo can give a new company an excellent start in business by enhancing public exposure. Greater public exposure could give a new company an initial edge over its competitors. An attractive logo will stick in the public’s mind, eventually becoming well recognized by present and future customers alike.

Logos which stir up positive emotional appeal to a company’s product can be very effective in augmenting company sales. In the case of the now world famous Burger King logo, the two half bun design with the Burger King name in the middle, surrounded by the blue circle, has become a symbol of the delicious burger products the company sells in restaurants everywhere. The logo continues to appeal to older and younger generations alike, greatly enhancing the company’s image.

The original design of this logo was introduced to the public in 1960. It featured a simpler design of the company’s name in red lettering situated between two bun halves. In 1994, the font of the logo was upgraded for the restaurants’ directional and roof signs. In 1999, a more contemporary version of the logo was introduced to the public. This logo decreased the size of the two bun halves, tilted the buns along with the Burger King name slightly and added the circular blue crescent to the picture. This change gave the logo a more attractive, modern appeal to capture the youth market. Judging by the popularity of Burger King Restaurants today, the logo appears to have accomplished its purpose well as it continues to attract thousands to Burger King establishments all over the world.

In addition to having an emotional appeal, other factors that contribute to a successful logo are creativity in design, color, use of fonts, visual appeal, etc. Logos need not be complex to be successful. In fact, simple logos often communicate much better than complex designs and are easier to recognize and remember. A great logo will engage your audience, not just initially in passing, but will continue to stick in people’s minds long after they have seen it for the first time. A company’s logo will distinguish it from all other businesses, setting it apart from the rest. Logos of this nature are timeless, because regardless of minor modifications, people will always remember your business from the logo they have imprinted in their minds.

Benefits of Having a Successful Logo

The benefits of creating a ‘winning’ logo for your company are many and varied. A timeless logo eventually will become the symbol of your company and will be recognized from generation to generation. It will give your company a distinct advantage over your competitors, to include new competition in the future. An attractive and appealing logo will be instrumental in attracting new customers to your company to try out your services or products. Your logo will accentuate brand visibility. On a website, a catchy logo can make the difference between people stopping to see what you have to offer or just passing you by. In essence, your logo will be your face to the world and should exhibit class, style and distinction.

The Burger King logo offers a classic example of how logos can enhance a company’s future. Logos play key roles in helping to build a successful business and keep you in the forefront of public awareness.