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A logo - a brand!


Henri Nestlé was one of the first Swiss manufacturers to build a brand with the help of a logo. He was the one who recognized the importance of branding from the very beginning. A logo is much more than a symbol of identification. If designed well, it also tells the story of a company by conveying the company's brand message in such a that it also helps establish and emotional connection with its target audience. This is what Henri Nestlé did with his very first logo, and subsequently with its every evolution and change.

The original Nestlé trademark was based on his family's coat of arms, which featured a single bird sitting on a nest. This was a reference to the family name, which means 'nest' in German.

Henri Nestlé adapted the coat of arms by adding three young birds being fed by a mother, to create a visual link between his name and his company's infant cereal products. He began using the image as a trademark in 1868. Today, the familiar bird's nest logo continues to be used on Nestlé products worldwide, in a modified form. In 1995 this logo was simplified and three birds became two. The tree is supposed to represent an oak and the birds thrushes. In 2015 the logo was made softer for an easier read on modern digital devices, whilst in 2021, albeit the logo kept its iconic composition, the emblem was enlarged. This was done so that the whole logo looked more balanced and solid.

Although the logo has been updated throughout the various years, it remains immediately recognizable and distinctive. Nestlé is not just a legend, but also a visual identity. The multinational familiar badge has undergone a total of six redesigns throughout the Company's history, but its main symbol remains unchanged for more than a century.

Take a look at how our logo has evolved over the years

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Nestlé family coat of arms
Nestlé family coat of arms
Nestlé family coat of arms
Original Nestlé family coat of arms.
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1868
1868
1868
Henri Nestlé uses his family's coat of arms as inspiration for the logo (Nestlé = little nest in German) to protect his "Milk Food" ("Farine Lactée"/"Kindermehl") from imitators.
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1938
1938
1938
The Nestlé lettering and logo are combined to form an umbrella brand. This becomes the unifying distinguishing mark for different Nestlé products.
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1966
1966
1966
The combined trademark is modernised in celebration of the company's 100th anniversary.
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1988
1988
1988
Subsidiaries are given standardised names in combination with "Nestlé" and the logo that has now been reduced to two young birds with the writing underneath, becomes the strategic umbrella trademark.
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1995
1995
1995
The logo is simplified once again and the four product categories milk product, ice cream, confectionery and baby milk, are each given specific Nestlé lettering.
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2015
2015
2015
The new, softer logo design makes it easier to read on modern digital devices such as smartphones.
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