Logo of BMW, discover its entire history and evolution

The BMW logo has evolved over the years and with technological developments until reaching the new image that has just been unveiled.

The BMW logo is known by everyone, but is it a propeller or not? There have been discussions about the Bavarian brand’s image for many decades, but there is a trick to everything, as in this case. Today we are going to reveal the real meaning of the BMW emblem, from its creation through all the changes up to the new brand image that was presented just a few days ago.

“Many people believe the BMW logotype is a stylized propeller,” said Fred Jakobs of the BMW Group Classic. “But the truth is different.” So what does the BMW logotype really mean? And what does the BMW emblem represent?

BMW did not need a symbol at the beginning of its history

First of all, let us reveal the meaning of the acronym of the legendary German brand: BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke. Its history begins in 1917, when BMW was renamed Rapp Motorenwerke, an aircraft engine manufacturer based in Munich. Although the name changed, the technicians, the assets and the workforce initially remained the same.

That same year, in July, the company had no logo. At that time, in addition to aircraft engines, there was already talk of engines for automobiles, agriculture and boats.

Fred Jakobs said that “in the early days, the logo and its meaning were in no way as present for a wide audience as they are today, because BMW had no end customers to advertise to.” The main business was the production and maintenance of aircraft engines for the German Air Force.

In the BMW logo, Bavaria could be seen when reversed

Already in October of that same year, 1917, the first emblem arrived. It kept the round shape of Rapp’s old logo. The outer ring of the symbol was bordered by golden lines and the word BMW could be read.

The quarter circles in the interior show the state colours of the Free State of Bavaria: white and blue. However, in reverse order, at least if the BMW logo is read clockwise from the upper left, as is customary in heraldry.

The use of the blue and white colours was due to the trademark protection law, which prohibited the use of national coats of arms or other emblems.

But what does the BMW logo mean?

At first glance, the meaning of the BMW logo is very clear: the blue and white colours symbolise the colours of the Free State of Bavaria, the home of BMW. An advertisement published in 1929 shows the emblem with the four colour fields on a spinning aircraft propeller.

Since then, many have interpreted the Bavarian brand’s badge as a representation of an aircraft propeller, as a tribute to its beginnings in aviation. Today, many people still believe this myth. It is important to note that when the global economic crisis began, the aforementioned advertisement was intended to promote a new aircraft engine the company had built under licence from Pratt & Whitney. “The propeller interpretation fits very well with the advertising image of the young company, as it underlines the company’s roots and its competence in aircraft construction.”

Years later, in 1942, BMW registered the propeller as its own and turned it into its trademark. It also published the so-called “Flugmotoren-Nachrichten”, which embellished the version of the spinning propeller. The story was illustrated with a photo in which the BMW logo was depicted on the rotating rotor. BMW has done everything possible to set the propeller myth straight regarding its logo.

The BMW symbol: meaning and interpretation

The history of the BMW logo lives on as a legend, and the legend remains alive to this day. “BMW has done everything possible to correct the myth,” explained Fred Jakobs of the BMW Group Classic. “And if you want to keep clinging to the BMW propeller myth, you are not entirely wrong,” the expert says. The version with the rotor in the BMW logo is indeed incorrect. However, the explanation has become natural through constant repetition. Jakobs: “The interpretation has been common for 90 years and is therefore also justified.”

2020, a new logo for BMW communications

More than a simple design update, the new presence of the BMW brand represents the mobility of the future. How is the change within the brand reflected in the new logo? Not only has the conventional logo changed, but also the divisions such as BMW i and BMW M.

Jens Thiemer, Senior Vice President Customer and Brand BMW, noted that “BMW is becoming a brand built on user relationships. The new communications logo radiates openness and clarity.” “With this new transparent variant, we want to invite our customers, more than ever, to become part of the world of BMW. Our new brand design is also geared towards the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for brands. With visual restraint and graphic flexibility, we are preparing for the wide variety of touchpoints in communication where BMW will be present online and offline in the future. The additional communications logo symbolises the importance and relevance of the brand for mobility and the joy of driving in the future.”

How has the BMW logo evolved?