One of the great things about logo design is the amount of variation you can have. In this blog post we look at various UK logos, from the famous, to the not-so-well-known which incorporate elements of the UK flag. It is interesting to see side-by-side how even logos which use the same colours, or are influenced by very similar things can be really different from one another. These logos all follow the logo design rules we’ve spoken about before of being simple, yet unique and memorable. These UK logos have been well executed and the effect is clear to see.
Famous UK logos from the big players
British Airways, BT (British Telecom) and Virgin Media (Virgin group) are all global companies which are famous all over the world for being based in the UK, and proud to be British.
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier of the UK aerospace industry and is the largest airline in the UK by fleet size. Their logo is simple, using the colours of the flag in a subtle, effective and classic way.
BT
The BT group is one of the largest telecommunictions services companies in the world. This logo probably remains the logo most associated with BT, using the colours of the Union Jack and using the human figure to suggest the diagonal design seen in the flag.
Virgin Media
Virgin Media provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband services. A strong brand connected closely with famous UK entrepreneur Richard Branson, this variation of their logo features the flag on the underside to emphasise the roots of the company.
Sports based UK logos drawing on the Union jack
Sports logos for national teams or associations are going to be closely linked to their country from a brand point of view as a matter of course. It’s no surprise then that there are a number of Sports logos which directly use the flag or British elements.
Team GB
How can we not mention this great logo from the 2012 olympics? The use of the colours in the illustration of the lion make this a quintessentially British UK logo.
British Cycling
The national body for cycling in the UK which has seen such success over the last year has always drawn upon elements of the Union Jack. Using the colours and the figure of the cyclist to again suggest the cross/diagonal design of the flag in a simple way makes this a very effective and versatile UK logo.
British Handball Association
Where would British handball be without the recent olympics? The British Handball brand is entirely connected with the success of the olympics and its national emphasis. This logo very obviously uses the flag but plays with and adapts it to show the kind of dynamism and agility associated with the sport.
Other UK logos inspired by the union jack
Of course there are all kinds of different associations and companies which benefit from emphasising their British identity. The UK space agency, Visit Britain and the Conservative party could hardly be more different, but all of them benefit from sharing design elements which suggest their UK basis.
UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency is responsible for the civil space programme across the UK under the direction of the government. Their UK logo again very obviously uses the Union Jack but adapts it to suggest flight.
Visit Britain
Visit Britain is the trading name of the British Tourist Authority which advertises to encourage people from other countries to visit the UK. Clearly, it is very important that their logo is instantly recognised as being British all over the world and there is no better way of doing this than incorporating use of the UK flag.
The Conservative Party
The UK Conservative party has always been traditionally aligned with the British Empire. It has suited the needs of the party very well to emphasise their links with the country and they have done this recently by incorporating the flag into the inside of their tree logo.
British Design Experts
With a high number of overseas logo design agencies advertising in the UK, we wanted to emphasise that we are a UK based company. Being British and based in the UK is an important part of our brand so our logo is designed around an incorporation of the Union Jack. And we wouldn’t have it any other way – everyone instantly knows who we are with our recognisable UK logo!
(If you liked this, you may also enjoy our article on iconic logos http://www.britishlogodesign.co.uk/business-startup-help/logo-design/iconic-logos/ )
