Mercedes-Benz is the passenger car brand of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its visual identity centers on the three-pointed star, one of the most widely recognized automotive symbols in the world. The current trademark, a three-pointed star in a ring, was created in 1925, in time for the merger between Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) and Benz & Cie. into Daimler-Benz AG in 1926.[1]
Design and History
The three-pointed star originated with DMG. In 1909, Alfred von Kaulla, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at DMG, prompted a search for a catchy, easily recognizable symbol for the Mercedes-branded passenger cars. The defining idea came from Paul and Adolf Daimler, sons of company founder Gottlieb Daimler, who had died in 1900. They adapted a three-pointed star for use as the brand logo, based on a symbol their father had used to mark the family’s house on a postcard depicting the town of Deutz. On 24 June 1909, DMG applied for legal protection for a graphically designed version of the symbol.[2]
From 1910 onwards, only the three-pointed star was used as an emblem on the radiators of Mercedes vehicles. In its formative years, the star was used without a surrounding ring. In 1916, the star was combined with a wide ring and the “Mercedes” lettering, pre-empting elements of the later Mercedes-Benz emblem. In November 1921, DMG registered a vivid star in a ring as an emblem, expressly for use as a three-dimensional figure on the radiator.[2]
Benz & Cie. had its own trademark history. On 6 August 1909, the Mannheim-based company submitted an application to have the “Benz” lettering surrounded by a laurel wreath registered as a trademark. This symbol was entered on the Register of Trademarks on 10 October 1910.[3]
On 18 February 1925, both brands registered their new shared logo: Daimler’s Mercedes star in Benz’s laurel wreath. This was a highly symbolic action in anticipation of the merger, which became effective on 28 June 1926. The outline of the new symbol picked up on the circular form of the two previous trademarks, with the central Mercedes star remaining the prominent feature. The “Mercedes” lettering moved from the lower edge of the ring to the top, with the word “Benz” appearing in its place. The two laurel branches from the Mannheim brand’s trademark replaced the small Mercedes stars.[2]
For most of the 20th century, Mercedes-Benz models bore the star as a radiator figure with a badge showing the complete trademark with star, laurel wreath and lettering beneath it until into the 1990s. During the last decade of the 20th century, this badge gradually disappeared from the front end, leaving just the star.[4]
In October 2007, Mercedes-Benz launched a new design for its brand identity, the first update in more than 18 years. The previously three-dimensionally designed star became two-dimensional and completely white in color, and the wordmark was decoupled from the image mark. The star was placed at the top of communications, based on the idea that “the star always shines from above.”[5] This white version was reversed in 2010, with the silver, three-dimensional star returning.[6]
In February 2025, Mercedes-Benz again changed the appearance of its logo without an official announcement. The silver, three-dimensional star was replaced by a minimalist, white, flat version across all official manufacturer communications, including emails, letterheads and social media. The metallic star on vehicles remained unaffected. The company stated that the main goal of the corporate design update was simplification.[6][7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The three points of the Mercedes star symbolize the use of Daimler engines on land, at sea and in the air.[2] The laurel wreath, incorporated into the combined 1925 trademark, was taken from the Benz symbol.[3]
Typography and Design
Mercedes-Benz uses the Corporate A/S/E typeface family, designed by Kurt Weidemann from 1985 to 1989 for Daimler-Benz. The family includes Corporate A (an antiqua/serif), Corporate S (a sans-serif) and Corporate E (an Egyptian/slab serif), sold by URW++.[8]
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