The Hertz Corporation, the American car rental company founded in 1918, has used a yellow-and-black wordmark for decades. The current identity, introduced in 2018, continues that pairing with a refined yellow-and-black logotype.
Design and History
Hertz has renewed its logo six times since the company was founded in 1918.[1] The most significant modern redesign came in 2009, when Landor Associates redesigned Hertz’s visual identity.[2] The new logo featured a yellow background with the word “Hertz” in black lettering.[3] The redesign removed drop shadows from the previous mark and drew the letterforms with more rounded, contemporary edges.[4]
Hertz’s new logo leveraged its signature yellow color, signifying the company’s 91-year legacy of service and innovation.[5] Mike Senackerib, Hertz chief marketing officer, said the goal was “to create a more contemporary corporate image that reflects our strong brand recognition.”[2] The company also planned to “own the color yellow” across all of its communications.[6]
In 2018, Hertz introduced a further refinement of the yellow-and-black wordmark, tightening the letterform proportions and adjusting the yellow to a warmer tone.[4] The refresh accompanied a new tagline, “We’re here to get you there,” replacing “Traveling at the speed of Hertz.”[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The yellow color has been central to Hertz’s identity for decades. The 2009 redesign used the signature yellow to reference the company’s heritage, with the logo symbolizing Hertz’s commitment to remain relevant to customers.[2] The yellow-and-black color scheme has persisted through multiple redesigns since the mid-1920s.[4]
In 2025, Hertz launched the “Gold Squad,” a program featuring trained golden retrievers at select U.S. airports. The name plays off Hertz’s gold-and-black logo and promotes the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program.[8]
Typography and Design
The 2009 Landor redesign set the wordmark in black lettering on a yellow background.[3] The letterforms were drawn with rounded, contemporary edges, replacing the dimensional drop shadows of the previous mark.[4] The 2018 update further refined the proportions of the letterforms.[4]
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