VARTA is a German battery manufacturer whose visual identity has centered for decades on a distinctive V-shaped “beam” symbol, originally derived from the light beam of a flashlight. The company, founded in 1887, has undergone two significant brand refreshes in recent years, most recently in 2021 when it introduced a new logo and brand identity alongside the claim “Empowering Independence.”[1]
Design and History
In January 2013, Johnson Controls, which then owned the VARTA brand, relaunched it with a new logo, slogan, product design and online presence.[2] The new identity was based on the company’s known blue and yellow logo, redesigned in the form of a star-shaped arrowhead, and launched with the slogan “It all starts with VARTA.”[3] The logo was made three-dimensional, with the three dimensions of the new triangle intended to represent technology, performance and trust.[4]
In February 2021, VARTA AG unveiled a new brand identity and the new claim “Empowering Independence,” emphasizing its role as a technology company.[1] The redesign was created by Vienna-based creative agency BuroX together with its New York subsidiary.[5] The company described the update as a “consistent further development of the logo” rather than a complete departure from its heritage.[6]
The 2021 refresh was tied to the reintegration of the household battery business and what the company called the most successful business year in its 135-year history.[1] Following the logo update, the “beam” symbol was applied to the upper third of all battery cells in a 360-degree design, with the iconic VARTA lettering on the lower portion.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The central element of the VARTA logo is the “beam,” described by the company as the original V-shaped beam of a flashlight, which has always been part of the logo.[1] In the 2021 redesign, this symbol was retained as a core component, further developed and given a larger stage in the new appearance.[6]
The wordmark itself was designed to reflect and embody the iconic symbol through the letters “V” and “A,” and its proportions were adapted to match the figurative mark.[1] The lettering was intended to reflect VARTA’s new orientation as a technology company.[6]
Typography and Design
The 2021 redesign gave the logo with its lettering and figurative mark more flexibility in application.[1] The wordmark was described as “consistently modernized” as part of the update.[7]
The iconic VARTA blue was slightly modified and sharpened in the 2021 refresh.[1] Brand asset databases list the current primary blue as Chathams Blue with the hex code #1A428A.[8]
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