ORLEN S.A., the Polish multi-energy group formerly known as PKN Orlen, has used a stylized eagle head as its corporate emblem since the brand’s launch in 2000. The mark, rendered in red and white, was designed by Prof. Henryk Chyliński of the Graphic Arts Faculty at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, whose proposal was selected from seven entries in a closed competition organized by Petrochemia Płocka.[1][2]
Design and History
The ORLEN identity emerged from the 1999 merger of Petrochemia Płock and Centrala Produktów Naftowych (CPN).[2] An earlier branding proposal under the name PETRO was rejected, and a competition among faculty members of Polish art academies produced only the eagle head symbol, without a wordmark.[3] The task of combining the eagle head with the new ORLEN logotype and designing the fuel station identity was then given to the branding team Grupa A5, led by Tadeusz II Piotr Górski.[3][2]
The name ORLEN was created by merging the Polish word ORZEŁ (eagle), which illustrates the brand’s Polish character and symbolizes strength, ambition and triumph, with the word ENERGIA (energy), directly related to the company’s core industry.[4] The brand was first presented in 2000 during the company’s second share issue on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.[5]
The original eagle head symbol was later modified to meet the requirements of a marketable trademark, giving the logo its current form.[5] The current logo consists of a red eagle head on a white background, with the wordmark ORLEN beneath it.[1]
In July 2023, the company officially changed its legal name from Polski Koncern Naftowy ORLEN S.A. to ORLEN S.A. The name change did not entail any rebranding, and the company stated that the ORLEN brand name and the red and white eagle’s head logo would continue to represent the brand unchanged.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The eagle head draws on Polish national symbolism. The branding program developed for ORLEN strongly emphasized the traditions of the Polish eagle and Polish national colors, reflecting the company’s strategic positioning as a national brand with a Polish character.[3] The name itself combines the Polish word for eagle with the word for energy, linking the national symbol to the company’s core industry.[4]
In the German market, where ORLEN Deutschland operates the star fuel station chain, the eagle head has been described as the trademark of ORLEN and has been placed alongside the star symbol to communicate the stations’ affiliation with the international ORLEN Group.[7] In 2022, ORLEN Deutschland modified its co-branding logo to give the eagle head the pole position, with the company stating that the eagle represents “New Energy” and positions ORLEN as a decarbonisation partner.[8]
Typography and Design
The ORLEN wordmark was designed as part of the branding system developed by Grupa A5, which was tasked with combining the eagle head symbol with the new logotype.[2] The branding team also developed the visual identity for the fuel station network, including architectural and standardization guidelines.[3] In 2025, ORLEN Deutschland unveiled a new corporate logo featuring the eagle head in a simplified, clear form alongside the German company name, developed together with the brand management team at ORLEN S.A.[9]
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