Lotte Corporation, the South Korean conglomerate known across confectionery, retail, hospitality and chemicals, introduced a new corporate identity in 2022 built around a symbol called the “Value Line.” The mark is designed to be read as any one of the letters L, V or C, the initials of the group’s vision statement, “Lifetime Value Creator.”[1]
Design and History
For 35 years, from 1977 until 2012, Lotte used a symbol known as the “3L” mark: three overlapping capital L’s inside a round circle meant to represent the globe.[2][3] In April 2012, the group replaced that emblem with a gold wordmark spelling “LOTTE.”[4] Lotte said the change was driven by its global expansion into China, Russia, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Europe, where it needed a symbol that people worldwide could easily recognize.[3] The previous symbol had also been used differently by the Korean and Japanese arms of the group, and the new wordmark was adopted uniformly in every country where Lotte operated.[5]
In June 2022, Lotte marked its 50th anniversary by declaring a new vision, “Lifetime Value Creator,” and introducing the current “Value Line” identity.[6][1]
Meaning and Symbolism
According to Lotte’s official CI guidelines, the dot in the Value Line symbol represents the starting point of a customer’s life, while the line represents the path that life takes together with Lotte.[1] The round, diamond-shaped backdrop framing the symbol is modeled after the base of Lotte World Tower.[1] The symbol itself, which at first glance resembles an L, is described by Lotte as representing the group’s modesty, dynamic spirit and originality.[1]
Typography and Design
Lotte’s CI system distinguishes between the symbol mark, the logo type and the signature. The logo type is a stylized rendering of the English and Korean names of Lotte Group’s holding company and its affiliates, while the signature combines the symbol mark with the logo type in either horizontal or vertical arrangements depending on the medium.[1]
The identity’s main color is designated “LOTTE Red,” applied mainly to the wordmark and background. Champagne Gold and Silver are permitted as sub-colors only when needed to express a premium image.[1]
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