Automotive News is a weekly trade newspaper covering the North American automotive industry, founded in 1925 and owned by Crain Communications Inc. [1] The publication’s visual identity is built around a typographic wordmark that places the brand name at the center of its design.
Design and History
Automotive News was first published on August 27, 1925, under the name Automotive Daily News by Slocum Publishing, with George Slocum serving as its Detroit advertising manager. [2] The paper moved its offices to Detroit in 1933. [3]
The AUTOMOTIVE NEWS wordmark has been protected as a trademark since the era of the Slocum Publishing Company, with the registration later held by Crain Management Services, Inc. [4] A separate trademark registration for AUTOMOTIVE NEWS was filed in 2018 by Crain Management Services, Inc., covering online publications and news articles in the automotive field. [5]
The current logo is a typographic wordmark rendered in a dark navy blue. The brand name is set in a clean, sans-serif style that maintains legibility across print and digital applications. Automotive News offers logo licenses for third-party use, available in one-year terms for print and digital marketing. [6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The wordmark format itself carries the primary brand meaning: it places the publication’s name directly at the center of the identity, letting the lettering communicate the brand without additional iconography. The navy palette has been a consistent element of the Automotive News identity, providing visual continuity across the brand’s print and digital touchpoints.
Typography and Design
The Automotive News wordmark uses a modern sans-serif typeface with carefully proportioned letterforms. The design maintains clarity at various scales, from print mastheads to digital applications, while the single-color navy treatment ensures consistent reproduction across media.
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
