The Chicago Bears are one of only two charter members of the National Football League still in existence, with a history that began in Decatur, Illinois in 1920 when the Staley Starch Company sponsored a football team. In 1921, George Halas moved the team to Chicago, and a year later the club was renamed the Chicago Bears. The name was chosen as a nod to the Chicago Cubs, the baseball team whose stadium the franchise shared. [1]
Design and History
For decades, the Bears’ most recognizable mark was the wishbone “C,” a stylized letterform that appeared on the team’s helmets beginning in the early 1960s. The “C” started out white before changing to orange in the mid-1970s. [2] The wishbone “C” has been a primary staple of the Bears uniforms since 1962. [3]
In August 2023, the Bears made a notable change to their visual hierarchy. The team’s website began listing the bear head logo as the primary mark, with the “C” designated as the secondary mark. [4] The team clarified that the bear head had been a co-primary mark for years and described the change as “minor,” providing clarity for retail, media, and other partners to start the creative process with the bear head. The Bears also confirmed the “C” would remain on the helmet and at the 50-yard line. [4]
According to the team’s official brand guidelines, the bear head is now described as “the primary visual identifier of the Chicago Bears.” The mark includes a white outline that helps ensure definition on dark backgrounds. The “C” is described as the secondary mark, designed to complement the primary mark, and is preferred for projects featuring embroidery. [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The “C” letterform represents Chicago and has been tied to the franchise’s identity since it first appeared on helmets in the early 1960s. [2] The bear head logo is described by the team as “unique to the Chicago Bears brand.” [4]
The team’s colors are navy blue and orange, a combination that has been associated with the franchise for decades. The wishbone “C” adopted its familiar orange color in the mid-1970s after starting out white. [2]
Typography and Design
The team’s official brand guidelines also identify a “Bears” logotype, described as designed to complement the primary and secondary marks. The logotype requires a clearspace minimum equal to 100% of the height of the letters in “Bears.” [5]
The brand guidelines specify that the bear head should not be reproduced at a width smaller than 1/2 inch or 35 pixels digitally. The “C” is the only mark that should be utilized in print applications requiring reproduction smaller than 1/2 inch and digital applications smaller than 35 pixels. [5]
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