gaz Logo - History, Design, and Meaning

Founded in 1932 by the Soviet government, GAZ (Gorky Automobile Plant) has a distinguished history in the Russian automotive industry. With notable achievements such as the production of the iconic 'Volga' cars, GAZ has continually innovated to adapt to changing demands. Currently, under the leadership of Oleg Deripaska's Basic Element, GAZ continues to thrive, focusing on commercial vehicles and diversifying into new areas like electric mobility.

For over a decade, GAZ used a dark blue oval emblem featuring silver elements and inscriptions. The company name was displayed in uppercase Russian characters, flanked by two anchors. The emblem also included the last name of the individual the brand was named after – Molotov – and was completed with a silver frame. The raised silver elements gave the emblem a more grand appearance.

The logo features a large, abstract letter 'M' with the number 20 at the bottom, representing the individual the company honored. It is rendered in red with a gray outline and has gray lines running across the letter in a specific pattern. The emblem has a rectangular shape at the bottom, resembling a pedestal, with the number in white to stand out against the darker background.

In the 1950s, the company introduced the iconic deer image, rendered in silver against a crimson shield background, framed by a wide silver border. A red torch topped with a star emerged from the shield, also decorated with a multilayer border.

The updated logo retained many elements from the previous version but removed the torch. Instead, the emblem was elongated horizontally with three-dimensional wing-like elements on either side of the shield. The deer was redrawn to appear more grand, and the company name was added beneath the majestic animal.

The emblem's shape was further updated to a three-dimensional shield with peaks at the top, creating an illusion of a crown. The deer became flat and was rendered in white with delicate elements. The company name was also in white, featuring a bolder typeface and, for the first time, printed in English characters. While the logo was less magnificent than previous versions, it presented a more modern and clean appearance.

The company reintroduced a richer shade of red, enhancing the logo's three-dimensional effect, including the red background, deer, and company name below. The central part of the logo became the focal point, with a lighter silver border featuring a smooth gradient and a thin black outline for visibility against any background.

The logo has not undergone significant changes recently. The introduction of blue is the most noticeable alteration. The red and silver color palette has been a staple for the company for half a century. The shape and elements remained largely unchanged, with designers enhancing the three-dimensional effect of the border while rendering the deer and inscription flat and white, creating a nice contrast and a sophisticated feel.

The deer and the company name are now the only elements of the brand's emblem, rendered in silver with a gradient that adds an illusion of volume. Although the deer was slightly redrawn, it retains a shape similar to earlier versions. The legs and horns have been thickened to give the animal a stronger appearance, allowing it to stand out even against lighter backgrounds. The inscription has also been bolded and features more fluid and rounded strokes.