Castrol Logo PNG
Castrol is a manufacturer of industrial and automotive lubricants. The range of products includes oils, greases, and similar products. The headquarters are located in Pangbourne, Berkshire, UK, and Wayne, New Jersey.
The Castrol logo has gone through around ten modifications so far.
Meaning and history
1899
The history of the brand can be traced back to Wakefield Oil Company established by Charles Cheers Wakefield in 1899.
The earliest logo showcased the word “Castrol,” which started to be used after researchers decided to put castor oil to the lubricants. It is written in bold black letters over a white banner, while the words “Wakefield” and “Motor oil” can be seen above and below it respectively.
1917
A fancy cursive script imitating handwriting was used for the word “Castrol.” It was red with white trim. The background was green. Like in the previous version, the words “Wakefield” and “Motor oil” could be seen above and below (respectively). Yet, the typeface and position were different.
1929
The central word still featured a cursive script. The letters grew bolder, though, and their shape was modified. The background went white, while the words “Wakefield motor oil” were green. The lettering “Patent” stood out due to the red background.
1946
The logo was positioned horizontally and placed inside a green circle.
1958
The design grew by far cleaner and easier to grasp. For one, the black trim around the circle disappeared. The cursive script was replaced by a highly legible (although generic) sans serif type. All the words apart from “Castrol” disappeared.
1968
The name of the brand was moved to the horizontal position and the lower white “road” disappeared, to make the design cleaner. And yet, the authors added a green rectangular frame, which did not seem necessary.
The type became flatter, which somewhat enhanced the legibility. The letters were italicized to add some dynamism.
1992
The colors on the outer part of the Castrol logo were inverted, probably in an attempt to make the design look like a single whole.
2001
The old logo was turned into a small roundel, next to which “Castrol” in large red letters was placed. This move helped to emphasize the name of the brand without losing the connection with the brand’s visual heritage.
2006
There was a barely noticeable shift in the palette and shape.
Font
The italicized font on the current Castrol logo is highly legible and has a unique touch. You can notice it in the unusual combination of rounded and sharp elements.
Colors
Green, red, and white have been the colors of the logo since 1917. Only the logo used at the beginning of the previous century featured a different palette.