Kmart Logo PNG
Kmart is an American chain of department stores, which was established in 1899. The branded stores offer a wide range of clothing, home textiles, hardware tools, and beauty products at affordable prices. Today there are almost 3 thousand Kmart stores across the USA and Puerto Rico.
Meaning and history
The iconic company was founded at the end of the 19th century as S.S. Kresge Corporation and changed its name to Kmart only in 1962. So the first period of its visual identity history was all about Kresge logotypes in different interpretations.
1899 – 1904
The very first Kresge’s logotype was designed in 1899 and stayed for five years. It was a simple bold inscription in black. The typeface featured thick lines with uneven edges.
1904 – 1910
In 1904 the logo was redesigned in order to get a more modern look. Now it was executed in a rounded sans-serif typeface with slightly narrowed and elongated letters, which looked really cool and contemporary.
1910 – 1922
The next redesign was held in 1910 and brought back a classy traditional look. The “S.S. Kresge Company” inscription was written in a strict serif font in a monochrome palette.
1922 – 1958
It was like that until 1922 when the logotype was redesigned again. The inscription gained bolder lines and the company created an additional logo, in sans-serif. Both nameplates were used until 1958.
1958 – 1977
The first colorful emblem was introduced in 1958 and boasted a red “S.S. Kresge Co” lettering with an emblem placed under it. The emblem depicted styles “SS” letters, placed one above another in red and a knife extra-bold “K” in light blue. The image was enclosed in a thin black frame, repeating the contours of the letters.
1962 – 1970
After Kresge’s changed the name to Kmart, the logo was redesigned again, keeping the previous red and blue color palette. The new emblem features a bold red letter “K” with blue “Mart” in the lowercase placed on a white rectangle with a thin black frame. There was an additional version in monochrome, which was also used during is time.
1969 – 1990
In 1969 the black frame was remover from the logo and the lettering gained modified and more modern contours. The color palette remained untouched, as the composition of the emblem itself. This logo stayed with the company for more than 20 years, which is the longest of all versions.
1990 – 2004
The next redesign brought a completely new look to the department store’s visual identity. The extra-bold red “K” had a white cursive of “Mart” placed diagonally on it. It was a fresh and memorable logo, which stayed with the brand for another decade.
2002 – 2016
The additional logo was created in 2002 in order to complement the main one. It was only used in selected locations and was composed of a gray and lime-green “K” with white “Mart” inscription, placed diagonally on the green part, which had the shape of the arrowhead.
2004 – Today
The current logo was created in 2004 and is based on the color palette from 1990. The bold red “K” is the star, and the “Kmart” inscription is placed under it using the same color. The logo is usually located on a white background.
The white and red color palette of the company’s visual identity is a reflection of power, passion, and energy, which represents a strong and influential company.
Font
The “Kmart” inscription in the lowercase is written in a bold geometric sans-serif typeface, which is very similar to Zurich Std but with the letter “T” modified. The lettering looks confident and solid and it’s clean and neat contours evoke a sense of professionalism and expertise.
Review
Kmart department stores offer discounted goods and special price offers and is focused on serving the low-income category of customers. It is a place, where you can buy literally everything from lingerie to bed linen with a significant discount.
Besides clothing and home textiles, the company’s catalog of items includes baby products, electronic appliances, toys, outdoor furniture, beauty goods. Almost all the department stores of the brand have pharmacies and grocery sections.
A lot of attention is paid to offers, deals, and sales, along with coupons and gift cards, which you can get with every purchase.
It is one of the top 3 discount store chains in the world, sharing its leadership with such big names as Walmart and Target. Kmart has a perfect reputation and a huge selection of items, which every family can afford.
The company is also involved in charity, helping American families with kids which are in need, they also work closely with children hospitals and raising funds for such organizations as of March of Dimes and American Diabetes Association.
