McCain Foods Limited is a frozen food company headquartered in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick, Canada. It was founded in 1957 by the McCain brothers (Wallace, Harrison, Robert, and Andrew). The company has approximately 20,000 employees and 50 production facilities in various corners of the globe.
Despite its long history, the McСain logohasn’t been modified very often. Even when the logo was redrawn in 2013, it preserved some features and details of its predecessor. Moreover, the company has never totally phased out its historic logotype.
What is McСain Foods
According to some sources, McСain is the largest manufacturer of frozen potato products in the world. Some of its best-known competitors are American companies the J. R. Simplot Company and Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.
The oldest logo in this list showcases a black plaque with the name of the brand in white. The wordmark is set in a casual cursive script. It looks as if it had been written by hand. Such an approach is a proven way to add a personal touch. It reminds us of the handwritten labels that women used to put onjars of jam a century ago. Or of the handwritten recipes people used to exchange with each other.
As a result, on the subliminal level, we “translate” such cursive script as a promise of safety. We are aware, consciously, that it’s just a soulless product made in a factory. Yet, due to such a wordmark, we might be less likely to actually perceive it as such.
The plaque is slightly tilted, which catches the eye and reinforces the slightly casual, “homemade” impression.
Another interesting feature of this logo is the yellow star, which replaces the dot over the “i”.The yellow theme is supported by the border of the plaque. Here, yellow creates a connection with the product – it’s the color of fried potatoes, which is, historically, McCain’s main product.
The McCain logo was redrawn from scratch. And yet, strangely, it has preserved some of the features of its predecessor – you will see it if you compare the two versions side-by-side.
The main thing that makes the new version different from its predecessor is the color. It is both lighter and brighter, and also looks warmer and more inviting. Although yellow, which is the main color of the 2013 logo, was also present in the previous version, it looked different there: a bit electrical and soulless. By contrast, the updated logo showcases an earthy brownish tint, which is close to the appetizing color of fried or baked potatoes.
As a result, the palette looks both more meaningful (due to the stronger link with the product) and more efficient (due to its mouthwatering quality).
At the center of the logo, there is the name of the brand. Similar to the previous version, it is written in a cursive script. Its overall style and position are pretty much the same, although the glyphs have been redrawn and have a different shape now.
The background to the wordmark is a bucolic idyll dominated by the rising or setting sun. The way the sun is depicted here makes it look like a fried potato, creating another allusion to the main McCain’s product.
The company still uses its old black-and-yellow “wordmark plaque” logo.
In addition to symbolizing fried potatoes, yellow is used here for its other psychological connotations. For instance, it is associated with optimism and youthfulness, which are also positive connotations. One more reason to choose yellow for the original logo might have been the fact that, when combined with black, it looks very eye-catching (like the color of wasps).
The McСain logo has always featured a cursive script conveying a homemade feel.