Mazda

Mazda's visual identity evolved from early wordmarks used when the company was founded (as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd.) into distinct emblems reflecting its engineering and design focus. Early logos were simple wordmarks; in later decades Mazda experimented with circular and stylized motifs. The now-familiar stylized "M" within an oval—meant to evoke wings, flight, and the brand's forward momentum—was introduced in the late 1990s and has been refined since to emphasize simplicity and a sense of motion. The company name itself comes from founder Jujiro Matsuda (and also references Ahura Mazda, a Zoroastrian god, reflecting a blend of personal and symbolic origins).