I really love logos that have a background story. For example, did you know that the Audi logo is four rings because in order to be formed, four companies (Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer) were consolidated into one company? The original logo featured four connected rings, each one containing the name of the four companies. As years went by, the names disappeared but the interlocking rings remained and defined the Audi brand. Cool story, ain’t it?
So, you can now understand my excitement when i recently found out the story behind the logo of one of my favorite amusement parks; Six Flags.
The first Six Flags theme park was opened in Texas in 1961 by Angus Wynne and was called Six Flags Over Texas. Angus Wynne was a visionary man who wanted to enrich the experience of a theme park. So, he decided to divide the park into six sections, all based on countries that had previously governed Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States, and the Confederate States of America. And these are the flags that are represented in the park’s logo. This allowed for an indeed interesting experience as people were able to meet places and cultures that they wouldn’t easily be able to do otherwise. In fact, as you can see below, the original logo of the park included those six different flags: (the article continues after the ad)
The logo was re-designed several times but of course, the flags remained as a dominant feature and in a more… modern form, as a reminder of the previous Texas’ governors. In the 1990s, the Confederate section was changed to The Old South with confederate flags removed. Eventually, part of the area merged with France and the rest was redesignated for food and souvenir carts, children’s areas and thrill rides. Six Flags technically still flies six flags but one is the park’s own flag.
If you like what you read, then you will definitely love this one: The Story Behind The Red Star In Heineken’s Logo And Why It Was Replaced By A White Star For 40 Years
Photo: Mike Mozart / Flickr
Photoshop: I’m A Useless Info Junkie
Sources: Six Flags: Company History