The Most Clever Holiday Logos

Whether you love festivities or not, getting in the holiday spirit is a necessity. The winter holidays alone make up as much as 30 percent of annual sales for retail businesses. And on average, holiday sales have increased every 2.5 percent for the last 10 years. Simply put, holiday marketing should be at the top of your to-do list.

Customers have shopping and celebrations on the brain for months. Mirroring their anticipation is the smartest way to connect before the holidays. Since you get more mileage out of your logo than any other marketing asset, why not showcase it in seasonal designs? Here are our picks for the best holiday logo reworks from popular brands.

1. Burger King

Spotting the Burger King logos in this 2015 holiday packaging is almost as amusing as searching for Waldo. The famous burger bun logo transforms seamlessly into a reindeer nose and snowman head. It helps that Burger King ditched its bright primary colors for simpler monochromatic logos.

2. Facebook

Given its broad audience, Facebook played it safe with a charming winter theme. If you live in a warmer clime, this might be the most snow you see all year.

3. Kleenex

Santa Claus and ice fishing probably aren’t the first things you associate with Kleenex. Luckily, the tissue brand is great at sticking its logo into a wide range of scenarios. Roly-poly characters and wintry backgrounds create a light-hearted scene. After seeing these logos, you’ll remember to keep Kleenex around all season to handle random sniffle attacks.

4. Target

Target is proof that simpler logos are easy to reinvent for seasonal campaigns. The famous red bullseye has had more makeovers than Barbie.

5. Tesco

Party hats aren’t popular in the states, but they’re a staple of Christmas in the United Kingdom. The grocery chain Tesco showed a clever sense of humor with a simple tip of a hat. Honoring Britain’s festive traditions, the company added party hats to its logo in stores and seasonal images.

6. Vimeo

Coming up with ideas clearly isn’t a problem for the Vimeo design team. Vimeo’s holiday logos pack in every Christmas motif you can imagine. The 2013 seasonal design is particularly relevant for a brand that celebrates brilliant user-generated content. Hand-drawn doodles are a growing logo trend for brands on a mission to be friendly and authentic.

7. Adidas

The Adidas trefoil was an obvious candidate for the wreath treatment. Since the symbol is derived from a plant, the holly leaves and berries fit like a glove. Tiny details make this seasonal logo an exceptional design. Notice how the ribbon mirrors the “M” shape at the bottom of the Adidas Originals logo?

8. StumbleUpon

A lot of brands go for the ornament look, but there’s an organic balance to the StumpleUpon logo. The negative space letters feel like a natural element of the design. At the same time, bright white space creates so much contrast that it’s impossible to miss the brand name.

9. Lowe’s

Tossing a Christmas hat on top of a logo is the default move for many brands. With genius composition, Lowe’s managed to refresh this overdone design. The blue brand color is the perfect complement to the red hat and snowy background. But the real star is the pom-pom, which casually drapes over the logomark to form the letter “O.”

10. YMCA

A Pennsylvania YMCA took a minimalist approach to creating a seasonal logo. The simple shape of a wrapped present is the perfect way to remind merry-makers community organizations are a priceless gift.

Many local branches get inventive with holiday marketing. You can be unique even when your business is part of a larger organization or franchise.

11. Kohl’s

Gift cards are a smart place to try out a wide variety of logo remixes. Customers frequently grab them on impulse while waiting at the checkout line. A strong focal point is more likely to catch attention and motivate a last-minute purchase. Chances are, the delicious tree-shaped cookie in this Kohl’s logo tempted a sweet tooth or two.

12. Google

Google is the undisputed king of creating imaginative holiday logos. After all, the multimedia giant regularly delights Internet users with daily doodles of its familiar logo. Google has way too many winning designs to choose from, so we featured one of our favorites.

The great things about Google’s seasonal designs are the details and range. The company goes beyond basic motifs and builds a clever story in each image. It’s easy for broad audiences to get the message and feel connected to the brand.

Tips for designing a holiday logo

Seasonal logos should be fun and inviting, getting customers in a good mood for the holidays. You can showcase them on websites, gift cards, social media banners, product packaging, store signs, and more. If you’re planning a seasonal design, try creating a point of interest that’s unexpected. Here are key elements to focus on as you brainstorm holiday branding.

Shape: Consider ways your logo overlaps with common holiday-themed shapes, especially circles, boxes, and trees.
Texture: If your logo is flat and simple, a seasonal pattern or texture can instantly transform it.
Background: Themed backgrounds create a decorative frame for a plain logomark or wordmark.
Action: Sometimes, it’s best to make your logo interact with other elements, instead of altering it.

No matter what type of business you operate, show customers that you’re okay with having fun. Holidays boost positive feelings, and customers appreciate brands that go the extra mile to join in. Build customer loyalty by expressing your brand values through shared seasonal experiences.

Want to make edits to your logo design? Play around with color and layout with our logo maker.