OEM logos used in the industry not only act as labels but serve as the brand’s ultimate identity. To prove this point, the three-pointed star is instantly recognized as Mercedes-Benz all over the globe. The three-pointed star has attained the globally renowned status and currently celebrates its 100th year as Mercedes’ logo. Over the past century, the logo has been tweaked to keep it modern and fresh, yet its key details remain.
Three-Pointed Star: Inception and History
First registered on November 5th, 1921, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG), a German engineering company, applied for the logo’s trademark protection. Gottlieb Daimler, who was the founder of the company, created and designed the first sketch of the three-pointed star. First used in 1909, the three points of the logo didn’t exist within the ring and represented three elements. These elements included land, air, and sea since Daimler manufactured engines for cars, trucks, planes, and boats.
The brand Mercedes-Benz would not see the light of day until 1926 when the trademark protection of the seal occurred. 1926 also witnessed DMG merging with Benz & Cie, who tweaked the logo to create the iconic emblem we know today. An interesting detail to note is the registration of a 4-point star logo done in 1921 by DMG. Deutsche Aerospace Aktiengesellschaft, now known as Daimler-Benz Aerospace, decided to utilize the 4-point star logo as its own in 1989.
Three-Pointed Star: Modern Use
Today, Mercedes-Benz uses the giant three-pointed star on the front of the radiator grille for all its current models. Right from the brand’s entry-level A-class to the S-class range of hatchbacks, sedans, and SUVs feature the renowned logo. The company has decided to completely eliminate the hood ornament logo arrangement on most of its cars.
European customers can still opt for the hood ornament by selecting the Exclusive exterior line in the W206 C-class. Mercedes offers the option for Chinese customers in the C-class long-wheelbase version, whereas US customers cannot choose it for the E-class. Currently, Mercedes-Benz provides the hood star ornament option on the Maybach versions of the S-Class and the GLE.
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