Mastercard removes name from iconic logo

Global payment company Mastercard has removed its name from the pair of interlocking red and yellow circles where it has been for over 50 years.

In a release on Monday, 7 January, the company disclosed that the interlocking red and yellow circles known as Mastercard symbol will now stand alone across cards using the red and yellow brand mark, acceptance marks at retail locations both in the physical and digital worlds, and major sponsorship properties.

Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communication officer at Mastercard says reinvention in the digital age calls for modern simplicity.

“And with more than 80 per cent of people spontaneously recognising the Mastercard Symbol the word mastercard, we felt ready to take this next step in our brand evolution” Rajamannar noted, “We are proud of our rich brand heritage and are excited to see the iconic circles standing on their own.”

“We live in a time where, increasingly, we communicate not through words but through icons and symbols. Mastercard has had the great fortune of being represented by two interlocking circles, one red, one yellow, since its founding in 1966, said Michael Bierut, partner at Pentagram. “Now, by allowing this symbol to shine on its own, Mastercard enters an elite cadre of brands that are represented not by name, but by symbol: an apple, a target, a swoosh. Mastercard’s two interlocking circles have always represented their commitment to connecting people. Now, that commitment is given greater presence by Mastercard’s status as a symbol brand.”