The Datsun brand has disappeared and reappeared twice. Its history dates back to the early 20th century when two Japanese companies were integrated into one large structure to produce luxury cars.
At the same time, the range was based on a cheap model that dominated the US market in the 1960s. But that fame didn’t last long. The brand disappeared in 1986 and was forgotten for the next 27 years. In 2013, we returned with a new machine targeting buyers from several countries.
Meaning And History
Datsun initially owned Nissan Motor, and it has a direct relationship with Nissan Motor. As far as we know, the two-car manufacturers that acquired Nissan in 1934, Jitsuyo Automobile and DATAuto mobile, have merged.
At the same time, newly developed load-bearing products were sold abroad under the Datsun brand. First, the line was a luxury car. In battle, the time of military technology has come.
The US military ordered Datsun a small car from Nissan to save the carmaker from bankruptcy. Gradually, Japanese brands became famous and entered the American market by cheap transportation.
However, the parent company had a completely different plan. It decided to leave Datsun and integrate all areas under the so-called Nissan. Authorities did not consider that people were accustomed to older brands.
If Japan knew about Nissan, drivers in all other countries knew only the Datsun brand. As a result, sales in overseas markets have declined significantly. They needed to restore the trust of their customers and draw attention to their products. It is even more surprising that in 2013 he decided to revive the Datsun brand and launched an entire campaign to “revive” it.
The owner decided to do so without renewing the new label. It retained its original name, which consisted of two words, “DAT” (abbreviation for investors) and “sun” (symbol for Japan).
By the way, Creative originally intended to give the brand a completely different name — Datsun. It indicates that the brand is a subsidiary of DAT. But in Japanese, this spelling caused a negative connection, so the penultimate letter was replaced.
Even after Datsun unexpectedly returned, the logo was retained, albeit with a modern look. Over the centuries, this has changed many times, but concise inscriptions have been attacked in most cases. They were an integral part of the car icon that entered the export market—the most popular and memorable circular sign with a rectangular plaque with a trademark on it.
Evolution Of Datsun Logo
1935 – 1951
The original logo contained a blue rectangle with the white letters “Datsun” and a red circle split into two equal parts. “This word was written in a long, sharp series in bold. The letters were over-squeezed at the edges.
1951 – 1963
Another early symbol looked like a red plaque with rounded corners. Inside was the brand name, marked by a long white line. The most unusual was the first “D,” which was shaped like a rectangular trapezoid.
In addition, all the letters consisted of stripes of different thicknesses and were slightly flattened – the presented badge-decorated cars of the Datsun 320 model.
1963 – 1965
In 1963, a logo was introduced in which thin horizontal lines connected wide-spaced letters. The font is handwritten and has a noticeable slope on the right. The rectangle disappeared, and the red color changed to blue. This Wordmark has been adopted on the Dat Sun Bluebird 410 radiator grille.
1965 – 1970
The brand had a different version of the logo. The designer almost exactly repeated the 1951-1963 emblems inscription but removed the colored background and repainted the word yellow. The font has changed slightly.
The letters have a strict form and proportion. The stroke weight has been increased, and the “D” is now symmetrical. A rough analog of this badge was used on the Datsun Bluebird 411 car.
1970 – 1972
In 1970, the inscription was placed in a gray oval shape with a red and black circle in the middle. The scoring gives the oval shape a three-dimensional effect. The letters looked three-dimensional because they were outlined with thin dark lines against off-white.
In addition, the large rectangular lines made the brand stand out against the background of other factors. This logo was first used on the Datsun Cherry 100 AE10.
1972 – 1976
In 1972, another version of the Wordmark appeared. A simple black inscription on a white background. The most striking detail is the long, sharp lines at the ends of the letters. A similar emblem adorns the Datsun 240KC110 car but lacking some elements.
1976 – 1986
The Datsun corporate logo was developed in 1976. It was based on the original design and contained the same elements as the first emblem (two red semicircles, a blue rectangle, white letters).
The font has changed because the developers preferred the sans-serif version of the thick line of the same thickness. The letters were crawling around each other due to the tight spacing. Because of its distinctive structure, Americans called this symbol a “hamburger.”
In the 1980s, it was used in automobile and Nissan emblems and has since been obsolete. The Datsun brand remained a marketing tool for selling products until the mid-1980s when the parent company began to unify its name. In 1986 he was long forgotten.
2013 – Today
In 2010, the owner decided to restore the historic brand. The preparation phase took three years, and already in 2013, Datsun machines came back on the market in some countries. The logo was changed because the film needed to be modified to show progress, but some classic elements were retained.
In the center of the blue plate is the word “Datsun.” The text is highlighted with a black outline on the right. The rounded rectangle is embedded in the same blue ellipse.
In addition to the colors are combined in a radial gradient, making the invisible light source appear in the left corner. The outside of the logo is a silver oval bezel with notches at the top and bottom.
Font And Colors Of The Emblem
The center circle represents the rising sun, the main symbol of Japan. It shows that the company is committed to development and modernity. The circle also indicates to some extent the name Datsun. The dividing rectangle represents the force of energy. It helps the brand move forward.
Following an established tradition, the designers used sans-serif fonts for their logos. The official colors of the car brand were previously red, blue, and white. It is the same as the US flag. After the resurrection, the emblem turned silver-blue as the United States was no longer the primary market for Datsun.
Conclusion
The Datsun brand has evolved a lot over the years and is undoubtedly one of the most famous logos in the world. It shows how well-chosen designs can last for decades and make companies known in many countries.