Five arrows logo: The rich story, brand growth and controversy

What is the meaning behind the Five Arrows logo?

Introduced in 1964, the Five Arrows logo, designed by Al Parker was a result of the merger of two Dutch companies, Maison De Vries - founded by the entrepreneur Henri De Vries in 1887 in Rotterdam, Netherlands and Klene - created by Bernardus Hermanus Klene and Karel Pieter van der Mandele in 1898 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The two companies merged in 1964, forming a new company called De Vries Robbé, which was later shortened to DVRD in 1968. The Five Arrows logo was introduced with the name change, and it is still in use by the company today.

Before their merger, the Maison De Vries logo was a crown above the monogram "MDV" (Maison De Vries) and KLM logo had two interlaced rings, the lower in blue and the upper in red, with KLM (the initials of the company's name, which stands for Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij) in the center.

Finally, after the merger, the meaning of the arrows was given. The design of Five Arrows logo represented DVRD's five divisions: oil, chemicals, paints, building materials, and plastics.

How the Five Arrows logo has evolved over the years

The Five Arrows logo has been through a few minor changes over the years, but the overall design has remained the same.

The most noticeable change was made in 1995, when the colors of the arrows were changed from red, orange, yellow, green, and blue to a more subdued palette of gray, black, and white, which was changed again in 2016 to a lighter shade of gray and a brighter blue.

The gray arrows represent the company's strength, stability, and reliability. The black arrows represent the company's innovation and cutting-edge technology. The blue arrow represents the company's focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Controversy and criticism about the Five Arrows logo

The Five Arrows logo has been the subject of some controversy in recent years. Some critics have accused the company of using the logo to greenwash its environmental record.

However, the company has defended the logo, saying that it represents its commitment to sustainability. The company has also pointed to its long history of environmental initiatives, such as its investment in renewable energy and its reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

What could be the possible future changes to the Five Arrows logo?

The company has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050 and has been recognized for its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts by ranking in the top 1% of companies evaluated by Sustainalytics.

In line with its commitment to sustainability, it is possible that the company may make further changes to the Five Arrows logo in the future to reflect its continued focus on ESG issues.

One possible change could be to add a green arrow to the logo to represent the company's commitment to environmental sustainability. Another possibility would be to change the color of the arrows to a more sustainable color, such as green or blue.

Conclusion

The Five Arrows logo is a powerful and recognizable symbol of the company. It has undergone some minor changes over the years, but the overall design has remained the same. The logo is a representation of the company's five divisions, its commitment to sustainability, and its long history of innovation and excellence.