History of the deer

Let’s take a closer look at the variations of the logo over the years.

The first one in 1876 had a four-legged deer leaping over a log. The deer’s front left leg is bent slightly backward and the antlers also point to the rear. Believe it or not, the deer actually resembles a type common to Africa! The stenciled words "John Deere" in capital letters are in an arc split by the deer’s rack. Underneath is "Moline, Ill.," which was an important aspect of the early trademarks.

By 1912, the Company had undergone significant expansion, due to a number of acquisitions, leading to the need for a revised trademark. Therefore, the logo was modified slightly, adding more detailed shading to the deer body and making the log larger. Both front legs are tucked under and the back legs appear as one. The wording "John Deere" is not as angled, but "Moline, Ill." keeps its place at the bottom. Another phrase, "The Trademark of Quality Made Famous by Good Implements," was added at this time.

For a quarter-century, this trademark was deemed appropriate and accurate. However, by 1936, a more dramatic design change occurred. The deer itself was simplified into a solid shape. This smaller, skinnier deer now shows four distinct legs and a little cluster of firewood under its belly. The wording remains the same but is now surrounded by a unique shield shape. According to company memos, this design was easier to stencil on products.

An even easier-to-stencil version debuted just one year later. The shield shape is gone, as is the "Made Famous" phrase. Some variations have shown the deer and lettering to have a shaded or patterned design instead of the solid black version shown here. For the most part, the 1936 logo was most popular during this time. Today’s collectors often call it the "centennial" or "shield" logo.

In 1950, the trademark underwent another transformation. This time, a belt-buckle-type shape surrounds a revised deer —one much closer to the white-tail found in North America. The antlers now point forward, the tail points up, and the rear legs are kicked up in a playful pose. The wording "Quality Farm Equipment" is in reverse in a colored area at the bottom. The words "John Deere" still ring the top but are no longer divided by the antlers. Another major milestone for this trademark is that the location of "Moline, Ill." was dropped, as the Company was now considered a more global entity. Collectors commonly refer to this one as the "QFE" logo.

However, in 1956--after just six short years--the Company opted to modify the trademark again. This time, it was to account for its other industrial equipment, such as construction. The deer did not change noticeably, but the outer shape was rounded into more of an ellipse. And the words "John Deere" moved from the top to the bottom for the first time. A simplified sans-serif letter style replaced the block-type lettering of earlier designs. Collectors have nicknamed this the "4-legged" logo for obvious reasons.

Less than a decade later, a newer, clean-cut, contemporary version was introduced. It was modified to allow "for better reproduction and greater readability under a wider range of usage" according to a Company memo. A streamlined 2-legged deer silhouette from one side became the new logo. Antlers were simplified to a 4-point rack and continued to point forward. The legs were extended as if it were doing the splits, but the new deer still appeared rather stiff and stoic. The lettering style for ‘John Deere" was slenderized and the shape around it became more square again, but with rounded corners. To collectors, this "2-legged" logo has been the standard for 32 years, until last week, when Deere decided to "modernize" it again to reflect the new millennium.

Today, the "sharper image" of the latest logo Ý represents Deere’s global presence as "a company that is determined and energized to run fast and run smart," says Robert Lane, Deere & Company president and CEO. The deer itself is now leaping upward, rather than landing like previous versions, which, according to research gurus and focus groups galore, is a more positive position for the revered deer. The new trademark’s sharper edges and aggressive style imply "an eagerness and energy toward new challenges and technology," quips Lane. The words "John Deere" sport a stylish new typeface and have been separated from the symbol itself--something that may suggest that Deere feels the leaping-deer logo is strong enough on its own without the close connection to the company name. Maybe it’s all just another millennium marketing milestone…and maybe not.