Title

An Evolutionary Examination Of The Royal Dutch Shell Logo: Semiotic Perspectives

Keywords

Communication; logo; meaning; Peirce; representamen; Royal Dutch Shell; semiotics; signs

Abstract

This is a semiotic analysis of the Royal Dutch Shell logo (the Pecten-scallop shell). More specifically, we looked at the evolutionary examination of the corporation's logo from its inception in 1904 until the newest version of the graphic emblem today. This semiotic analysis has two chief purposes. First, the internal meaning of the logo as a sign is analyzed, using Peirce's three-part model of signification (that is, representamen-object-interpretant) which justifies the relationships existing between the sign and its object. Second, an examination of the relationships between the sign and its external referents is presented. An important conclusion is that, to be effective, the Shell logo has to be recognizable, easy to perceive and understandable. It has also been streamlined over the years to portray the true values of the company. For this reason, corporate identity tends to be evolutionary in nature. © 2014 Mudra Institute of Communications.

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Publication Title

Journal of Creative Communications

Volume

9

Issue

2

Number of Pages

93-105

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1177/0973258614528607

Socpus ID

84901622718 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84901622718

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