audi logo

The history of the company goes back to 1909 when August Horch founded the company and named it Audi, a Latin translation of his own name. "Audi" was actually the Latin word for "hear", which in German is sometimes pronounced "hoerch". At the time Horch founded the company, the logo had little in common with today's logo or the famous "four rings". It consisted of the writing of Audi in a V-shape and the number 1 on top.

Symbols can be used to exploit the most unconscious-level of human desire, and they are able to create associations between a company and what the company stands for. Some might argue that the logo is in fact a symbol. And in some cases it is true. The symbol only logos are so famous that they don't need the company name attached to be recognizable.