The best Olympics logos of all time

The Olympics logos on a white background: the Olympic rings logo
(Image credit: International Olympic Committee)

Olympics logos are often one of the things we most remember about the world's biggest sporting spectacle: sometimes even more than the sporting action itself. Over the years, we've seen vastly different approaches, from iconic minimalism to vibrant gestural designs and a curious bouffant for Paris 2024, but they've all found a way to capture the world's imagination.

Designing a logo for the Olympic Games must be one of the toughest branding challenges going. The design needs to capture the spirit of a sporting event, and ideally the Olympic ideals. But an Olympic logo isn't just an identity for the Games. It's also a presentation of the host city, which often means trying to balance elements of national heritage while showcasing a country's modernity. 

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

TOPICS
Joe Foley

Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.

With contributions from
Latest in Logos & Icons
Tesla Cybertruck
Why some Tesla owners are covering up the logo
Double Arrow plus Union Jack design for Great British Railways
The Great British Railways logo has a lot riding on it. Here's how it could look
Hyundai logo
Okay, the Hyundai logo's secret meaning has genuinely surprised me
Lumon logo from Apple TV's Severance
Why Severance’s Lumon logo is the perfect pastiche of corporate design
Oreo logos
Oreo's had a whopping 12 logos since 1912, and they're a beautiful ride through design history
Amazon and Beverly Hills Polo Club logos
Amazon slammed by judge in 'landmark' logo dispute ruling
Latest in Features
Your House indie game art interview; A stylised illustration depicts a young woman seated, seemingly contemplative, in a setting that combines elements of a comic book panel and a vintage aesthetic
"This is a game you can read, or a book you can play” – solving the visual design of Your House, a detective game crossed with a Daniel Clowes comic
AI generated images of a male creative director and a female parent
AI's gender bias is even worse than reality
Augustinas Paukšte waving out of a window
"I tried to be a human orchestra": a day in the life of creative director Augustinas Paukšte
Lady Phyll
"She embodies strength, resilience, and pride": Ron Timehin on photographing LGBTQ+ icon Lady Phyll
Atomfall hands-on; various scenes from a video game set in a 1950s England after the apocalypse
"We wanted it to feel big" – playing Atomfall from an art director’s perspective
Best video game architecture; a woman stands in front of a city scene, in the distance is a mix of gothic and modernist buildings
The best video games for architecture and design fans