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The Jetta car logo, emblem, history, and Volkswagen connection
If you’re familiar with the automotive landscape, and Volkswagen in particular, then you may have seen the impactful Jetta car logo before. Designed to draw attention to the new Jetta brand and marque in the Chinese market, this logo is brimming with meaning and purpose.
However, even if you’re familiar with the Jetta symbol today, you might not know much about Jetta logo history. After all, many vehicle brands don’t use the same emblem forever. They regularly update and refine their brand image to appeal to changing audience preferences.
It makes sense to assume Jetta, first launched in 2019, may have changed its icon or emblem at least once or twice since its inception. Interestingly, however, that’s not the case.
The Jetta symbol has remained consistent through the life of the brand so far. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a thing or two by taking a closer look at the design, and the Jetta brand.
Here’s your guide to the Jetta car logo and the evolution of the brand.
Introducing the Jetta car brand: What does Jetta mean?
Before we discuss Jetta logo history, and why the Jetta emblem has stayed the same, it’s worth taking a moment to learn about the Jetta car brand. Jetta is a Chinese car marque created by the Volkswagen Group, in collaboration with the FAW Group in 2019.
The company was formed after the Volkswagen Jetta, first introduced in 1991, achieved significant success in the Chinese market. The Mark 2 Jetta was the first “VW” model produced in China by FAW-Volkswagen, and quickly became one of the most popular cars in China.
To expand its footprint in the Chinese market, Volkswagen decided to create a dedicated “Jetta Marque”, which sells updated versions of the original Volkswagen Jetta model, the VA3, as well as two new SUV vehicles: the VS5 and the VS7.
While the VA3 is an evolved version of the Chinese Volkswagen Jetta, which was based on the same platform as the SEAT Toledo Mk4, the SUV models are based on Volkswagen Group compact SUV vehicles, such as the Volkswagen Tharu.
According to Volkswagen, the name “Jetta” comes from the German word for “Jet stream”. It symbolizes the agility, precision, and power of the Jetta marque.
Jetta logo history: The enduring Jetta badge
Most car companies make changes to their car stickers or emblems over time, adapting to changing trends in the design landscape. However, this isn’t the case with Jetta. The front emblem and rear emblem used on Jetta cars has remained consistent since the brand was introduced in 2019.
Rather than simply using the Volkswagen logo, as they did on previous trim levels of different “Jetta products” when they were first introduced, the VW Group put considerable effort into the development of a new visual identity.
This logo, which has stayed with the brand throughout its life, elevates the product appearance of Volkswagen’s new range of Jetta cars, and aims to connect with a wider Chinese audience.
Like many famous car logos, the Jetta emblem is relatively simple. It’s a combination mark, featuring a simple, stylized “J”, placed atop the “Jetta” wordmark. In some cases, the “J”, which looks a little like a car door or wing mirror, appears on vehicles without the inscription.
Designed in a shade of bright purple, the Jetta car logo brings a unique personal touch to the Jetta product collection. It helps to distinguish it from the Volkswagen part of the business, while still giving it a sense of authority and heritage.
Jetta logo meaning: What does the Jetta logo stand for?
While the Jetta car logo might not have a number of historical variations, like other car emblems, it still holds significant meaning. The Volkswagen sales representative team were eager to attract younger Chinese customers when launching the Jetta brand.
Because of this, they chose a modern-looking emblem, with a bright color palette. Rather than just producing a black emblem, like many innovative car companies, the Volkswagen team created an eye-catching purple symbol and wordmark.
In color psychology, purple is a color frequently connected with concepts like wisdom, luxury, and mystery. The color palette isn’t the only interesting part of this logo either.
The stylized “J” symbol, similar in style to a car door or wing mirror, reminds customers of the automotive industry, and gives the company a bold and dynamic appearance. It also looks a little like an arrow pointing to the right, symbolizing forward progression and movement.
The Jetta symbol wordmark, depicted in a bold, sans-serif font, makes the company look youthful and fresh. It demonstrates how the right typography can be the perfect tool for capturing the attention of a specific audience – such as younger consumers.
The Jetta Symbol: Fonts and colors
Compared to other complex logos, including the Volkswagen logo, the Jetta symbol is quite simplistic. The straightforward combination mark was designed to capture the attention of younger customers, and give the business an easy way to stand out from the competition.
Dynamic and modern, this colorful logo draws attention to Jetta’s passion and vitality. It makes the company appear fresh, innovative, and forward-thinking.
If you want to take a closer look at the Jetta emblem, you can find some useful resources here:
What is the Jetta logo font?
The Jetta font, as mentioned above, is one of the most impressive parts of the company’s logo. However, it’s worth noting that the inscription might not appear on the actual product you buy from the automotive brand. Usually, the Jetta badge features the “J” symbol on its own.
This helps to streamline the look of your vehicle, and reduce the costs of creating metal emblems. The Jetta font is a simple sans-serif typeface, and features all uppercase characters. The inscription is similar to the font used by Volkswagen (VW Head).
What is the Jetta color palette?
The color choices used in the Jetta car logo are another standout feature of the company’s emblem. While other companies often stick to simple shades like black and silver, Jetta chose a bright shade of vivid purple. In some cases, the Jetta emblem appears in white on a purple background.
In others, the Jetta symbol and inscription is purple, on a white or transparent background. On cars, the Jetta logo is usually converted into silver or chrome. The Jetta colors of white and purple convey ideas of mystery, luxury, and innovation, combined with excellence and practicality.
This color palette ensures Jetta can connect with a younger audience of Chinese consumers, through its website and marketing campaigns.
Celebrating the eye-catching Jetta emblem
While there isn’t much of a “Jetta logo history” to explore at this stage in the company’s life, we can draw some useful insights from the enduring Jetta symbol. Minimalistic and modern, this combination mark perfectly conveys the identity and personality of the Jetta brand.
It draws attention to the unique name of the company, which reminds consumers of speed and precision, while also differentiating the business from its competitors. Thanks to a combination of bold shapes and bright colors, the Jetta logo is instantly recognizable, and memorable.
By focusing on the creation of a timeless, contemporary logo from day one, Jetta ensured it had a brand image that would resonate with customers for years to come.
Fabrik: A branding agency for our times.
As Fabrik’s creative director, Stephen oversees complex branding programmes. He advises our clients on their tone of voice, creates logos and visual identities and crafts names for companies, products and services. Writing for Brand Fabrik Stephen reflects his love for logo design and visual identity.
