Over the years the Shell logo has gone through various transformations. The early Pecten emblems were more intricate, with shading rather than colour, but there has been a shift towards simplicity as time has progressed. The current logo is a simple Shell symbol, coloured yellow with a red outline.

Logo

The Pecten seashell emblem was introduced in 1904, to give visual emphasis to the word “Shell”. Each of Samuel’s tankers carrying kerosene had been named after a different seashell. It is thought that the reason the Pecten was chosen was down to a man named Mr. Graham, who imported the oil into India and sold it under the name Graham’s Oil, then later became a Director of Shell Transport and Trading Company. There is some evidence that the Pecten symbol comes from his family coat of arms.

It is likely that the choice of yellow and red in the logo are linked with Spain. When the Shell Company of California first built service stations, they had to compete against other companies. They therefore had to choose bright colours, but not ones that would offend Californians and as the state had strong connections with Spain, the colours red and yellow of Spain were chosen.  

Strapline

Shell has used various marketing campaigns with different slogans, such as “You Can Be Sure of Shell”, “Go Further with Shell” and “Go Well – Go Shell”. In 2007, Shell used the phrase “Made to Move” in their £2 million globally-aired TV commercial, in which Formula One cars were driven through various capital cities.

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Sponsorships

Shell is the official sponsor and creator of the Eco-Marathon, an annual competition in which participants build special vehicles to achieve the highest possible fuel efficiency. It is a global competition with events in the UK, France, Germany, Finland, Holland, Japan and the USA.

Shell has sponsored the Ferrari team in Formula One for many years, since Ferrari’s first appearance in the sport in 1950. The partnership is also present in MotoGP and World Superbike racing. It is mutually beneficial, not just in promoting both brands, but also in developing better fuels for Shell, and Ferrari being given access to these fuels for testing and racing use.