20 animated logos to inspire your branding process

Animated logos are a powerful way to bring your brand to life, adding movement and personality that static designs can't match. Whether you're starting from scratch or revamping an existing logo, we've curated 20 innovative animated logos to inspire your branding process.

From sleek, minimalist animations to bold, playful designs, these examples showcase the creative possibilities that animation offers. Ready to make your logo stand out and leave a lasting impression? Let’s dive into some of the best animated logos that can spark your imagination!

Why use an animated logo?

A logo is the visual incarnation of your brand. It introduces your company to consumers and indicates your professionalism and brand personality.

Your brand only has a few seconds to make a great first impression. An animated logo is a powerful tool for piquing your target customers' interest. It will help you create brand awareness and trigger their memory.

Without a logo, your brand is virtually nameless. It won't matter if you have the highest quality products or the most attentive staff in the game. If your company doesn't have a logo, it's unlikely to leave customers with a decent first impression. 

This anonymity will make it extremely hard for your company to establish brand loyalty, attract the right customers, and infiltrate other markets and spaces.

Static images vs. animated logos

While having a run-of-the-mill logo is satisfactory, it won't yield extraordinary results.

To stay competitive, your branding shouldn't just keep up with trends—it should set the pace in your niche. A fantastic way to do this is to bring your brand’s 2D logo to life with animation. Here are some reasons why it benefits your brand’s marketing.

Hyper-individualized

In a saturated market, it's hard to nail down a logo design that hasn't already been taken. An animated logo adds motion to the mix, so the likelihood of replicating it is quite slim.

Attention-grabbing

All eyes gravitate to things that move. It's a simple fact. This means that consumers are instinctively drawn to branding that bounces, spins, warps, or grows over those that stand lifeless. Video motion effects are exciting!

A dynamic logo that catches the consumer’s eye can help you highlight that your company is forward-thinking, tech-savvy, and expanding. Who wouldn't want their company to have that kind of impact?

Gripping narrative

One key opportunity when designing an animation is the ability to tell a story.

At Linearity, we’re all about bringing stories to life. Static 2D logos don't provide you with as much creative wiggle room.

Where to place my logo?

While logos are important, they hold little power on their own.

They can only step into their power when your company consistently uses them in the optimum locations at the most suitable times. That way, they can become a unifying and recognizable symbol for your brand.

So, once you've got your logo ready, we advise adding it to all your branding material. Here are some key locations where your logo should always be featured:

• Social media profile photos
• Email newsletters
• Footers
• Banners
• Targeted ads
• Video ads
• Landing pages
• Promo videos

Our top 20 animated logo picks

Now that we've discussed the advantages, background, and basics of animated logos, it's time to showcase our favorite ones. You can always come back to this list for inspiration when you’re looking for animation ideas.

1. Shazam

Shazam’s logo is dynamic and effective. Shazam allows users to identify songs playing around them with just a tap. 

The brand's logo gives the impression of a speaker booming music, but it also looks like it’s making sense of the noise around it.

This animation clearly demonstrates Shazam’s unique function. The animated transformation reinforces Shazam's brand identity as a gateway to musical exploration.

In this way, the animated logo improves Shazam's offering by engaging users in an instantaneous and magical experience that mirrors the app's real-world utility.

2. Firefox

‍‍Firefox chose a fox as its emblem because these animals are known to be quick, clever, and untamed.

When developing its logo, it’s clear Firefox wanted to represent these characteristics in the design.

While the blurred, swift movement of the fox insinuates that the browser operates at a fast pace, it also shows that the company is evolving. Firefox is making a statement as a progressive company. 

The Firefox logo’s present in all of its services, apps, and products. When customers see it, they immediately recognize the company, its vision, and its standards.

3. Lux

Lux Capital is a high-stakes investment company. Their goal is to make money. End of story.

This monochrome logo seamlessly integrates the company’s ambition while also playing with the idea of addition and profit.

Better yet? Its sleek, professional style speaks directly to the kind of demographic Lux wants to attract.

4. Beyond Plastic

Beyond Platic’s logo is clean-cut and demonstrative of its function.

The emphatic design shows a hand triumphantly grabbing a plastic bottle in the same way that they intend to seize their goals.

It shows that Beyond Plastic is clear on its objectives and sends a powerful message.

5. Google

Google’s animated logo might just be one of the most recognizable of all time.

As usual, its signature ‘G’ is front and center, making it immediately familiar. 

Crafting the animation to shapeshift into a microphone, a wavelength, and an ellipsis demonstrates each of Google’s many functions, emboldening the platform's versatility and far-reaching success.

6. Bang PR

Bang is a PR business known for specializing in savvy, exciting, and trendsetting clientele.

When you first see its logo, you would immediately guess as much.

By exploding its name into a series of PR-related successes or snappy images, Bang PR uses a very clever tactic.

In just a few motions, the company outlines its functions and niche and embodies the nature of its name. This logo is smart, memorable, and exciting to watch.

7. University of Arts, Helsinki

The expressive logo produced for this Swedish school is loud, vivacious, and bursting with boundless energy.

The movement and quick frames of the bold font establish a sense of creativity, untameable enthusiasm, and a talent for quick thinking.

Practically speaking, it embodies multiple perspectives, pushes boundaries, and feels loud—just like a memorable piece of art.

It’s simple to understand why so many art students would opt for a university that represents all these principles, which means the logo is doing its job.

8. WWF

Not only does this animated logo demonstrate the function of the WWF immediately, but it also evokes an emotional connection with the viewer. 

The gentle, subtle movements of the panda and how the logo transforms into other endangered species represent well-loved animals that need to be protected.

9. Allvit

Another function of animated logos is to highlight an aspect of a brand's 2D logo that you may have missed if it were static.

Allvit, a Norwegian online book search depository, does this expertly.

The logo invites consumers to watch a curious magnifying glass make the negative space in the brands 'a' explicit.

This simple movement tells the company's story and shines a light on a notable quirk in its 2D brand logo, too.

10. Pixar

It's common knowledge that Pixar is a key player in the animation industry. And with a globally recognizable logo, it's evident that they're frontrunners in the marketing industry, too.

The logo's brilliance lies in its ability to convey Pixar's core essence in a single image. The iconic lamp, inspired by their first short film, "Luxo Jr.," signifies creativity and innovation.

By consistently featuring this recognizable logo across its marketing materials, Pixar has successfully built a powerful and enduring visual brand identity that captivates loyal fans and new viewers.

11. Spotify

Spotify’s emblem is instantly recognizable. Its simple colored design represents an endless stream of frequency waves and evokes a sense of calmness.

It’s timeless, confident, and minimalistic.

Green, the dominant color, is also associated with growth, harmony, and freshness. It indicates a space of rejuvenation and invites users into a harmonious auditory world. 

The logo communicates not just what Spotify does—stream music and podcasts—but also how it sees itself: as a provider of endless, seamless entertainment.

12. Billiards

Every time you watch this animated logo for Billards, we bet you’ll discover a new impressive detail.

The animation uses pacing and timing effectively, building suspense as the balls move across the table and culminating in a final, decisive shot that leaves the viewer satisfied and eager to engage further with the brand.

Nailing such a dynamic logo requires an incredible amount of patience, skill, and creativity, so we take our hats off to its creator.

13. Gotticket

Some animated emblems just make you feel good, and this is one of those numbers. Gotticket is a service that helps travelers stay safe while they explore the globe. 

Their logo depicts a funny little face full of curiosity and free of worry, just those who travel with Gotticket.

Incorporating a ‘funny little face’ into the logo is strategic and aimed at evoking an emotional response from viewers. This friendly and approachable image makes the brand more relatable and inviting, which is crucial for a service that deals with personal safety and travel experiences.

14. Fedex

The values of FedEx, one of the world’s largest courier services, are precision, speed, service, and reliability. And with as little as a quick glance at their accurate animated logo, that’s crystal clear.

The 2D Fedex emblem may look simple, however, if you look a little closer, you’ll notice a sneaky little arrow nestling between the ‘e’ and the ‘x’.

Their animated logo puts this arrow to good use and showcases a few of the many modes of transport that they use to get your goods to you quickly and safely.

15. Giant Owl

Giant Owl is a London-based independent production company and their animated logos is one of our all-time favorites.

The brand features its named mascot, an owl, front and center. The animated logo also incorporates their specialty in an incredibly clever way: creating films. 

If you look closely, you’ll see the owl’s eyes begin to swirl and morph into rotating film reels. This is something that you may have missed had their emblem been static.

16. Mastercard

‍Naturally, Mastercard’s logo is cast in its recognizable orange and red.

The quick-moving animation illustrates the company as a multifaceted tool to travel, eat, and experience new adventures.

In this way, Mastercard uses its logo not only to showcase what it’s capable of but also what it can bring to you.

The choice of orange and red in Mastercard's logo is not random. These colors evoke feelings of warmth, excitement, and energy, which align well with the ideas of travel, dining, and new experiences. 

Mastercard is likely aiming to infuse a sense of energy and efficiency into its brand image, suggesting that it’s not just a payment platform but a gateway to a vibrant and active lifestyle.

17. Pinterest

A hub for crafty and creative souls, Pinterest's entire identity revolves around the idea of pinning ideas to a digital board. This student rendition of an animated Pinterest logo is rooted in the same narrative.

Pinterest's emblem features a paperclip alongside its signature ‘P'- shaped pin. It's lively and cheerful and speaks directly to the brand's craft-loving users.

18. Nike

As logos go, the Nike swoosh is probably one of the most well-known worldwide. Over the years, it has seen numerous makeovers, but its original essence has always remained. And that's a good thing because it's a genius brand image.

The Nike swoosh stands for motion, speed, and a goal checked off your list. We like this edition of the logo because it tells a story of the brand's fluidity and ability to evolve with the times.

19. Netflix

Sometimes, a simple logo is the best way to advertise a complex and ambitious vision, and Netflix’s household emblem is a prime example of that.

The original plan for the Netflix logo was to feature an array of thumbnails from the streaming platform’s original catalog. But this was too complicated.

Instead, the company opted for the clean-cut logo that we know and love today.

While the variety of colors shown is said to represent the depth of content available on the streaming platform, the impressive cinematic feel is meant to assert the company’s likeness to the biggest cinema houses in the business.

20. Disney

There isn't a toddler, child, or adult in the Western world who doesn't recognize the Walt Disney logo. It's beloved, instantly recognizable, and undeniably clever.

The logo's opening scene, with the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle, instantly transports viewers into a world of fantasy and nostalgia.

The animation features Tinker Bell gracefully soaring over the castle, sprinkling pixie dust, further emphasizing the theme of dreams and imagination.

This enchanting sequence captures the essence of Disney's timeless stories and serves as a powerful emotional trigger. For many of us, it evokes fond memories and a sense of wonder.

Its ubiquitous presence before every Disney production reinforces the studio's identity and helps create a seamless connection across their diverse content offerings.

Inspired to design your own animated logo?

Animated logos empower brands to connect with their audiences on a deeper level. 

The strategic use of motion and visual storytelling transcends traditional print-based marketing, transforming brand elements from static symbols into captivating narratives. This innovative approach enhances brand recognition and encourages a stronger, more meaningful relationship between your brand and its consumers.

Get creative. Get moving. Get started with Linearity Move—an intuitive animation software for designers and marketers of all levels.

Get this template

Get this template

Linearity Move makes it easy to take your logo from concept to canvas and launch in just a few simple steps. The software’s main features include:

• Auto Animate: A functionality that allows users to import a file from Linearity Curve or Figma and automatically generate animations with one click.
• Animation presets: Pre-built animations and effects that can be easily applied to elements within any project.
• Storyboarding: You can animate elements by changing their properties without first defining keyframe values in the Timeline. But you still have the option to add keyframes and define actions at specific points.
• Curve and Move integration: Seamless integration with Linearity Curve empowers our users to work seamlessly between the two platforms. Adobe integration and Figma plugin coming soon.

Ready to try new, innovative marketing animation software? Get started with Linearity Move for free below, or skip to our Pro plan to get the full feature suite.

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