Target Logo

The Target logo, a bold red bullseye, has become synonymous with the retail chain's affordable yet stylish products. Its simple design and vibrant red make it impactful and memorable, conveying focus, precision, and a sense of hitting the mark — aligning perfectly with the brand's promise of value and quality. This effective design and the brand's strong market presence have led to the Target logo's worldwide recognition.

Target LogoDesign Details

The Target symbol is one of the best brand logos today because of its high recognizability. When someone sees the red and white bullseye from several miles away, their minds already associate it with Target.

Target aims to assure customers that its products are worth the price, and its red and white color scheme effectively conveys this message. The vibrant red creates excitement, suggesting the thrill of finding quality goods at affordable prices. White symbolizes purity and cleanliness, reinforcing Target's trustworthiness. The bold Helvetica Neue font further strengthens this message by projecting confidence and reliability.

The Target logo is an exceptional example of how a logo can be straightforward yet remarkable. People might not include it in the most colorful logo designs list, but it has served its purpose. The colors, font, and overall design convey that Target is a trusted brand that sells quality.

Target Logo History

From the original three-circle bullseye to the minimalist red-and-white rondel of today, all the different Target logos over the years have refined the brand’s visual identity while reinforcing its core values. Let's explore how Target made its logo a universally recognized symbol of retail.

1962–1968: The Origin of the Target Icon

In the lead-up to the grand opening of the inaugural Target store, Stewart K. Widdess, then Dayton's Director of Publicity, was tasked with naming and conceptualizing the new retail venture. Widdess and his team sifted through over 200 possible names.

Suddenly, inspired by a red-and-white motif, they landed on "Target" and instantly pictured a bullseye emblem. The logo's first version featured three concentric red circles resembling an actual target used by shooters. The company name, in black italics, was positioned in the middle.

Widdess explained the choice, saying, “Just as a marksman aims for the center of a bullseye, the new store would strive to excel in retail goods, services, community commitment, pricing, value, and overall experience.”

1968–1972: The Separation of Icon and Wordmark

In 1968, the logo was simplified to make the brand name and bullseye icon more prominent. The bullseye lost one of its rings, and the wordmark was updated from a black italic font to sans-serif, all-uppercase white letters outlined in black.

These changes made the brand name easier to identify and the bullseye icon more prominently visible, resembling the familiar version we know today. This was also when the iconic bullseye began to stand on its own, often appearing without the brand name.

1971–1972: Merging the Bullseye and Lettering

In this version, the geometric target, is artfully integrated in the upper right corner, slightly overlapping the vertical stroke of the final “T.” This design masterfully balances geometric precision with brand recognition, emphasizing Target's name while reinforcing its unmistakable symbol. 

1972–1973: Relocation of the Icon and Upright Typography

The 1972 iteration reimagines the brand’s identity by shifting the iconic white-red rondel to the left of the name, making it the focal point. Enlarged and renderedin a bold, bright red, the bullseye dominates the design. The designers replaced the italicized type with a regular font and thickened the black outline around the white letters, enhancing legibility. 

1973–2004: A Subtle Refinement

As the brand's recognition grew, the logo's font changed into a bold, all-blacktypeface, significantly enhancing legibility and ensuring the brand name stood out clearly across various mediums and backgrounds.Moreover, the bold black typeface conveyed strength, authority, and confidence, aligning with Target’s growing reputation as a dependable retailer. 

2004–2018: Red Monochromaticity and Huge Bullseye

In 2004, the logo underwent significant changes. It became monochromatic, with a huge bullseye and a smaller wordmark placed beneath it — all in the same red hue. By simplifying the logo to a single color, the design achieved a cleaner, more minimalist aesthetic that resonated with modern branding trends.  

On the other hand, the reduced prominence of the wordmark further reinforced the bullseye’s role as the brand’s primary identifier, enhancing the logo’s visibility and memorability. All this resulted in a more distinct and visually impactful design. 

2018–Today: The Modern Lowercase Wordmark

The last version of the Target logo remained mainly unchanged until 2018, when the all-caps typography was replaced with all lowercase letters. This subtle but impactful change departed from the authority and boldness of its previous iterations, softening the brand's image to resonate more effectively with modern consumers. 

While the bullseye has always been the star, the shift to lowercase ensures that the wordmark complements the symbol without overpowering it.  

Target Logo: A Symbol for Affordable and Enjoyable Shopping

The Target bullseye logo has always been one of the most iconic images in the world of retail, and it's no surprise that the company has made it synonymous with affordable yet quality items. It's a gleaming example of how professional logo designers can employ minimalism to develop an enduring and impactful symbol of a brand's success.

In a world of increasingly complex designs, sometimes the best thing to do is keep things simple. That is what the branding experts behind Target’s logo achieved. From the colors to the font, everything about the Target logo design is on point, and it continues to be one of the most recognizable logos today.