I recently discovered this article about the evolution of the Starbucks Logo over at Brand Autopsy. It’s interesting to me how Starbucks has been able to take the iconic mermaid symbol and distill it down to it’s essential elements; to the point of eliminating the need for their name to be included with the logo. Very few brands are able achieve the level recognition necessary to warrant a removal of their name (Nike, Apple and McDonald’s immediately come to mind) but when they do, it’s a sign that their branding is working.