Since March 10, 2011, anyone traveling in Peru for more than a few days would almost certainly have noticed the spiraling logo of the Marca Perú (Peru Brand). It appears almost everywhere: on Peruvian products both large and small, on tourist brochures, on cups and pencils, at gastronomic festivals and on the fuselages of Peru’s domestic airplanes.

It also seems that every Peruvian has at least one T-shirt or sweater emblazoned with the eye-catching design.


 

The origins of the logo date back to 2009, when PromPerú -- Peru’s board of tourism and exports -- began a project to find a new logo to serve as the nation’s official brand (known as the Marca Perú or Marca País). The international FutureBrand design company was charged with creating the new identity, a process that continued throughout 2010 until the official unveiling of the logo in 2011 (FutureBrand has also worked with British Airways, American Airlines, Intel, the NFL and the London 2012 Olympics, to name just a few major clients).

So what about the public reaction to the new logo? Well, it was very positive. The design managed to mix simplicity with vibrancy and history with modernity, combinations that appealed to the average Peruvian as well as Peruvian companies that would now use the logo on their products.

What Does the Peru Logo Represent?

The word “Peru” leaves no room for error in terms of the logo’s meaning. But what finer details are contained within the design? Well, there are...

...the colors -- the logo is most commonly presented in the colors of the Peruvian flag: white lettering on a red background. But you’ll also see the logo in all manner of color combinations.  

...the symbols -- the spiraling letter ‘P’ has multiple meanings. It represents history, with the spiral referring to the designs of pre-Columbian cultures such as the Nazca and the Caral-Supe civilizations (the spiral is very similar to the tail of the Nazca Lines monkey). It also represents a fingerprint, which relates to the marketing phrase “Hay una peru para cada quien” (“There is a Peru for everyone”). The spiral also mirrors the form of the @ symbol, which reflects Peru’s modern qualities.

...the letters -- the letters of the logo are formed from one single line, representing continuity. According to FutureBrand, the single line is also important “because in Peru people trace their own path based on their particular interests.”