What Happens When a Brand Removes Its Logo?

You don’t need to see the golden arches to know it’s McDonald’s.
You don’t need a swoosh to recognize Nike.

Some brands are so strong that even without a logo, you know who they are.

Doritos put this to the test.

Oh! Did it work? Indeed, it did.

People still knew it was Doritos. The campaign went viral, sparked conversations, and proved that a great brand is more than just a logo.

But how did they pull it off?

Let’s break it down.

Campaign Overview

• Campaign Name: No Logo

• Campaign Dates: August 2019 – Late 2019

• Industry: Snack Foods

• Target Audience: Gen Z and Millennials (ages 18-34)

Doritos knew that young people don’t like regular ads.

They skip commercials and ignore boring brand messages. So, Doritos took a bold step and removed their logo and name from all ads.

Instead of showing the Doritos name, the ads only used the brand colors red and blue (like their chip bags), chip’s triangle shape, and cultural references.

These ads ran on TV, YouTube, social media, and billboards. For example:

• One ad showed a triangle-shaped chip with red and blue colors but never said Doritos.

• Another ad had people eating chips in a way everyone recognized but with no brand name.

The reason and the idea behind this bold yet wise move was simple.

People already know Doritos, even without a logo. The brand trusted that fans would recognize them just by colors, shape, and crunch.

That made people curious.

They started talking about the ads, guessing who made them, and sharing them online. Doritos turned no logo into a wise marketing move that got everyone’s attention.

Campaign Objectives

But before they even launched, Doritos had three main goals for this campaign:

1. Connect with young audiences who dislike traditional ads

Gen Z and Millennials (ages 18-34) don’t like ads that feel too salesy. They often skip commercials and ignore brand messages.

Doritos wanted to grab their attention by doing something different. So, they removed the logo so the ad feels like part of culture instead of a regular commercial.

2. Prove that Doritos is instantly recognizable

The brand wanted to show that Doritos is so iconic that people don’t need a logo to recognize it. They proved that the brand is deeply rooted in pop culture by using only their signature colors (red and blue), the triangle shape, and the crunch sound.

3. Spark conversations and social media buzz

Getting people to watch ads wasn't the primary goal for Doritos. They wanted them to talk about them, share them, and engage. The No Logo idea did exactly that.

Those who saw the ad started discussing which brand the ad belonged to, which increased engagement on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

While the end goal might be about selling chips, it was about making Doritos a cultural icon that young people wanted to be part of.

And the results of the campaign… just amazing!

Results

• The campaign helped sell over 2.2 million more bags of Doritos Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch in stores.

• Even without the logo, 71% of people recognized Doritos in the 30-second ad (compared to 79% in past ads). The shorter 15-second ad had a lower recognition rate of 58%.

• The campaign reached over 191 million people through news, social media, and online shares without traditional ads.

• The campaign won a Bronze Cube at the ADC Awards and a Merit at The One Show, proving its creative success.

Conclusion

Doritos proved that strong branding goes beyond a logo.

By using colors, shapes, and cultural relevance, they made people recognize them instantly, without even saying their names.

This campaign is a great reminder that a powerful brand sticks in people’s minds even without a logo. It's about building a brand identity people instantly connect with.

Now, here’s something to think about:

1. What other brands do you think could pull off a No Logo campaign?

2. And which ones would struggle?

Drop your thoughts in the comments!