When you think of potato chips, chances are the bright yellow Lay’s logo instantly comes to mind. It’s more than just a label on a bag, it’s a symbol that has grown and changed alongside the brand for decades.
From its early, simple beginnings to the polished and colorful design we see today, the Lay’s logo tells a story of adaptation, creativity, and connection with snack lovers around the world. Just like the chips themselves, the logo has been designed to feel fun, inviting, and instantly recognizable.
In this article, we’ll dive deeper to learn more about the Lay’s logo and what has changed since nearly 100 years ago!
The beginning: 1932-1965
This early Lay’s logo, used between 1932 and 1965, captures the brand’s humble beginnings in a fun and playful way. The design features the brand name inside a bright red shape resembling a bag or banner, immediately tying it to its product—potato chips.
The lettering is quirky and distinctive, with the “L” designed in a bold style and the “a” standing out in a light yellow tone, making the wordmark feel energetic and approachable. The wavy line at the bottom hints at the crinkle of a chip bag, reinforcing the snack connection. While it may look simple compared to the polished modern logo, this design perfectly reflects the design trends of mid-20th-century branding.
It’s not overly sleek, but that’s what gives it personality and it feels authentic, fun, and easy to remember. This logo laid the foundation for Lay’s becoming a household name, showing how even in its early years, the brand understood the power of strong visual identity.
A few changes: 1965-1986
This Lay’s logo, used between 1965 and 1986, shows a big step forward in giving the brand a stronger, more modern identity. Unlike the earlier playful design, this version feels cleaner and more structured, with the name “Lay’s” placed inside a bold red rectangle.
The white lettering stands out sharply, making it easy to recognize as soon as you look at the logo. What makes it unique is the way the letters stretch slightly beyond the box—the tall “L” and “y” break the boundary, giving the logo energy and movement while keeping it simple; quite interesting for a logo created in the 1960s.
This design reflects the design trends of the 1960s and 70s, when bold typography and strong shapes became popular in branding. It also helped Lay’s appear more confident and professional as the company expanded and gained recognition. While minimalist compared to later versions, this logo gave Lay’s a timeless quality and ensured it would stand out on store shelves during an important growth period.
1980s style: 1981-1984
In the logo created in 1981, the typography is highly stylized, with thick, blocky white letters set against a striking red background that resembles a geometric shape. This design marked a departure from earlier, softer iterations, opting instead for a more confident and attention-grabbing appearance.
The bold red communicates energy, excitement, and appetite stimulation, aligning with the brand’s goal of looking attractive to snack lovers. The playful apostrophe, integrated seamlessly into the lettering, adds character and keeps the design approachable despite its strong structure.
Overall, this version of the Lay’s logo emphasized modernity and a contemporary style, resonating with the vibrant cultural and design trends of the early 1980s. Although it was only used for a short period, it demonstrated how open Lay’s was to experimenting new design trends and evolving visually while keeping its branding impactful and recognizable.
Typography changes: 1986-1997
This version of Lay’s logo kept the bold red and white palette but introduced a sleeker and more dynamic style compared to its predecessor. The typography is italicized, giving the logo a sense of motion and energy, which reflects the fun and lively personality of the brand.
The rounded edges of the letters soften the overall look, making it more approachable and friendly while still maintaining a modern and confident vibe. The apostrophe is clean and sharp, adding a touch of distinctiveness to the wordmark. By streamlining the design, Lay’s created a more versatile and contemporary logo that was easier to apply across packaging and advertising. This version played an important role in shaping the brand’s recognizable identity, paving the way for the more polished and global iterations that followed in later years.
Background change: 1997-2003
A major evolution that introduced the familiar look we still recognize today. This version incorporated a bright yellow circle, symbolizing warmth, joy, and the golden color of potato chips. A bold red ribbon sweeps across the circle, creating a sense of movement and energy, while also making the white Lay’s wordmark stand out more prominently. The typography was refined, with smoother and slightly italicized letters, conveying friendliness and modernity.
The addition of subtle blue shading around the text gave the logo depth and dimension, making it more eye-catching when looking at it on shelves. This design marked a turning point in Lay’s branding, aligning with global markets and emphasizing a fresh, fun, and appetizing identity. It struck a perfect balance between playfulness and professionalism, laying the groundwork for the iconic and polished logos that followed in later years.
Minor changes: 2003-2007
The 2003–2007 Lay’s logo built upon the 1997 redesign but introduced a sleeker and more polished look to strengthen the brand’s global recognition. The yellow circle became brighter and more refined, resembling the sun to symbolize warmth, positivity, and the golden crispness of Lay’s chips.
The red ribbon was streamlined, curving more smoothly around the circle to create a sense of dynamism and flow. The wordmark “Lay’s” was modernized with bolder, cleaner white letters outlined in blue, giving the logo extra contrast and making it more visually striking.
This version leaned into a more three-dimensional style, with gradients and shading that added depth and energy. It reflected early 2000s design trends, where brands aimed for glossy, vibrant identities. Overall, the 2003–2007 logo helped position Lay’s as a fun, global snack brand with a strong, energetic, and instantly recognizable visual identity.
Three-dimensional logo: 2007-2019
The 2007–2019 Lay’s logo introduced a more modern and sophisticated look while keeping the playful energy that had defined the brand for years. The yellow circle was redesigned with smoother gradients, making it three-dimensional and sun-like, reinforcing the idea of warmth and freshness.
The red ribbon wrapping around the circle was the same, but the red color became more faded out than before. The wordmark “Lay’s” was refined into a cleaner, bolder typeface with soft white letters outlined in light gold color, adding a premium and polished touch.
The overall design felt dynamic, cheerful, and appetizing, perfectly reflecting the joy of snacking. This version emphasized professionalism while still being approachable, aligning Lay’s with a global audience and modern packaging standards. It became one of the brand’s most recognizable designs, striking the right balance between tradition and innovation for over a decade.
Modernization: 2019-present
The transition from the 2007–2019 Lay’s logo to the 2019–present version introduced a cleaner and more modern look while keeping the brand instantly recognizable. The typography remained largely the same but was slightly refined, with smoother curves that give the wordmark a fresher appearance.
The red banner behind the name, which previously had a strong three-dimensional ribbon-like effect, was simplified into a flatter, more streamlined shape. This change reduced visual clutter and gave the design a contemporary feel.
The golden-yellow circle in the background also shifted from a glossy, almost plastic-like finish to a softer and more natural shading.
Overall, the update emphasized minimalism and versatility, making the logo easier to adapt across digital and print media. Of course, this is something highly important to consider in this day and age.
The Lay’s logo is much more than just a design trend
The evolution of the Lay’s logo reflects more than just design trends, it mirrors the brand’s commitment to staying fresh, modern, and relevant to consumers across generations. From its early, simple wordmarks to the more vibrant and dynamic designs of recent decades, each change has balanced tradition with innovation.
The consistent use of bright red and golden yellow reinforces the brand’s energy and appetite appeal, while subtle refinements in typography and shape show an understanding of modern minimalism. By adapting to new eras without losing what it stands for, Lay’s has created a logo that is instantly recognizable worldwide. This journey highlights how thoughtful design evolution can strengthen a brand’s connection with its audience and make sure that its logo remains memorable.