Mastercard celebrates 50 years by dropping its name

Mastercard is dropping its name in select branding and becoming something more, a symbol. The company announced it is dropping its name from its iconic brand mark in select contexts. With this latest milestone in Mastercard’s rebrand, which started in 2016, the interlocking red and yellow circles will now stand on their own. 

“Reinvention in the digital age calls for modern simplicity,” said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communication officer at Mastercard. “And with more than 80 percent of people spontaneously recognizing the Mastercard Symbol without the word‘mastercard,’ we felt ready to take this next step in our brand evolution. We are proud of our rich brand heritage and are excited to see the iconic circles standing on their own.”

The red and yellow interlocking circles have been the hallmark of the Mastercard brand for more than 50 years, symbolizing the brand’s promise to connect people to Priceless possibilities. The instantaneously recognizable circles are a powerful symbol that bring people closer to their passions and give them the confidence and trust that their transactions are secure.