ROTARY HISTORY: How Rotary’s emblem evolved

 

Rotary  Club of Chicago emblem, circa 1906.

The Rotary wheel, unchanged since 1924, was redesigned many times in the early years of the organization. 
A Rotary Club of Chicago emblem that featured a wagon wheel influenced early logos of other clubs and Rotary International. 
 
Early club emblem
In 1905, Montague M. Bear, an engraver and member of the Rotary Club of Chicago, sketched a wagon wheel with 13 spokes as a club emblem. When fellow club members began to complain that the design was static and lifeless, Bear added flourishes that made the wheel appear to ride on a bed of clouds. Unfortunately, some members felt the clouds looked like dust, defying the laws of physics by being kicked up on both sides of the wheel. Bear responded by superimposing a banner with the words “Rotary Club” over the clouds.
 
Early association emblem
In 1911, Secretary Chesley R. Perry recommended that “action be taken by the National Association to establish the wheel as the basic part of the emblem of every Rotary club.” Clubs were invited to submit designs to an emblem committee before the 1912 convention in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. 
The Duluth convention provided some definition. “The emblem consists of the basic principle of a wheel with gears cut on the outer edge. ... The spokes are to be so designed as to indicate strength; the object of the gears, or cogs, being two-fold: First to relieve the plainness of the design, and Second, to symbolize power.” 
 
The word “Rotary” appeared at the top and “International Association” at the bottom. (Rotary became an international organization in 1912.) Clubs were encouraged to use a similar design, placing the name of their city at the bottom instead of “International Association.” The number of spokes and cogs was unspecified. As a result, many variations on the emblem were in use by 1918.
 
A standard emblem
To address the growing number of emblems, the Board appointed Charles Mackintosh, of the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA, and Oscar Bjorge, of the Rotary Club of Duluth, Minnesota, USA, to the committee charged with standardizing the Rotary emblem. 
Bjorge drafted an emblem with six spokes and 24 cogs, giving it a sturdy appearance. In this design, the number of teeth and spokes was intended to reflect a real, working gearwheel. The number of spokes and cogs did not reflect any specific aspect of Rotary’s history or its programs, and this is still true today. 
 
In November 1919, the Board adopted Bjorge’s design and a detailed description, and the 1921 convention formally approved them. For many years, descriptions of the emblem simply referred to an article called “Redesigning the Rotary Wheel” in the January 1920 issue of The Rotarian, which announced the Board’s decision. 
 
By 1924, Bjorge’s design had been modified to include a keyway. This addition has been attributed to Will R. Forker, of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles, California, USA. He was reported to have said Bjorge’s design made no provision for the transfer of power to or from a shaft, rendering the wheel idle. Forker perceived Rotary as a “living force,” and inserting a keyway into the hub made the new wheel a “real worker.” 
 
In January 1924, the Board formally approved the emblem that was then in use. Not all written descriptions were updated immediately, however. To clear up any confusion caused by the various decisions about the emblem between 1912 and 1929, a standard description of the existing design, with a keyway, was approved by the 1929 convention. 
 

The Rotary emblem today. [see left - with club name below] 

For many years, the wheel stood alone as our logo. Although the words “Rotary International” are embedded in the wheel, they’re hard to read from a distance. So in 2013, Rotary expanded the official logo to include the word “Rotary” next to the wheel.

The Rotary wheel remains our mark of excellence. In addition to being part of the official logo, it may be enlarged for greater impact and used separately but near the logo. 

< do not use this design anymore - it is not brand approved. 

Using the emblem

The Rotary emblem, like Rotary’s name and other logos, is a registered trademark. Clubs, districts, and Rotary Entities are welcome to use the Rotary emblem subject to the guidelines for the use of the Rotary Marks as set forth by the RI Board of Directors. These guidelines govern the use of the Rotary Marks on all merchandise, promotional materials, and publications, including domain names and websites.

For current guidelines on size and placement, see Rotary’s voice and visual identity guidelines. Clubs can download the logo and find templates to create club logos in our Brand Center.

Logos to go

How to keep your club’s graphics up-to-date

Illustrations in B& W above by James Graham

 
Montague M. Bear did not have it easy. A Chicago engraver, he created Rotary’s first logo in 1905 — a wagon wheel with 13 spokes. When members complained that it looked too static, he added what he intended to be clouds, but which his critics thought looked like dust, impossibly appearing on both sides of the wheel.
After the 1912 convention, Bear’s wagon wheel was replaced by the current, gear-like look, followed by a wide range of variations. The current design became standard in 2013: a simplified, monochrome wheel along with the Rotary wordmark, which reproduces well in different sizes across digital platforms. This new logo also provides space to add your club’s name.
While many Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs have updated their logos, others have not, which harms the consistency of Rotary’s image across the world. "We need Rotary to speak with one voice," says Liz Thiam, Rotary’s brand specialist. As with major consumer brands, Rotary’s marks feature a standardized and specific font, color, and design that is legally protected, Thiam says, "just like the Nike Swoosh."
But have no fear: With these tips, within minutes any member can create a proper club logo for use on their website, social media accounts, or event signage by visiting the recently updated Brand Center at My Rotary.
— JOSEPH DERR
  • FIND OUT THE LAST TIME YOUR CLUB UPDATED ITS LOGO. Was it before 2013? Does your logo’s wheel contain more than one color? If yes, then it’s time for a change.
  • DON’T SEARCH THE WEB to download the Rotary logo or other branding material. While Google may be your friend for many things, it’s also packed with off-brand Rotary logos.
  • INSTEAD, OPEN YOUR ACCOUNT on My Rotary and go to the Brand Center. There you’ll find the tools needed to create your own club logo, ads, and other club resources.
  • USE THE TEMPLATE IN THE BRAND CENTER to create your club’s new logo. Type in the name of your Rotary club, download the logo, and you’re done.
  • DON’T OBSCURE THE WHEEL or use it to depict another graphic element. "I’ve seen the Rotary wheel turned into sunrises and pancakes," says Thiam. "When a club logo is altered or used improperly, it can create confusion and mistrust."
  • UPDATE YOUR DIGITAL PRESENCE FIRST, such as your website and social media. Then set aside a budget and update printed materials, starting with signage, event banners, and clothing. After that, refresh Rotary business cards, club flyers, brochures, trading banners, and name badges.
  • PROVIDE YOUR CLUB’S UPDATED LOGO to project partners and outside organizations so they don’t search online — and potentially download an old wagon wheel.