Author: Dr. Giovanna Del Bene
In the panorama of global branding, the use of animals as distinctive elements in logos is a strategic and recurring choice. These symbols evoke universal values such as strength, elegance, speed or mystery, becoming true emblems of corporate identity. To cite some examples we remember: Ferrari’s prancing horse embodies power and speed; Cartier’s panther suggests luxury and refinement; Lacoste’s crocodile evokes agility and sporting spirit; Trussardi’s greyhound denotes elegance and prestige. These brands are not mere graphics: they are visual narratives that speak to the hearts of consumers.
Among those who have been able to communicate in an innovative way and understand their audience in depth, we cannot fail to mention Giorgio Armani. He has been able to transform his style into a universal language, capable of conveying authentic values such as refinement, sobriety and Italianness through stylistic consistency.
Also his approach to branding has been far-sighted: he created a constellation of brands, each with its own soul, its own language and a public of reference. Each brand has a distinct visual identity, but all linked by a common aesthetic, predominantly in black and white, for example:
- Emporio Armani: the most iconic logo, with the stylized eagle with wings open and the head turned to the right, crossed by horizontal lines. At the center, the letters G and A. It is the symbol of the young and accessible line.
- Giorgio Armani: the logo is more sober, with the initials G and A joined above the full name of the brand.
- Armani Exchange (A|X): thought for a young and urban public, presents a minimalist logo with the letters A and X separated by a vertical line.
- Armani Privé: the haute couture line, represented by an essential logo, composed only of the name.
- EA7: dedicated to sport, the logo includes the number 7 and takes up again the eagle, inspired by the football player Andriy Shevchenko.
Among all the brands of the group, the eagle of Emporio Armani is perhaps the most powerful and recognizable. Personally designed by Giorgio Armani, the eagle represents strength, freedom and royalty. It is one of the few logos in the fashion world capable of embodying a brand’s identity with such intensity.
Today, the eagle is only present in the Emporio Armani logo, but it remains the symbolic heart of the Armani universe. Its shape recalls the golden eagle, noble and proud, just like “King Giorgio” and his vision of fashion. He never considered fashion as an end in itself, but as an expression of a deeper value: style, which he believed consisted of “the right balance between knowing who you are, what suits you and how you want to develop your character”.
From a legal point of view, it is a “strong trademark” as it does not present any descriptive or conceptual connection between the sign and the products that it distinguishes, as recognized by several decisions over time. Even, in a decision of the Court of Florence (No. 3961 of 29 November 2016) concerning the eagle logo with the initials “GA”, reference is made to psychological evocation in assessing the likelihood of confusion with another logo: ‘the risk of confusion and association is increased and must be evaluated more broadly (omissis); in other words, the purely psychological risk, at the limit of the unconscious, which involves the extension, in the memory, of the image underlying the original mark to the counterfeit mark, is also legally relevant’.
We could say that Giorgio Armani, with his eagle, has been a pioneer also of that branch of neuroeconomics known as “neuromarketing”, which consists of applying neuroscientific knowledge and practices to marketing, with the purpose of analyzing and understanding the unconscious and irrational decision-making processes of the consumer, which influence their purchasing decisions or emotional involvement with a brand. In fact, the image of an animal strikes the consumer on a subconscious level, working on their emotions, thus conditioning and guiding their choices.
Giorgio Armani’s eagle symbol is unmistakable and is a discreet expression of Giorgio Armani’s profound thinking: “Elegance is not about being noticed, but about being remembered”.
THINX Srl – September 2025