History

edit
 

The A-style logo was designed in 1990 by adding two dots to the uppercase letter “A,” transforming the first letter of the alphabet into a recognizable design with dual meanings.[1]. In the ‘90s, the A-style logo became the symbol embraced by a group of surf and snowboard enthusiasts who proudly displayed it on boards and vans. The yellow color was later introduced as the logo’s background, enhancing visibility and completing the brand’s final look. The A-style logo gained recognition as it appeared on hundreds of stickers affixed to traffic light poles in Milan, Italy, sparking curiosity and capturing media attention.

It’s an unusual marketing case[2] where the brand became popular long before being associated with a product. The A with two dots only appeared on the Italian market on Made in Italy clothing products in 2001. This leveraged the popularity gained through a “guerrilla marketing” campaign, which later became a case study in major universities. In the brand’s early seasons, the main products sold were primarily T-shirts and sweatshirts. The first licensing agreement, signed in 2003, allowed rapid expansion of distribution throughout Italy and the growth of the product line into a total look. Starting from 2004, A-style was also distributed in Spain, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea. Initially targeting a male clientele, the product extended to female customers after the first two selling seasons, reaching a turnover of 25 million euros in 2007.

In addition to guerrilla marketing, A-style also gained public recognition through the sponsorship of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi and the title sponsorship of several MotoGP stages[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ Swearingen, Jake (2008-06-03). "A-Style's Logo is Not a Mistake - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
  2. ^ "A Style: does it still exist?". nss magazine. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
  3. ^ "MotoGP hits Aragon for another double-header | Preview | Schedule". MCNews. 2020-10-15. Retrieved 2024-05-29.