History of the brand Goodyear
In ancient Greek mythology, there was a god, Hermes, known for wearing winged sandals. Thanks to their speed, Hermes was able to move from one place to another faster than anyone else. Hundreds of years have passed since then and now the winged sandals have been exchanged for tyres. Don’t get us wrong, however, as Goodyear tyres still come with a winged foot.
The Logo of Goodyear Tyres
A portrait of Goodyear’s founder
The idea of a logo featuring the mythical patron of travellers (as well as the traditional bringer of good news) came from the founder of Goodyear himself, Frank Seiberling. His favourite work of art was a statue of Hermes that stood in his home’s hallway in Akron. The winged foot symbol was first used for the brand in 1901, featuring in an advertisement within the Saturday Evening Post. Today, this mark represents one of the three greatest superpowers of the global tyre industry.
While Hermes may have given the firm its symbol, its name was bequeathed by Charles Goodyear, an American businessman who laid the foundations for the contemporary rubber industry. In 1839, he invented a technology for producing rubber and, 5 years later, he patented a method for its vulcanisation.
In spite of these achievements, Goodyear died in poverty in 1860, but his memory was honoured 4 decades later, in ...
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