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History of the Crédit Agricole Logo
The story behind the logo
In the 1930s, some of the Crédit Agricole Regional Banks created logos but there was no nationwide logo. This example shows a stylised ear of corn and bunch of grapes.
1948, the first official logo
Conceived in 1946 by André Despoisse, director at Caisse Nationale du Crédit Agricole, the first logo was developed by Marie-Thérèse Giraldon. It expresses Crédit Agricole’s exclusive focus at the time on the agricultural sector, depicting a horseshoe, a bunch of grapes and ears of corn. The horseshoe surrounding the map of France symbolises Crédit Agricole’s united community, its local presence and its national vocation. This logo was featured in numerous small brochures and publicity items used at the time.
1959, simplification of the logo with just the horseshoe
Taking elements from its predecessor, the geometrical lines of the second logo express Crédit Agricole’s strong involvement in the development of France.
Its local presence is reflected on both a geographical and a psychological level. However, no colour code was set.
1971, simplicity and modernity
The initials C and A are combined together, expressing the notion of partnership in local life. Continuity is provided by the theme of the horseshoe in a highly stylised design. The green - the colour of farming - reflects Crédit Agricole’s rural origins. The clean lines and typographic styling of the third logo fit in with the simplicity and eloquence of the bank’s slogan of the time: "Common sense close to home" ("Le bon sens près de chez vous") (1976).
1987, the all-purpose bank
The current logo reflects the desire to continue to move forward and to favour openness towards the outside world. The bank’s dynamism is expressed by the shape of the letter C, while the A bears the green of the bank’s origins and conveys its loyalty to its main founders. The blue expresses universality and the red expresses passion. The logo started to be used widely in January 1988, at the time of the transformation of Caisse Nationale de Crédit Agricole into a mutual company.