Tools and Equipment

The company was originally called Echo Bay Technology Group — named after a picturesque bay near founder Pierre Omidyar’s home. But the domain echobay.com was already taken (by a gold mining company), so Omidyar simply shortened it to ebay.com. That’s how a name that would become a global brand was born — completely by chance, but forever part of e-commerce history.

The first Apple logo, depicting Newton under an apple tree, was created in 1976 by company co-founder Ronald Wayne. However, in 1977, the now-famous bitten apple logo appeared, designed by graphic designer Rob Janoff. Rob received about $500 for his work — and no royalties, even though the logo became one of the most recognizable in the world.

The Ford logo, with its iconic blue oval and elegant script, was first used in 1907. Here’s a fun fact: the famous handwritten font associated with the brand wasn’t actually created by Henry Ford himself, but by a company designer who simply copied his autograph! So every time you see the Ford logo, you’re looking at the “handwriting” of someone who never imagined it would become so iconic.

The legendary “Golden Arches” of McDonald’s were not originally a logo, but part of the restaurant design in the 1950s — the curved structures on either side of the buildings caught the attention of passersby. In 1962, designer Jim Schindler saw potential in them and joined the arches into the shape of an “M”. This iconic emblem was born and is now recognized by millions worldwide as a symbol of fast and affordable food.

Before 1955, you had to watch the boiling water yourself — look away for a second, and it would spill over. Russell Hobbs solved this problem by releasing the K1 — the world’s first electric kettle with automatic shut-off. The new product quickly conquered British kitchens and then the entire world. What seemed like a simple innovation became a true household revolution and marked the beginning of the smart appliance era no one had even dreamed of.