One strange thing about Apple’s visual identity is that they allow logo variations that most brand managers would never approve. In the past, I’ve noted their environmental logo with a green leaf and their security logo that looks like a padlock. They have a gift logo that they use annually during the holidays and created a special logo for their opening of their Marina Sands store in Singapore.

Today, I saw another couple of variations to add to my list from the Apple Japan web site as part of their New Year’s Celebration:

For a company known for their branding, I think it’s fascinating to see all of these variations from Apple. Especially since it runs counter to what most brands do.

Bob Wertz is a type designer, Ph.D. student and researcher living in Columbia, South Carolina. He’s been blogging since 2008 and an Apple user since 1994.