Reebok introduced its Vector logo in 1986.
The change replaced the Union Jack-style flag mark that had represented the company since its founding. The new Vector was an abstract, streak-like design suggesting a Union Flag crossing a racetrack. Its angled lines also echoed the side flashes used on Reebok footwear, linking the corporate identity to the shoes themselves.
The timing mattered. By 1986, Reebok was no longer known only as a British running-shoe company. It was expanding aggressively into performance footwear, sports clothing, children’s shoes and professional-sports licensing. The Vector therefore helped present the brand as a modern international athletic company.
Some timelines can cause confusion because Reebok used several logo variations after 1986, including later refinements and a 1992 version often mentioned in discussions of the mark. That does not change the original introduction date asked here: the Vector identity first replaced the earlier flag logo in 1986. Reebok later revived the classic Vector as a core brand mark.