Interesting stories behind famous logos
Intel Logo
Ever since its humble beginnings in 1968, Intel Corporation has recognized how important it is to have a meaningful visual identity with strong visual impact. Intel Corp. has become one of the world’s most recognized computer brands because of its intelligent marketing strategy and its once long-running “Intel Inside” campaign.The original Intel logo with a ‘dropped-e’ in it was created by
Google Logo
Google’s mission statement is “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”. Since the beginning, Google has closely and zealously worked towards achieving the goal of providing relevant information and innovative products to its customers. Saying that, Google has now become a leader of the web-search industry.Google began as a research project in 1996 by two The word “Google”, in the Google logo originates from the misspelling of ‘googol’, which refers to 10100 (that is the number represented by a 1 followed by one-hundred zeros). The name is the only element of the Google logo and is used with different variations and modifications depending on the occasion/s. The company uses features that compliment and refer to specific holidays like Christmas, 4th of July, Mother’s Day etc.; birthdays of famous personalities like Albert Einstein, Leonardo Di Vinci, Edward Munch, etc.; and major events like the Olympics, Football World Cup, elections, etc. These special modifications of the Google logo are known as Google Doodles were first designed by the creators of the company in 1999.
Microsoft Logo
Founded in 1975, Microsoft Inc. is ‘the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential’. The company is famous for inventing and offering innovative products such as Windows, Office, Xbox, etc., that truly symbolize advanced technology. Even its logo, is a physical manifestation of the company’s technological pursuits.Microsoft logo is a perfect example of ‘innovation meets simplicity’. The logo intelligently expresses the company’s mission of providing quality products to the customers with its strong slogan and simple typeface. The Microsoft logo like the company has become synonymous with latest computer technologies, innovative ideas and the comprehensive development of both. The logo consists of a simple typeface with an equally powerful slogan symbolizing potential and passion. Though the Microsoft logo was subjected to major critical transformations over the decades, its principal message has remained largely unaffected. At the beginning, Microsoft adopted the so-called “blibbet” logo that was green with a fanciful lettered O in it. It was later discarded as the company’s trademark in 1994, when Microsoft adopted the more compact version of the current logo with the tagline: “Where do you want to go today?”. In 2002, inspired by the previous design, Microsoft started using the new Microsoft logo in the
Yahoo Logo
During their time at From the beginning, the company’s mission is ‘to connect people to their passions, their communities, and the world’s knowledge’, but the real success of Yahoo! was largely based on the marketing strategy of the company and the branding of its identity (logo). In the overall success of a business, logos play an important role in the corporate world. They become the identity of a company when the business expands and thus generates the general perception about the company. When Yahoo became a corporation in 1995, they kept the similar idea in their mind before finalizing their logo. For them, the Yahoo logo was a mean to express the company’s mission and idea to the general public. That’s why the chosen word ‘Yahoo’ in the Yahoo logo is an acronym for ‘Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle’. But according to Filo and Yang, they selected the name because they liked the general definition of ‘yahoo’: rude, unsophisticated, and uncouth. For the color scheme of the Yahoo logo, they went for a safer approach with a red colored theme which complimented the yahoo’s definition.
Although still used today to some of its features, theYahoo logo has now been revamped into a purple colored icon with variations that include white logo and Y! Bang logo.
Nokia Logo
Nokia Corporation has been in the telecommunications business since the 1960s and has become a global leader of the industry. The Nokia logo, like the company, is synonymous with mobile technology, high-tech gadgets and new ways to communicate and explore.So when it came to designing their logo, Nokia Co. made every effort to make its logo represent the company’s mission. And thus, the infamous ‘Nokia Connecting People’ logo came into being.
Features of the Nokia Logo:
Let’s look at the features of the Nokia logo that make the brand so attractive.
What’s in a Slogan?
The Nokia logo consists of a very burly slogan that gives the brand a truly strong position in the telecommunication industry. The slogan cleverly expresses the company’s mission, which is to connect people without barrier and distance. This has made the Nokia logo stand out from the rest.
Picture Perfect!
There is a perfect image of two people almost joining hands with each other on the Nokia logo. The image has given a proper support to the logo and has brilliantly complimented the company’s mission and the slogan.
A Powerful Brand.
Undoubtedly, Nokia is a powerful player in the mobile telecommunication industry. Its mobile phones and gadgets have been infiltrated globally in mobile markets and are the customers’ favorite. Apart from being celebrated for its mobile phones, Nokia Co. also offers it’s customer other corporate functions which include multimedia devices and applications, enterprise solutions and network services. (new)
(old)
Apple Logo
Apple Inc. has revolutionized personal computing since its founding in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne and Steve Wozniak. For more than 30 years, Apple Computer has introduced groundbreaking products and accessories that truly defy the technological barriers. It has now become one of the world’s most famous computer brands and has introduced innovative products such as iPods, Macintosh, QuickTime, etc.Beyond its strong line of pioneering products, lies an interesting and powerful corporate identity. Apple is probably the only company who did not want to design with their company name in it. Yet, the Apple logo is one of the most recognized corporate symbols in the world. The first Apple logo was designed by Jobs and
That Apple logo was immediately changed by designer Rob Janoff, the man to provide a logo design for Apple, into a multicolored apple with a bite taken out off its right side, better known as the “rainbow apple”. This was done to commemorate the discoveries of gravity (the apple) and the separation of light (the colors) done by Isaac Newton and possibly to tribute the ‘fruit of the Tree of Knowledge’ in Adam and Eve’s story. Even the term ‘Macintosh’ refers to a particular variety of an apple. But certain speculations exist about the proper meaning of the Apple logo. Some believe that the ‘rainbow colored’ Apple logo was used to advertise the color capability of the Apple II computer. Others, like author Sadie Plant of Zeroes and Ones, considers the Apple logo as homage to Alan Turning, the father of modern computing, who committed suicide using a cyanide-laced apple.
IBM Logo
IBM has one of the world’s most recognizable logos. It is simple yet very appealing and a prefect visual representation of the brand/multinational. The 8-bar blue IBM logo is more than just a signature to the Company’s ads or an image to embrace its products and service packs. For customers, the IBM logo is a promise that symbolizes trust, value, quality and advanced technology. In a world of integrated IT systems, the IBM logo is uniquely reassuring, conveying authenticity, reliability and quality of the brand and its mechanics.The Company was incorporated in
In the 96 years of the Company's existence, the IBM logo has been changed and improved many times. Over the years, the Company has used a series of IBM logos on products, stationery, vehicles, service packs, flags etc. to promote immediate recognition of the brand throughout the world. Hence we trace the graphic evolution of IBM logos.
The first IBM logo was created in year 1924, when the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation. As part of their transformation, the creators of the company decided to the replace the previous ornate, rococo letters of the “CTR” logo into more modern wording of “Business Machines” in sans-serif font. The 1924 IBM logo was given a globe shape girded by the word “International” to suggest the company’s worldwide expansion.
In May 1956, Tom Watson Jr. took over the company as the new Chief Executive after his father passed away. In steps to exemplify the new management and technological era, the company endured subtle changes in its IBM logo. Hired by Tom Watson Jr. himself, the new IBM logo was created by the famous graphic designer, Paul Rand. That IBM logo was replaced by another typeface, known as City Medium, from the earlier Beton Bold typography, boasting a more solid, grounded and balanced look.
In 1972, a new version of IBM logo was introduced, again designed by Paul Rand. The solid letters were replaced by horizontal stripes, suggesting speed and dynamism. The graphic evolution of IBM logo shows that the IBM logo is an excellent example of a company that uses capitalized block lettering to establish authority without alienating its audience. The IBM logo stands so absolute it looks like it was made by machine, instead of by hand.
IBM is recognized as the powerhouse of high-quality computer products and services. The IBM logo is an image of expertise, innovation, service and trust, thereby reinforcing the strength of IBM in the industry. If observed closely, the IBM logo, also known as "Big Blue", generates a message of "Equality". The Big Blue IBM logo, with its lower right parallel lines, highlights in the shape of an "equals" sign. Furthermore, the term "BIG" in the Big Blue IBM logo refers to the company’s size in the market share, whereas, the "BLUE" is the official color of the eight-bar IBM logo.
The evolution of IBM logo depicts the company’s promise of commitment to its principles. The IBM logo continues to define the company’s management behavior and its adherence to it, while providing the IBM logo a competitive advantage in the marketplace.