The Evolution of Logos: Tech Brands
Samsung
Founded: 1938
The vast changes made to Samsung’s logo reflect the staggering length of time they have been around. Samsung began life in 1938 as a trading company which made noodles and a wide range of dried seafood. Lee Byung-Chul (founder) named the company Samsung, which translates to 3 stars. His vision was that Samsung would become as permanent as the stars in the sky. It wasn’t until 1993 that Samsung removed the 3 stars from their logo opting instead for the logo that is so familiar to us now.
The new logo was introduced to mark the 55th anniversary of the company’s founding. The key features include:
- The slightly-tilted ellipse which represents the universe
- The Blue representing the sky and ocean
- The S and the G of Samsung break the boundary of the logo showing Samsung’s connectedness to everything.
Microsoft
Founded: 4th April 1975
The most recent incarnation of Microsoft uses 4 coloured boxes to evoke the interface which is central to the Windows 8 operating system. The new logo has received mixed responses from designers, some thinking they missed an opportunity to be more creative whilst others were pleasantly surprised by the logo’s simplicity.
“High technology should be invisible; it’s the information that matters. I think Microsoft is getting closer to this, and I think that’s what the new logo embodies.” James Coulson
Apple
Founded: 1st April, 1976
Apple’s first logo was designed by Ronald Wayne and contains a range of stylistic flourishes that few would associate with Apple. It depicts Isaac Newton sitting under a tree with the famous apple dangling precariously overhead. It will come as no surprise that this emblem only lasted a year before being replaced with one which was more in-keeping with the technology industry.
The first logo, which incorporates that apple image that we are so familiar with, was designed by Rob Janoff. Interesting, the famous bite seems to have arisen so that consumers did not mistake the logo for a tomato. It is a favourable coincidence that the bite is also a play on words (byte being a term for a unit of information in computing).
Steve Jobs wished to include colour to “humanise” the company. Apparently there was no logic as to where the colours were positioned, other than green being at the top as it was naturally where a leaf would appear on an apple.
Colours were removed from the logo in 1997 when Steve Jobs returned to Apple. The driving feature of this change was the desire to include large apple designs on computer products. Jobs feared that the multi-coloured image would look too childish, so the monochromatic design was adopted.
Founded: 4th September 1998
The major evolution of the Google logo has been towards becoming flat and shadowless. In 1998, an exclamation mark was included to mimic Yahoo’s logo, but this was quickly dropped a year later. The current logo was designed by Ruth Kedar and is consistent with the current user interface that Google utilizes.
Google are also famed for their Google Doodles, animated logos on their homepage which celebrate key events in history.
Founded: March 2006
Whilst most are aware of the Twitter bird, it may surprise some to know that he has a name. Larry the bird has seen a number of makeovers since the birth of Twitter; however, it is clear that Twitter is trying to distance itself from Larry, no longer referring to him by name. “Twitter is the bird, the bird is Twitter.” Seems there is no space for Larry the personality.
Regardless, Twitter has gone to great lengths to develop their brand’s logo. Since 2006 the bird logo has gone through 5 redesigns. The most recent design shares characteristics with Apple’s iCloud logo as the designers have used concentric circles in its construction.
“This bird is crafted purely from three sets of overlapping circles — similar to how your networks, interests and ideas connect and intersect with peers and friends. Whether soaring high above the earth to take in a broad view, or flocking with other birds to achieve a common purpose, a bird in flight is the ultimate representation of freedom, hope and limitless possibility.” Doug Bowman
IBM
Founded: 1888
IBM has gone through a number of evolutions during its long history. The logos are indicative of the changing times and trends of each era. In 1888, IBM started life as the International Time Recording Company. They would then become the Computing Scale Company (1891) and Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation (1911) successively before finally adopting the name of International Business Machines (1924).
Their first logo under their current trading name was used between 1924 and 1946. The logo shape is meant to suggest the globe which is symbolic of their international reach. In 1947, IBM began using a form of the logo which we are so familiar with today. They have used the typeface “Beton Bold” ever since. In 1972, horizontal stripes were added to the typeface to express “speed and dynamism.” In the 70’s, companies preferred not to used logos with large, solid colors due to the technical limitations of photocopiers. The shift to 8-bar and 13-bar logos seems to be a reaction to this.
Keeping an eye on the developments of logos in your own industry, whether it is technology or otherwise, is crucial for ensuring your branding remains relevant and in-keeping with trends in design. Otherwise, a brand’s image can look stale and old-fashioned if not modified to fit in with advances in the use of color, font or space. Your logo may be one that pushes the boundaries and sets its own trends, like Google’s Doodles. Alternatively, it could be one that is altered to correspond to industry changes or the developments of your company, as in Microsoft’s colored cubes to match their new operating system. However you choose to develop your logo, it is vital to re-assess its design frequently to ensure you have strong, recognizable and, most importantly, relevant visual branding in order to attract and hold the attention of both new and current consumers.
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