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February 7, 2008

Companies Change, So Do their Logos

Erick Schonfeld

54 comments »

What does a logo say about a company? And what does it say when those logos change? A logo is more than just window dressing. It is a company’s identity boiled down to its bare essence, and is often the essential image consumers have in their mind when they think about a corporation. Products change, but logos endure. Or do they?

Neatorama has a great post that goes through the evolution of several corporate logos. I’ve reproduced some of the images below. How many of you knew that Apple’s original logo featured Isaac Newton under an Apple tree? When you look at the Palm logos, the best one, in my opinion, is the one with the blue circle—when the company was at its height. And what’s with that Nokia fish? Talk about a company that’s evolved.

logo-apple.giflogo-palm.giflogo-google.giflogo-microsoft.giflogo-firefox.giflogo-nokia.gif

  • Sphere It

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 7th, 2008 at 11:43 am and is filed under Company & Product Profiles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  1. Der Blogbote

    February 7th, 2008 at 11:22 pm

Comments

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  1. Tyler Wright

    February 7th, 2008 at 11:47 am

    love it! Good stuff. And TechCrunch used to be gray right?

  2. Alaska Miller

    February 7th, 2008 at 11:48 am

    nokia used to be in timber. it was named after the river of where it was founded. that was a long time ago.

  3. B.Ackles

    February 7th, 2008 at 11:48 am

    Very Miles Davis-esk…”Less is More”

  4. Changing logos don't mean anything.

    February 7th, 2008 at 11:58 am

    Some changing logos don’t always mean successful.

    Enron. Worldcom. Edgeio. AOL. Ford Motors. Etrade. AOL Timewarner. Sco Group. Sierra Online (90s), etc… You see 70 % bankrupties on changing logos.

    The most important is how you manage people & put people into trust. For example, You see my friend don’t trust techcrunch. He fucking hates techcrunch for destorying some startups. I’m serious. I’m not against techcrunch.

    I jump into wrong boat for reading techcrunch. I felt little guility for being fan of techcrunch….

  5. MikeT

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    I guess there’s not much to write about these days, eh?

  6. I wanted to leave techcrunch

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

    I wanted to leave techcrunch so bad. I couldn’t it. It’s sorta Techcrunch cancer or spiritual bad luck that grabs something tight. I don’t want my body to get exposure for wrong doings.

    I want to be like other journalist who leaves techcrunch. I should’ve listen to my friend.

  7. I wanted to leave techcrunch

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:14 pm

    I finally realize how I get Cs & Bs in my old school. The future I present to stay techcrunch and accept Michael Arrington’s conflict of interest. I look back in timemachine like “STAR WARS” use the force .

    My professor was right. I was wrong… Today, I’m wrong for staying techcrunch.

    My blood or DNA or mind tells me…
    It’s time to get out Techcrunch’s fire.

  8. MadMax3000

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:16 pm

    The 1st NOKIA look ewwww.

    http://www.givemebeats.com

  9. Fanette

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    l’histoire du logo de l’OM :
    http://vexil.prov.free.fr/logo.....%20om.html

    Maginfiques la Dodge viper :
    http://fr.wilogo.com/blog/2007.....dge-viper/

  10. CanCar

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:19 pm

    All this has only 1 purpose: MARKETING STRATEGY. The people feel boring to see always the same thing and changing they call the attention.

  11. Marcin Grodzicki

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:26 pm

    Palm One was an OS logo, as far as I recall. And with the ‘boiling down to one point’ - I wouldn’t exaggerate like that. Nike Swoosh costed 50$ and was done by some student. As someone once said: Nike’s logo is so recognised because it’s a good logo - backed up by couple houndred milion $ spent over last 10 years…

    So yes - logo is important. No - it doesn’t define your company (think Wakoopa).

  12. ml

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:28 pm

    My favorite logo has always been Fedex. The hidden arrow and the fact you can spot a fedex truck miles away makes it great. That post was great, Tc really seems to be covering a lot of Techmeme stories lately.

  13. Live Crunch

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:31 pm

    They change logos as I do :) every few years :) Got to keep up with technology and colors :)

  14. ZimbraFan

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

    What’s the new MicroHooZa logo going to look like?

  15. jc

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    the original Apple’s logo looks like something on a beer bottle

  16. Companies Change, so I need to change

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:49 pm

    I’m looking to move Striaght A and mature life..

    Techcrunch is level C journalism. I couldn’t say how they get C level.
    It’s easy to read. It’s sort of like my old school essay format & idea.
    I got Cs in my old essay. I don’t like 1990s NYC regents writing exam.

    Please help me quit Techcrunch.

  17. Alaska Miller

    February 7th, 2008 at 12:55 pm

    Who is the idiot that keeps making comments and never signs his posts? Please just ban him, his nonsensical bullshit and horrible writing skills makes me want to punch my $2000 MacBook Air.

  18. Tyler Wright

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    I agree with Alaska Miller (on banning the comment spammer at least)

  19. fauxstor

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    My personal favorite:
    1998-1999
    1999-2001
    2001-2002

  20. Steve

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:06 pm

    Some of those logos look like they were drawn by my 6-year-old nephew.

  21. I want to quit

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    @16. Yes, I need to move. You sounds so violent you want to hit someone in airbook. I don’t mind to have it banned.

    I want to be like other techcrunch journalist that quits. It doesn’t mean I hate techcrunch. I want to move on… I want techcrunch open jail house.

  22. Francisco

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:18 pm

    Nice. thanks!

  23. Sheryl

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:24 pm

    too bad nowadays there’s only one logo:
    http://www.taadaam.com/index.php?t=Bill%20who%3F

  24. Jeff

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    ManagedQ has a really cool logo…great search interface too

  25. alexanderpink

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    I disagree with Alaska Miller, I find “I wanted to leave techcrunch” to be hilarious.

  26. AllHolyBooks.com

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm

    Nice post…

  27. Miller was name after beer!

    February 7th, 2008 at 1:50 pm

    I tell you why I want to leave. I may say something right.

    Michael Arrington got kick out Google Jet. I though he was going to be next web 2.0 peter jennings. Getting kick out Google jet reminds me like this guy

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnR5SVgbpgk

  28. MikeT

    February 7th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

    @16: this is just a lost soul who got addicted to TC…

    Damn you TC! I am addicted too!!!!

    I tell you I wish leave but it not easy…

  29. bluesdance

    February 7th, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    ye olde Apple logo FTW

  30. bluesdance

    February 7th, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    any idea where i can get a hi res version of that?

  31. Drew Houston

    February 7th, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    looks like techcrunch has its own wesley willis

  32. Ron

    February 7th, 2008 at 2:45 pm

    Seems like Apple did not always had good taste

  33. BRadC

    February 7th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    @16,17 - don’t ban them, the comments make me giggle. I think it might be Amy Winehouse.

    “I tell you why I want to leave. I may say something right.”

    *chortle* evidence so far suggests the contrary, old chum, but just keep ploughing along

    “You sounds so violent you want to hit someone in airbook”
    Inspired. A comic touch. Keep ‘em coming.

  34. Jim

    February 7th, 2008 at 3:09 pm

    Erick is the best blogger at TC. By far. Kudos to you my friend.

  35. arodako

    February 7th, 2008 at 3:13 pm

    Seems like a fun idea for a gadget/widget. Select a couple of companies, layer a timeline of logos from archive.org and other historical sources over a stock chart or news archives (Finance Market Data API, etc..). It’d be interesting to evaluate how brand evolution relates with past and present company performance.

  36. Nina Hartley

    February 7th, 2008 at 3:16 pm

    Lots of sites show sports logos like this…

  37. Craig

    February 7th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

    Palm should have stuck with their 2003 logo IMHO.

  38. Herbal Nourish

    February 7th, 2008 at 4:05 pm

    Well I like the current APPLE & Google logo, I think companies like that has to fresh up there logo from time to time.

    I have been thinking about the same about my Herbal Nourish logo if it couldn´t be more unique and fresher ? I just don’t know how to create a cool logo, me and my friend made the logo together :-)

    I am allways open for new ideas if you are up for it ;-)

    I like this community here at TechCrunch :-) I have been visiting alot, this is my first comment

    Warmly

    Thordur

  39. lifted post

    February 7th, 2008 at 4:27 pm

    nothing like lifting an entire post from neatrama - no digg for you erick, but lots of stumbling.

  40. Christop Wagner

    February 7th, 2008 at 5:12 pm

    Palm 2003 still looks best:)

  41. robert

    February 7th, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    Cool post. I have to laugh at the first iteration of microsoft’s logo. It has that bad font that looks like it was lifted right off either a montreal expos or san diego padres jersey circa ‘76. lol.

  42. Hendra

    February 8th, 2008 at 12:15 am

    I wouldn’t had bought a cellphone with an ugly fish on it.

  43. SEO tips

    February 8th, 2008 at 8:08 am

    Good stuff to analyze the reason behind the color and font changes in all of those, which costs millions of dollars. Nice info. Keep it up Erick!!

  44. Designer-Nige

    February 8th, 2008 at 8:11 am

    Bring back the first Nokia logo!

  45. Kvan

    February 8th, 2008 at 9:11 am

    I actually like the first Microsoft Logo they need to change their current logo i’m really starting to get sick of plain type logo’s or atleast a new damn font

  46. Tony T

    February 8th, 2008 at 9:31 am

    palms OS hasn’t changed since 2003 as well! zing*
    I liked the colorful apple one lol

  47. pflodo

    February 8th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    Sometimes there is is good reason to change your logo like ASEA did in 1933 (they had been using a swastika for many years before the Nazis perverted it). ASEA is now the A in ABB, one of the largest engineering firms in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEA has a copy of the logo.

  48. fizetés és állás

    February 8th, 2008 at 1:53 pm

    the 2003 Palm logo was by far better than the newer ones

  49. Hizzoner

    February 11th, 2008 at 5:55 am

    This page serves no purpose and is a waste of internet. Please remove it promptly and recycle with something useful.

  50. jd

    February 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

    The first apple logo rocks!

  51. David

    February 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

    What? No analysis about why Google changed the G from green to blue?

  52. Marianne

    February 13th, 2008 at 9:19 am

    Wow this was really cool!
    and funny :]]

  53. radiohode

    February 13th, 2008 at 2:47 pm

    Nokia should return to their first logo. Imagine a cellular phone with that logo. LOL

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