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.
love it! Good stuff. And TechCrunch used to be gray right?
nokia used to be in timber. it was named after the river of where it was founded. that was a long time ago.
Very Miles Davis-esk…”Less is More”
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….
I guess there’s not much to write about these days, eh?
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.
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.
The 1st NOKIA look ewwww.
http://www.givemebeats.com
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/
All this has only 1 purpose: MARKETING STRATEGY. The people feel boring to see always the same thing and changing they call the attention.
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).
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.
They change logos as I do
every few years 
Got to keep up with technology and colors 
What’s the new MicroHooZa logo going to look like?
the original Apple’s logo looks like something on a beer bottle
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.
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.
I agree with Alaska Miller (on banning the comment spammer at least)
My personal favorite:
1998-1999
1999-2001
2001-2002
Some of those logos look like they were drawn by my 6-year-old nephew.
@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.
Nice. thanks!
too bad nowadays there’s only one logo:
http://www.taadaam.com/index.php?t=Bill%20who%3F
ManagedQ has a really cool logo…great search interface too
I disagree with Alaska Miller, I find “I wanted to leave techcrunch” to be hilarious.
Nice post…
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
@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…
ye olde Apple logo FTW
any idea where i can get a hi res version of that?
looks like techcrunch has its own wesley willis
Seems like Apple did not always had good taste
@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.
Erick is the best blogger at TC. By far. Kudos to you my friend.
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.
Lots of sites show sports logos like this…
Palm should have stuck with their 2003 logo IMHO.
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
nothing like lifting an entire post from neatrama - no digg for you erick, but lots of stumbling.
Palm 2003 still looks best:)
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.
I wouldn’t had bought a cellphone with an ugly fish on it.
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!!
Bring back the first Nokia logo!
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
palms OS hasn’t changed since 2003 as well! zing*
I liked the colorful apple one lol
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.
the 2003 Palm logo was by far better than the newer ones
This page serves no purpose and is a waste of internet. Please remove it promptly and recycle with something useful.
The first apple logo rocks!
What? No analysis about why Google changed the G from green to blue?
Wow this was really cool!
and funny :]]
Nokia should return to their first logo. Imagine a cellular phone with that logo. LOL