• Car
  • Fashion
  • Food
  • Miscellaneous
  • Tech & Media
  • Watches
  • Sport

Pandora Logo Design, History, & Evolution

By Gretchen Downey Leave a Comment

Since the beginning of Pandora Media as a streaming music service in 2000 (originally known as Savage Beast Technologies), the Pandora logo has undergone a few changes.

rocket

Each incarnation of the logo is simply the text “Pandora” spelled out as a word mark, but the fonts and colors have been updated with the times.

We will review a brief history of Pandora Media, the company’s logo changes, and the reasons for and complications surrounding the current installment of the Pandora logo.

Quick Navigation
What Is the Pandora Logo?
Why Did Pandora Change Logos?
How Has Pandora Changed Over Time?
Conclusion

What Is the Pandora Logo?

Pandora (also known as Pandora Media or Pandora Internet Radio) is a service that streams automated music recommendations. It is available only in the United States via the mobile app or on a web browser, and it is powered by the Music Genome Project.

rocket

A user can choose a specific artist/genre, and the service will play similar songs. The user can then provide positive or negative feedback, and that feedback allows the service to improve future song choices based on the user’s preferences. Pandora is available either for free or as a paid service. The free version allows for basic use of Pandora’s features but with certain limitations, and the listener must endure advertisements.

Pandora Plus is the name of the paid service, and it grants the user commercial-free listening, improved streaming quality, subscription channels that are available offline, and music downloads. Pandora’s major competitors are brands like Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music.

Previous Pandora Logos

The Pandora logo was originally plain serif text in medium-dark blue and all caps. Later, a design firm in Los Angeles, California, called BIRD, updated the logo by changing it to a deeper blue and switching up the font to look bolder and modern. The new serifs on the Pandora logo were themselves curved and then ended in a pronounced point. This type of serif is frequently called a “slab serif.” A registered mark was also added to the end of the word “Pandora.”

rocket

Along with the Pandora logo refresh, the “P” from the new logo was used to create an icon for the mobile app. The “P” is centered on a soft white/gray button with plenty of space around it for a cushion, and it is colored with a subtle gradient that starts with medium blue at the top and fades down into a deeper blue.

Overall, both of the previous incarnations of the Pandora logo were somewhat plain and uninteresting, and yet they served their purpose. They supplied a brand identity to Pandora Media, and the service’s users became accustomed to the association between the streaming service and its word mark.

The New Pandora Logo

In 2016, to coincide with the launch of the paid service Pandora Plus, the company revealed a new Pandora logo with a corresponding monogram of a simple “P” that is used in multiple applications, including the icon for the mobile app.

rocket

The new logo holds certain similarities to the previous versions in that it is a shade of blue and it is simply the word “Pandora.” However, this time around, all the letters are in lower case, and the font has changed to a curvy sans-serif. The registered mark from the previous logo has been retained at the end of the word but is somewhat more prominent than before.

The new Pandora logo and “P” monogram have both drawn a significant amount of criticism. Prominent graphic design experts have described the Pandora logo that features just the name of the company as generic, plain, and uninteresting. The logo is neither good nor bad; it just is.

Like previous editions of the logo, it serves the purpose of brand identity. It is clear and easily readable, and it can be used in a variety of applications. The “P” monogram is just a simple, fat “P” shape without the hole in the middle, and it doesn’t match the “P” in the new word mark. The “P” can be filled in with color or graphics and allows for a lot of flexibility in its use.

Regarding the usage of the “P,” Pandora has incorporated the graphic into its advertising and signage by filling it with a mixture of animated designs. The designs feature brightly colored patterns, and they flash and wiggle in a style akin to familiar treatments in the MTV logo of the 1980s and 90s. It evokes a nostalgic vibe that people can easily associate with musical entertainment and programming.

Some design critics felt that the “P” monogram was trying too hard to be everything to everyone, and that Pandora was pandering to too many types of people in their desperation to compete with the likes of streaming music titans like Spotify.

The most significant outcome of the new branding was Paypal’s reaction to the “P” emblem. A lawsuit was filed against Pandora in which Paypal accused the music company’s new logo of being too similar to the Paypal emblem. For comparison, both logos feature a bold “P” shape in similar shades of blue.

rocket

The fonts between the two logos have similar features as far as thickness, rounded corners, and the missing hole in the center. However, Paypal’s logo features two Ps instead of just one, the two P’s are in different tints of blue, and the two P’s slant at an angle. At a glance, it could be easy for an average consumer to mistake one well-known brand for the other.

However, the lawsuit drew a fair amount of criticism. Some thought it was laughable that Paypal seemed to be claiming ownership over the letter “P.” Along with that same line of thought, critics were amused over Paypal’s attempts at painting Pandora as a sinking has-been tech company who copied the Paypal logo in an attempt to associate itself with a more successful brand. The lawsuit was settled in 2017, but no details of the settlement were revealed. Pandora is still using the “P” monogram throughout their media channels.

Why Did Pandora Change Logos?

Pandora toted their new branding identity as a celebration toward vast improvements in their service when Pandora Plus was rolled out in 2017. With the new subscription service, which offers an advertising-free listening experience with unlimited skips and the ability to listen to music offline, the company felt that a new Pandora logo helped showcase the new image of the brand.

rocket

The new Pandora logo was revealed less than 12 months after the brand’s competitor, Spotify, revealed its own redesign in 2015. It is common for competing companies to follow suit with each other when it comes to trends in innovation, technology, and even logo design. It is theorized that the Spotify re-branding was also a contributing factor in the development of the new Pandora logo.

With regard to the “P” monogram, Pandora stated that the P was a versatile canvas in which a variety of visual energy, sound, color, and emotion could be expressed. The “P” is supposed to hold the capability of representing any type of music in diverse ways so that anyone can identify with it. Some say this notion expresses the desperation Pandora might be feeling in order to gain some traction against their biggest competitors.

How Has Pandora Changed Over Time?

Even though the Pandora logo has been redesigned a few times, the essential concept of the brand has remained basically unchanged. Pandora still provides a streaming music service that caters to an individual listener’s specific tastes, and it works as a platform that allows people to easily discover new music they might enjoy based on previous listening preferences.

rocket

The major changes with the brand were the name change from Savage Beast Technologies to Pandora, their decision to become a publicly traded company in 2011, their addition of the subscription-based service in 2017, and, of course, the visual changes to their logo and branding.

In 2018, Sirius XM Holdings revealed its plans to acquire Pandora for $3.5 billion. One might predict that when this transaction is complete, there will be further changes to the Pandora business model, and perhaps even another redesign of the Pandora logo.

Conclusion

In summary, Pandora has continued to be a popular streaming music service for online and mobile users over the years. With huge competitors like Apple Music and Spotify emerging and continuously upping their game, Pandora has battled a little to keep up with the times.

rocket

In an effort to draw more listeners away from other popular streaming services, they have offered a premium subscription service with many of the same features as the competition, and they have updated their brand presence with the introduction of a new logo. While the new logo may not be all that dynamic or innovative, it does offer consumers a visual change to the brand’s identity that corresponds to improvements in the brand’s service. 

The logo is clean and easily read. It is neither a dramatic improvement over the older Pandora logo versions nor a turn in the wrong direction. It performs its basic functions, and we may see further changes once the acquisition by Sirius XM is completed.

​Featured photo via ​Wikimedia Commons

Google Play Logo Design, History, & Evolution

By Gretchen Downey Leave a Comment

Over the years, Google has grown into an internet powerhouse, and it has adapted to the times by providing online and mobile apps for almost everything under the sun. The Google Play Store has evolved from its original incarnation as the Android Market into the digital media giant it is today. Along with Google’s growth, the company has made updates and revisions to its brand, including several redesigns of its logo. The Google Play logo is one example of part of the brand that has undergone a redesign, and here we look at those changes as they progressed over time to develop the logo that exists today.

Quick Navigation
About the Google Play Brand
Google Play Logo Design History
Google Play Logo Design Evolution
Conclusion

About the Google Play Brand

Google Play is the official app store for Google’s Android operating system. The Google Play store began in 2012 to combine the services of the already-existing Android Market, Google Music, and the Google eBookstore under one banner. Users can browse and download various applications developed using the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) specifically for Android-compatible devices. The Google Play store also offers music, movies, books, and television programs for purchase.

Services Included in the Google Play Store

  • Google Play Music
  • Google Play Movies
  • Google Play Television
  • Google Play Books
  • Google Play Games
  • A section of the Google Play Store highlights awards given to the year’s best apps

Services No Longer Included in the Google Play Store

  • Google hardware devices such as Google Nexus devices, Chromebooks, and Chromecasts were available until Google started a separate retailer in 2015 called the Google Store
  • Magazines and news publications were also available until Google started its own app called Google News in 2018

Some apps in the Google Play store are free while others cost money. Android users can download apps directly onto their device via the Google Play Store mobile app. Another option users have is to send an app directly to an Android device by using the Google Play website. There were over 82 billion downloads in the year 2016, and at the time of this writing there are over 3.5 million apps available in the Google Play store. You can purchase content from the Google Play store using a debit or credit card, gift card, carrier billing, or pay via PayPal. Google Play also offers in-app subscriptions.

Google does not require that Android-compatible apps be acquired through the Google Play Store. Users can download Android apps directly from a developer’s website or from a third-party app. This makes the Android brand different from its largest competitor, Apple, because all apps for the iPhone and other iOS devices can only be obtained through Apple’s app store. Google restricts certain types of apps from being published on the Google Play Store, such as apps that feature sexually explicit content, violence, hate speech, gambling, child endangerment, and various illegal activities.

Google Play Logo Design History

Android Market Logo (2008-2011)

During this period, the Google Play store was called the Android Market. The base logo was a three-dimensional black and white shopping bag with black handles on top that was shown from the perspective of looking down from above into the bag, and the designers used gradient shading to show the sides of the bag and the depth of the bag. On the front of the bag, the Android logo was put at a playful angle and outlined in white

The Android logo was lime green and made up of simple geometric shapes that, when combined, formed the shape of a robot. The logo was displayed alone in certain applications and at other times with text that read “Android Market.” The font for “Android Market” was in all lowercase letters, and it had a space age, robotic feel The word “Android” was gray, the word “Market” was the same lime green as the robot logo, and the two words were stacked.

Android Market Logo Redesign (2011)​​​​​

android market logo 2011

Image via Flickr

This version of the logo was used for only a short time into 2012 until the Android Market was renamed. Like the previous logo, the icon was a shopping bag with the Android robot logo on the front, but the perspective of the bag shifted to a less dramatic one that made it seem like the viewer was looking at the bag straight-on. The slight perspective shift also showed a bit of the interior of the bag.

This version of the shopping bag was white with lime green handles and a lime green inside with gradient shading throughout to give it a three-dimensional look. Once again, the Android logo was put at an angle, this time more toward the bottom right corner of the bag’s front. When this version of the Google Play logo was used with the “Android Market” text, the text was all on one line and used a font like Myriad Pro in upper and lower case letters, but this time, the word “Android” was lime green and “Market” was gray.

Google Play Store Logo (2012-2014)

Google Play 2014 Logo

Image via Wikimedia

In 2012, the Android Market became the Google Play Store, which prompted a complete re-haul of the logo design. They scrapped the Android robot, but a simplified concept of the shopping bag remained. It only had one handle and less shading.

The new Google Play logo sat in the center of the bag and was now a triangle shape with rounded corners that mimicked the design of the “Play” button found on most electronic entertainment devices. The inside of the triangle itself was segmented into four angled quadrants, each of which was a different color, represented by gradients shifting from a darker tint of each quadrant’s color to a lighter tint of that same color. The four colors were a light green, a more turquoise shade of green, a purple-ish red, and a light orange.

google play icon

Image via Wikimedia

The 2012 Google Play logo sometimes displayed the text “Google Play” which was all in a gray font. The word “Google” was in the same logo shape as the main Google logo, and the word “play” was in a lower case sans-serif font. In 2014, the shopping bag on the Google Play logo was flattened to simplify the design.

Google Play Logo Design Evolution

get it on google play logo

Image via Wikimedia

The most recent Google Play logo has been used since 2017, and it features the triangular Play button style used in previous incarnations of the logo. However, all the gradient shading is gone and the colors are brighter to more closely match the colors in the main Google logo. There is no three-dimensional appearance at all, with each of the colored quadrants shown as a vivid, flat hue. The four colors inside the current Google Play logo are an intense bright green, a golden yellow, a vibrant red, and an almost cyan blue

Compared to Previous Google Play Logos

  • The colors are flat, but more intense
  • The overall design of the Play button remains the same
  • When displayed alongside the “Google Play” text, the font matches that of the previous logo in gray Product Sans font
  • The shopping bag design element is gone

Advertisements that encourage potential customers to download an app from the Google Play store often feature a special Google Play badge, and customers can use this badge online or in print. It is a black rectangle with rounded corners that features the triangular Google Play logo alongside white text that reads “GET IT ON Google Play.”

Flattening and brightening the logo makes sense in the grand scheme of branding practices for Google. Across Google’s wide range of online services, each service has its own logo or icon that maintains a relative amount of consistency. The logos are usually segmented on the inside, and they feature text in the Product Sans font. They also feature bright block colors that match the main Google logo. Changing the Google Play logo during the company’s latest round of branding design changes only brought it up to speed with the rest of Google’s icons, which helps preserve Google’s brand identity.

Conclusion

Google Play App Store on Android Phone

Image via Flickr

Google is a technology company that’s known the world over for its innovations and ability to reinvent itself to keep up with the times. To create a more uniform brand identity in their online and mobile presence, the company changed the Google Play logo and marketplace name from the Android Market to the Google Play Store. Many people will find the vivid, flattened, and simplified logo that emerged after the brand’s redesign appealing, especially in today’s world of brightly colored mobile app buttons and complex interface designs, while others continue miss the old logo.While there is a certain visual appeal that most three-dimensional icons have, especially regarding the softness on the eyes created by gradients and more subtle colors, the changes made to the Google Play logo were to keep it up to date with current trends and the company’s current brand image. The logo is attractively bright, clean, and simple, and it helps people easily identify the logo with the online marketplace where they can easily access their favorite entertainment, games, and other apps.

​Featured photo via Flickr

Transformers Logo Design, History, & Evolution

By Logo Realm Team Leave a Comment

Chances are good that the average person can recognize a Transformer and the Transformers logo even if that person is not really a fan. The transforming alien robots have been an ever-present part of popular culture since 1984, even during brief periods of lesser popularity. We will talk about the brand’s complex and ever-changing history and examine how the Transformers logo has been updated and adapted over time to match the brand’s various incarnations.
Quick Navigation
About the Transformers Brand
Transformers Logo Design History
Transformers Logo Design Evolution
Conclusion

About the Transformers Brand

The Transformers brand began in 1984 and encompasses all media, products, and toys from Hasbro, Griffin Bacal, and Marvel that feature a series of alien robots who transform into various automobiles and machinery. The Transformers toys were originally made by Takara Tomy’s Diaclone and Microman toy lines and featured tiny plastic cars that could morph into robotic form for combat. The toys have been almost constantly available on shelves for over 34 years with very few periods of absence, none of which lasted longer than 18 months.

In the Transformers universe, there is an ongoing civil war between two factions known as the Autobots and Decepticons. The franchise has produced endless cartoons, comic books, video games, and films. The Transformers timeline can be divided into two generations. The first generation lasted from 1984 to 1993, and it was the period of time when the original comic books and animated cartoons came into popularity. The second generation consisted of various sequels and spin-offs, including the Beast Wars television series.

There have been a variety of other incarnations of the Transformers universe in the form of other series such as Robots in Disguise and the Unicron Trilogy. A competing series called Gobots with toys manufactured by Tonka was eventually bought out by Hasbro, and afterward, the Gobots were featured in the animated series Challenge of the Gobots.

In the 1990s, an online Transformers fandom emerged which allowed fans to connect with one another. It became a popular pastime for fans to name all the appearances of and references made about Transformers in pop culture. A movie adaptation of the Transformers series, directed by Michael Bay, was released in 2007 with a slew of sequels following in 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2017. A spin-off movie about the Transformer Bumble Bee came out in 2018. These upsurges in nostalgia over the series have continued to make it a pop culture phenomenon over the years.

Optimus prime in a convention

​Image via Wikimedia

Transformers Incarnations

Generation 1 centered around the story of Optimus Prime (the hero) and his enemy, the villain Megatron. Their armies crash on pre-historic Earth and reawaken in 1985. The toys and the original TV series premiered around the same time. The movies that were released many years later in the 2000s were also centered around the struggle between these two rival armies and their differing goals regarding the planet.

Generation 2 was spawned by five issues of the G.I. Joe comic, which then led to a new animated series and a new line of toys. Later came Beast Wars and the Beast Machines which carried a storyline similar to Generation 1, except in this version, the Maximals and Predacons crash-landed on a planet similar to Earth. Due to the makeup of the planet, the Transformers were forced to take on “beast” forms instead of machines.

The Dreamwave Productions era from 2001-2005 involved the Transformers returning to their home planet of Cybertron to defeat the new leader, Shockwave. This era also included several G.I. Joe crossovers and alternative stories. The Robots in Disguise series was released in Japan, and the Unicron Trilogy came out in both the U.S. and Japan with some discrepancies in the continuity between the two versions.

In more recent years, the film franchise was developed and led to a massive blockbuster success with sequel after sequel. There are plans for a Transformers Cyberverse coming soon. There is also a new cartoon series, internet fan groups, and an official Transformers convention held every year in celebration of the long-lasting popular series.

Transformers Logo Design History

Transformers old logo

​Image via Wikimedia

Several versions of the Transformers logo have existed since the brand originally gained popularity in the 1980s. This is partially due to the ample number of emblem usages in the brand’s series of cartoons, comics, and movies. Different insignias have been used to differentiate Transformers from one respective army or another, including sub-factions within each army. Some individual Transformers have their own specific logos designed just for them. As a battle strategy, Transformers would occasionally wear the emblem of their opponent to gain an advantage.

The major faction of protagonists in the series are the Autobots, and the antagonists are the Decepticons. Both factions have their own specific emblems that represent each group as a whole. The emblems each resemble the face or head of a Transformer. The Autobot emblem was most likely drawn from the likeness of a character called Prowl. This logo is known as the Autobrand, and according to Transformers lore, it represents the face of the Last Autobot. The symbol for the Decepticons was probably drawn from the character Soundwave. Emblems have also existed for other types of Transformers such as Security Services, Clench, and Ultracon.

Each symbol has evolved throughout time, often with each generation/incarnation of the series. Stylistically, many versions are highly similar, with the “face” being comprised of smaller geometric shapes to form a Transformer “head.” Some Transformers logos feature flattened colors, and others are more three-dimensional with a metallic or chrome sort of look. There are some logos, such as the Cybertron elements, without a face that appear as a stylized shape or text. There have also been “crossover” Transformers logos that spoof other franchises such as Star Wars and G.I. Joe.

The version of the general Transformers logo that is considered the earliest one featured the word “Transformers” split across two lines with the face of a Transformer at the end of the first line. The colors were a dark red and gray. Many of the following logos did not feature the face, but rather just the word “Transformers” on its own. Currently, the Transformers word mark is spelled out on a single line. The font is thick and heavy with sharp angles, and it is often represented three-dimensionally. The most distinguishing feature is the letter “A,” which looks like a triangle with a slit carved out of the bottom left.

The colors of the various emblems have also changed over time. They have been seen as solid colors such as red, blue, and black. Sometimes, the Transformers logos have been colored in with gradients of red, white, yellow, and blue. At other times, the logos have looked like stone, metal, or chrome with texture and shading for a three-dimensional look.

Transformers Logo Design Evolution

Transformers split logo

​Image via Wikimedia

The movie franchise continues to use a more traditional approach to their treatment of the Transformers logo. It is depicted in a historical version of the font that features the unique “A” design, and it is always rendered with a good amount of gray texture and three-dimensional shading. The Autobrand is frequently featured as well, which adds to the Transformers logo’s recognizability.For the movies, the Autobrand has been tweaked and modified to serve the purposes of each film. For example, the fourth installment in the Transformers movie franchise (2012) featured the Decepticon insignia split down the middle with the number 4 making up half of the symbol. The color of the logo was a dingy gray that appeared to be weathered metal, and it was rendered to have a very heavy three-dimensional weight.

By contrast, the current Hasbro logo, as featured on their website and in the cartoons, has changed a good deal. The font is still bold and angular, however, it seems to be stretched vertically to make the logo taller. The word mark is a medium-dark red and simply reads “Transformers.” Underneath is a horizontal red bar that features tiny white sans-serif text with the brand’s slogan. An Autobrand symbol is used for the “O” in the phrase “More than Meets the Eye.”

This somewhat drastic change is a dramatic simplification of the complex movie Transformers logo. It seems to follow the trend of most current brands that are simplifying their logos into one flattened color without many special effects. This allows the logo greater versatility in its usage and can be easier on the eyes of some viewers. Even with the taller font and solid color, the new Transformers logo still manages to be consistent with the brand’s overall identity.

Conclusion

Photo of a Transformers robot

Image via ​Unsplash​

Even though the Transformers logo has undergone many alterations and adaptations, it still remains one of the most easily recognizable entertainment logos today. Although the colors have changed dramatically, and the fonts have been updated over time, it manages to retain its brand identity and invoke a sense of nostalgia among long-time fans of the series. This instant recognition might be due in part to the consistent usage of thick, heavy, angular fonts along with the stylized “A,” and of course there is no mistaking the Autobrand symbol as anything other than the face of a Transformer.

​Featured photo via Flickr

Skype Logo Design, History, & Evolution

By Billy Clarke Leave a Comment

Skype has revolutionized the art of long-distance relationships, allowing friends and loved ones to speak face-to-face no matter how many miles separate them physically. It is often impossible to remain in the same location as those we care about due to job demands and family commitment. Fortunately, as means of communication have improved to reflect technological advancements, it has become more possible to maintain important relationships over time and distance. Many people take advantage of the services that Skype provides, but few users stop to wonder how this impressive company came to be, from the Skype logo to the development of services.

About the Skype Brand

Skype, created by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis in 2003, is the most prominent online communication service worldwide. In 2011, there were 663 million people who used Skype around the world to stay in touch with loved ones and conduct business. Skype was one of the first companies to greatly affect the internet phone market. In 2011, Microsoft Corp bought Skype for $8.5 billion dollars.

Skype is a software that focuses on video chats and voice calls between phones, computers, tables, the Xbox and smart watches. It connects regular telephones to other devices, making communication possible in new convenient ways, along with allowing for instant messages. Along with having conversations across times zones and distances, Skype allows users to send videos, images and other documents to each other. Much of the services provided by Skype are free, but there are certain subscription services for those who wish to call a landline or mobile phone.

Skype not only helps us stay in touch with friends and family; it also opens up the possibilities for the online job market and business strategies. Because of Skype, we are able to conduct face-to-face interviews and business meetings from around the world, and employees who travel for work are able to keep their colleagues up to date on proceedings. Entrepreneurs are also able to use the internet to teach classes and explain concepts, using Skype as a platform to conduct their business. Skype has given more options to consumers and business owners, providing a new way to communicate and spread knowledge.

Brand Design Objectives

The Skype brand was designed to be welcoming to users, with high functionality and a wide variety of services. The strapline that accompanies the current version of Skype in the United States is, “Take a deep breath,” which encourages users to relax and implies that Skype will help to calm your worries. The international strapline is, “Let’s talk,” since Skype allows us to communicate with people across continents and oceans, removing the physical barriers of communication that used to restrict us. Skype has resulted in a more connected and globalized world through its versatile services.

The Skype brand is centered around bringing people together and making daily life easier. It is meant to engage users in productive and organic conversations with colleagues, friends and loved ones. The color scheme, font and design of the Skype logo were created to generate feelings of goodwill and relaxation, creating a calming effect on users.

Another important aspect of the brand is its use of photography to display genuine communication, showing users what Skype can bring to their lives. Each photo is natural and free of treatment or filter, reflecting the organic nature of the conversations that develop through Skype. Its images are full of people engaged in discourse, joined together by a single cause or topic. The designers of the Skype logo and brand attempt to draw users in by displaying a world of unique, happy relationships that are made more possible by the interconnectivity that Skype provides.

Brand Audience

The development of the Skype brand is based on the audiences that Skype hopes to cater to. The main groups of people who use Skype are families, businesses and students, so Skype does its best to reflect the needs and desires of these three groups. When working on its services and icon, the designers of Skype consider how best to help the groups they serve.

The key to business is effective and positive communication, which is made more efficient and easier through the medium of Skype. As for families, the modern culture of globalization and travel has resulted in a new way of family life. Families are often spread throughout the world in various countries and locations, and services such as Skype allow them to stay in touch and maintain personal ties. Skype is also perfect for the student life as it can be used anytime and any place, allowing for the utmost spontaneity and flexibility.

Skype Logo Design History

The Skype logo was first designed and launched in 2003, based on a yellow speech balloon. The logo went through a number of transformations before becoming the blue and white “S” that it is known as today. Every detail of the Skype logo has a deeper meaning that symbolizes what Skype hopes to bring into the lives of its users, helping to set intentions for its effects on the world. The shade of blue used in the Skype logo represents prosperity, hope and communication, while the white color behind it symbolizes harmony and peace.

The Skype logo has been tweaked and changed over the years to result in its most pleasant and inviting version. The original small yellow speech cloud was designed and implemented in 2003. In the same year, the logo became a blue rectangle outside of a white rectangle. In 2004, it was updated into a more complicated icon, created out of a number of circles of different sizes. These circles combine to create the image of a cloud.

2004 – Present

None of these early versions of the Skype logo lasted long, and in late 2004, the “S” icon was brought into the emblem. The original “S” was very similar to the one that Skype is known for today, but its proportions have been adjusted minimally over the years. Along with these small changes, the colors used in the Skype logo have changed over time to match Skype’s brand goals. New visual effects have also been implemented, giving the Skype logo a 3D effect.

In 2012, the icon of Skype was adapted to a more modern version. The company also created its own app on Windows 8, a version of which is available for Windows 10 as well. The new, simpler version of the Skype logo was meant to reflect continuance through the brand and ensure that it has a similar design language to the Office 365 applications. Then, in 2018, Microsoft displayed new versions of the well-known icon for Office 365, reflecting advancements in web design and variations in style.

Skype Logo Design Evolution

This evolution of the Skype logo reflects the technological advancements and changes in brand focus that have occurred since its creation in 2003. The Skype logo is designed to communicate its values to the public, representing the natural connections that its services make available. Clouds were part of the original design, but they’ve become a more central piece in recent years. The clouds that make up the Skype logo were created from a number of circles of varying sizes. They are meant to symbolize the free, natural conversations that happen through Skype.

Skype Illustrations

Another aspect of the Skype brand is its collection of illustrations, each of which represents a different use of Skype. The many variations and categories of images can be found at www.Skype.com. These categories include work, social events and nature, and they provide a range of uses for the users of Skype. The designers of Skype strive to make its services accessible and enjoyable for all. The illustrations available on the Skype website have developed over the years to encompass the values and objectives of the company.

Conclusion

Skype logo

​Image via Wikimedia Commons

In today’s day and age, it can be easy to feel distant and disconnected from the people we consider important. It can be difficult to balance work commitments and personal relationships, and this can cause us to lose contact with friends and family whose realities are different from our own. Skype strives to prevent this disconnect, bringing people together through its many means of communication. With Skype, a family member is only so far away because Skype creates the possibility of face-to-face communication in seconds.

The services that Skype provides help users around the world be more connected to their loved ones, helping to bring people together despite the physical distances separating them. It also allows business to create strategies that take into account an online client base, opening up possibilities for new ways of distributing services and products. This new online way of communicating makes life and work easier for students, businesses and families. Thanks to Skype and its many services, we can maintain our personal and professional relationships in new, efficient ways, allowing us to connect naturally and easily with friends, loved ones and colleagues. What are you waiting for? Ready to sign on?

CBS Logo Design, History, & Evolution

By Anthony Pena Leave a Comment

If you grew up watching American television, you are aware of the CBS logo present in commercial breaks and between programs. It has been a symbol of stability in entertainment and pop culture for as long as most us have lived on this earth. You may have realized the design resembles an eye, and maybe even thought of it as looking at you as you were looking at it. Well, in this article we are going to investigate it ourselves, probing CBS and the history and evolution of this simple and iconic logo.

Quick Navigation
About the CBS Brand
CBS Logo Design History
CBS Logo Evolution
Conclusion

About the CBS Brand

Originally dubbed Columbia Phonographic Broadcast System in 1927 when the Columbia Phonograph Company became a major investor with United Independent Broadcasters, CBS took on the name Columbia Broadcast System when the company was sold to Isaac and Leon Levy in 1928.

They owned one of the affiliates of the small network of radio stations, but turned management of the overall company to a young in-law by the name of William S. Paley. It was he who trimmed the name to Columbia Broadcast System. That year, he purchased enough of the company to become the majority owner. With the growth of radio and Paley's highly competent management, CBS expanded rapidly through the next decade and became a major player in the broadcast industry.

The Many Faces of CBS

Obviously, CBS became much more than a radio network. In the 1940s, they were developing their television network in competition with NBC and eventually ABC. Although CBS has been through many changes, mergers and splits, its arms branch out like a massive tree.

It must be mentioned that Viacom took over CBS in 2000 and another entertainment giant known as National Amusements owned Viacom. So when Viacom split from CBS in 2006, CBS Corporation came into existence as an entity and National Amusements remained in control. There is a vast array of CBS Corporation assets that illustrate the diversity of the CBS brand.

The CBS Corporation owns CBS Entertainment, which is made up of the basic TV network, CBS News (television and radio), CBS Sports (television and radio), The CW,  and CBS Television Studios with its many subsidiaries. In addition, there are network holdings internationally.

CBS owns CBS Cable Networks, which include such organizations as Showtime, The Movie Channel, CBS Sports Network, and AXS TV. They also own CBS Publishing. Under that name is Simon & Schuster with their many imprints such as Atria Publishing Group, Gallery Books Group, Scribner, Aladdin and many more.

Although there are over 200 non-owned CBS television affiliates, they still own at least 16 television stations. CBS television programs are shown in Canada, Bermuda, Mexico, five European countries, Australia, New Zealand, and five Asian countries. They also own CBS Local and CBS Local Sports, which give the network a presence in local digital media organizations..

CBS Logo Design History

The CBS logo we know today was preceded by one designed during the radio years. It was basic, using block lettering of CBS on a plain surface that appeared to be under a spotlight. The letters were raised, meaning the spotlight effect threw shadows on the letters. This added to a slight three-dimensional look. It's not bad, really, but the CBS President Frank Stanton felt the logo was boring and had no style.

He asked network graphic designer William Golden to present something more interesting for the network 'ident', which is a visual image used to remind viewers between programs as to the network they were watching.

The Inspiration

Golden was driving through Pennsylvania Dutch country when he noticed an old Shaker design used and embellished by the Amish on the outside of their barns which conveyed the Eye of Providence. This symbol was meant to show God is watching, warding off evil. Golden was taken by the design and took time to study Shaker art he found in a magazine. He passed it along to his fellow graphic designer Kurt Weihs to refine the design into something the network could use to identify itself.

Weihs came up with the CBS logo that became such a success. We do not want to forget Georg Olden, another designer in the company, who may have had a role in the development of the logo. He was an African-American who was a graphic designer of note in the years following World War II.

An interesting side note is that Golden took the eye logo and two other proposals to CBS management, receiving a less than enthusiastic response. Fortunately, Stanton liked what he saw and made an executive decision to use it. When Golden wondered aloud the following year what he could present as the ident for the new season, Stanton proclaimed with certainty he didn't want it changed. It was his backing that made the icon permanent.

Another appealing feature of the logo was the font. Golden took it from two similar typefaces known as Didot and Bodoni. He changed their lettering for CBS and the result was the distinctive, strong yet elegant look that accompanies the circular logo design.

The Eye

The concept of the CBS logo as an eye was one the network came to use in its marketing. CBS stars were brought on to do endorsements, using the logo. For instance, famed actor Conrad Nagel, whose career spanned the silent film era through sound film, radio and television, did a voice-over spot with the CBS logo on the screen, saying, "This is Conrad Nagel, suggesting you keep your eye on this eye, the CBS Television Network." It was 1951 when it was adopted. TV was coming into its own, but radio was still strong in many parts of the country.

CBS came to be known as the Eye Network and the logo was credited with possibly hinting at the forthcoming dominance of television over radio in the following years.    

CBS Logo Evolution

The core design of the CBS logo has never been altered, but over the years there have been changes to enhance its effect on the viewer. Once it was being used on screen in the beginning, it was shown to be in motion. The camera would slowly move in toward the logo's inner circle and the center "pupil" would open to reveal "CBS Television Network," then shut in the manner of a camera shutter.

Different Takes through the Decades

In the 1960s, the network wanted to emphasize its transition to color programming. When showing the CBS logo, it would show the letters in vivid color next to the eye while the iris was left in black and white. The only difference was, the white was primary and black was secondary— a reversal.

To celebrate 50 years of broadcasting, in 1971 CBS made the logo look more electronic, resembling a neon light. The background was blue with a thin purple line running most of the way across the screen behind the basically white eye. The lines of the eye were shaded to blue and pink at places along the way. "CBS Television Network" was shortened to just "CBS."

In the 1980s, the CBS logo was for the first time a completely computer-generated image. The background was blue transitioning to purple and the lines of the eye were shades of white, blue, pink and now yellow with a bit of red. No writing was in the eye, but "SHARE THE SPIRIT OF CBS" was written on the lower right. The slogan also was printed subtly in the entire background. The graphics weren't great, in retrospect, but for the times it probably achieved the purpose of making CBS appear to be advancing technologically with the rest of the world.

The eye returned to a more simplistic look in the 1990s, but the graphics dramatically improved. The modernistic eye, in shades of blue mostly, was prominent and seemed to be suspended in a space-like environment. The background was colorfully lit in blues, purples, yellow and black, blending softly reminiscent of the aurora borealis.

In the first decade of this century, the CBS logo evolved to high definition. The network went back to black and white, but again with the colors reversed to white being primary. The background is mostly black with some spots of white bleeding into the lower left of the screen. Under the eye in big letters of white and a textured blue, "ONLY CBS" is written.

Conclusion

Person creating a logo on a laptop

​Image via Pexels

The CBS logo is a model of simplicity, high quality art, and accessible symbolism. The most successful logos are the ones that, when you look at them, the name of the company springs to mind. Examples of this are Apple, Mercedes-Benz, and McDonald's. None of these need to put their name on their logos for you to recognize them. CBS accomplished this with the eye.

Even with the cosmetic changes to update the presentation of the iconic design, the logo is easily identified. Its basic integrity has been preserved throughout, which is a tribute to Frank Stanton and all CBS presidents who have followed him.  

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 12
  • Next Page »

Advertisement

Like us

Logo Realm

Newsletter

Copyright © 2021 - All rights reserved *Logo Realm
About Us | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.