3M Logo PNG
Through its activities, constant development, and dedication, the company has reached the heights the 3M emblem represents. The emblem symbolizes the conglomerate’s high standing, lucrative deals, and power.
3M began with a failure. On June 13, 1902, five founders created Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company in Two Harbors, Minnesota, hoping to mine corundum for sandpaper makers. The deposit turned out to be anorthosite, a useless rock for that purpose. By 1905, the company was on the verge of collapse.
Lucius P. Ordway saved the business by funding a move to Duluth, where 3M began making sandpaper from minerals it purchased. Even the first factory had problems when the floor collapsed under the weight of raw materials. In 1910, the company moved to St. Paul. The turning point came in 1914, when William L. McKnight became general manager and pushed a culture of experimentation. That year brought Three-M-ite abrasive cloth, and in 1916, 3M paid its first dividends.
In 1921, 3M began producing Wetordry waterproof sandpaper for automotive bodywork. In 1925, engineer Richard Drew invented masking tape after watching painters struggle in repair shops. In 1930, the company launched Scotch, the first clear cellophane tape, which became one of its best-known consumer products.
3M established its Central Research Laboratory in 1937 and later adopted McKnight’s “15%” rule, which allowed employees time for independent ideas. That spirit led to Post-it Notes: Spencer Silver made a low-tack adhesive in 1968, and Art Fry turned it into a reusable paper bookmark in 1974. Post-it Notes reached the U.S. market in 1980. 3M joined the NYSE in 1946, expanded internationally starting in 1951, spun off Imation in 1996, and, in 2002, officially shortened its name to 3M Company.
Meaning and History
In the early 20th century, five businessmen formed a mining company in Two Harbors. They were Hermon Cable, John Duane, William McGonagle, Henry Bryan, and Danley Budd. They decided to specialize in corundum, but the deposit turned out to be anorthosite, which had no commercial value. Dwan immediately withdrew from the founders and took his share. In 1905, Edgar Ober and Lucius Ordway took over the company. It also moved several times to other cities.
The company is highly diversified, divided into four business groups: industrial and safety, transportation and electronics, consumer products, and health care. It covers so many different areas that it has outgrown its old name and has become a “cypher.” The brand was originally called Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Corporation, then MMM. It was then shortened to 3M by the number of letters M. This was reflected in the corporate identity.
1906 – 1938
The debut logo shows a black diamond arranged horizontally. On it, “3M CO” appears twice in white letters, in different configurations. A double frame encloses the geometric figure, forming a wide band that contains the company’s full name. It is placed within a circle.
1926 – 1938
A simple text-based emblem was used in parallel for some time, as the designers replaced the number 3 with its verbal designation. As a result, the emblem bore the words “Three M’s”. The letter “M” has two large dots on the sides, and the letter “Three” has serifs on each stroke.
1937 – 1942
The desire for brevity was particularly evident in 1937 when a logo of one letter and one number was approved. The letters “3” and “M” are typed in bold type. Between them, there is a diamond-shaped hyphen with a diagonal slope. The main colors are black and white.
1938 – 1942
The emblem is multi-part and consists of several elements. In the center, as before, a horizontal black rhombus with a white inscription. Below it are the letters “B” and “A” and the designation “SINCE 1828”. Around it is the updated company name, “Minnesota Mining & MFC CO.” Below it are the city and state where the company operates, “St. Paul, Minn.” Wavy strokes separate the wordmark on both sides.
1942 – 1944
After experimenting with graphic elements, the firm got the simplest possible emblem. It has only two details: the number “3” and the letter “M.” They are wide, with serifs and a thin white border.
1944 – 1948
A short hyphen reappeared between the numeral “3” and the letter “M.” They have the same bold letters with pointed ends. The difference lies in the separating hyphen: it is beveled to the other side.
1948 – 1950
The redesign brought minor changes: the separator between the number and the letter disappeared.
1950 – 1951
This period is notable for the appearance of the oval, which the developers later used repeatedly. They also updated the name’s writing style, choosing a serif font with thin side strokes on the right. Underneath the “3M” lettering is the word “COMPANY” in thin letters.
1951 – 1954
The designers removed the oval border, leaving only the corporation’s name. They also colored the lettering white and added shadows, making it three-dimensional. The developers kept the serifs.
1952
A similar version with elongated black characters existed at the same time.
1952 – 1954
The logo’s oval is filled in black. In the background, the company name appears in white uppercase letters. The letter “M” has wide serifs. At the bottom is the word “BREND” in a delicately grotesque style.
1953 – 1954
A black border complements the logo. A thin line surrounds the outline of the lettering “3M,” with shadows on the right side. At the bottom, the designers placed the word “Line,” created from three pieces of rope. The first piece forms the letter “L,” the second the dot over the “i,” and the third the letters “ine.” The miniature inscription “BREND” is also outlined here.
1954 – 1955
The designers returned to the 1952 version, surrounding the black oval with two laurel branches. They also replaced the word “BREND” with “COMPANY”.
1954 – 1957
This emblem differs from the previous one in only two details. It lacks a laurel wreath, and the word “COMPANY” is set in a larger font.
1955 – 1958
The company management returned to the 1954 emblem.
1955 – 1957
The letter “M” has smooth serifs, and the letter “3” has dots on the ends. “PRODUCT OF” is inscribed at the top and “RESEARCH” at the bottom. Both words match the style of the brand name’s abbreviation.
1956 – 1957
The design became strict and geometric. The emblem used classic letters and numbers
1957 – 1958
The company chose an old mark dating back to the 1950s to signify its identity. The only difference between the two was the frame. It was now thinner.
1958 – 1960
In this case, the designers returned to the 1954 emblem with a laurel wreath.
1960
Using the previous emblem, they removed the word “BREND” and replaced it with the word “COMPANY.”
1960 – 1961
After another update, the emblem looked like the 1951 version, but now in black instead of white. One more thing: the letter “M” was higher than in the old logo, so it became equal to the number “3”.
1961 – 1978
To modernize the graphic symbol, the company’s management approved a highly original logo modification created by the firm Gerald Stahl & Associates. Alphabetic and numeric serifs are present, but they are located “backward,” not outside, but inside. At the bottom of the letter “M,” a white line and two pluses (+) appear.
1978 – today
The Siegel & Gale studio proposed a themed sign. It consists of large “3M” lettering. The letter and number are close together and merge at two points. They are flat, smooth, and chopped.
Font and Colors
Despite their abundance, the logos are monotonous, consisting of two basic elements: a letter and a number. Occasionally, an oval, rhombus, laurel wreath, and clarifying lettering appear.
The 3M logo now uses Helvetica Black, a font designed by Eduard Hoffmann and Max Miedinger. The color palette is the same: black and white. But the modern version of the logo is colored red.
3M Logo Color Codes:
- Red color: Hex: #F11523; RGB: (241, 21, 35); CMYK: (0, 0.912, 0.854, 0.054); Pantone: PMS 185C
FAQ
What is the 3M logo?
Designed in 1978, the 3M logo has a strikingly bold Helvetica-style font. The numbers and letters are linked together to form a single design element. The main color is scarlet red, but it changes to black in printed versions.
What is the 3M font?
3M chose Helvetica and Times for its branding materials. Since Helvetica was already used for the Scotchgard logo and tagline, it is also recommended for headlines and subheadings.
What does 3M produce?
3M manufactures and markets a wide range of products, from industrial safety products to healthcare and household chemicals. The Safety & Industry division generates the highest revenue and profit margins among the various business segments.