American Lung Association Logo PNG
The American Lung Association logo expresses hope for recovery. It is a sincere message that should be sent to the highest levels to support patients with pulmonary disease. The bold logo represents faith in modern medicine’s power and innovative technology to keep people healthy.
The American Lung Association began as a tuberculosis organization. On June 6, 1904, Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau, Dr. Lawrence Flick, and colleagues founded the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis. Flick had already created the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis in 1892. The new group became the first voluntary public health organization in the United States. It adopted the double-barred Cross of Lorraine as its symbol.
In 1907, volunteer Emily Bissell created the Christmas Seals campaign to raise $300 to save a Delaware tuberculosis sanatorium. She printed 50,000 small holiday seals and sold them for one cent each. After journalist Norma Hughes covered the effort in the Philadelphia North American, donations passed $3,000 in a week. The campaign became national in 1908 and later drew support from Franklin Roosevelt, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and other public figures.
In 1918, the group became the National Tuberculosis Association. Its long campaign focused on early detection, sanatorium treatment, and public education. In 1943, biochemist Selman Waksman, supported in part by association funds, isolated streptomycin, the first effective antibiotic against tuberculosis. By 1954, tuberculosis had largely ceased to be a mass disease in the U.S.
As lung health priorities shifted, the organization changed its name again. In 1968, it became the National Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Association, and in 1973, it adopted the name American Lung Association. It later worked on smoking restrictions, lung cancer, COPD, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and newborn respiratory distress syndrome. Its main peers in U.S. voluntary health advocacy were the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association.
Meaning and History
Although the foundation was founded in 1904, the first logo didn’t appear until 1973. Since then, only one redesign has been made; therefore, we can say that society’s visual recognition is high. The logo consists of two elements, namely the emblem and the foundation’s name on the right.
A French doctor, Gilbert Cerciron, suggested using a modified version of the Lorraine Cross in 1902 as a symbol of the “crusade” against tuberculosis. Such a cross was originally used in the coat of arms of Gottfried of Bouillon, Duke of Lower Lorraine, leader of the First Crusade and elected ruler of Jerusalem after its capture in 1099.
What is the American Lung Association?
First and foremost, it is a society with a global mission to find effective ways to fight tuberculosis and other lung diseases.
1973 – 2020
On the left side of the logo is society’s emblem, namely the red Christian cross. It has two horizontal lines. Alternatively, you can see the sword as a symbol of the fight against a serious disease. It is equal in size to the three levels of the verbal name. Each line displays one of the words of the American Lung Association. A classic bold sans-serif font was chosen for the inscription, made in uppercase black letters. The distance between the letters is small, which makes it look quite strict and professional. This is quite logical, as such a society should not evoke positive emotions, as it deals with a global problem.
2020 – today
The only redesign, for the time being, took place in 2018. The foundation’s visual recognition remained the same as before, thanks to minimal changes to the logo. It also features an emblem and a three-line verbal inscription on the right. The color of the Christian cross has been changed from red to bright blue. At the same time, it became a little larger, since, even visually, it extends beyond the organization’s name. At the same time, the lettering has also been changed. At least, we are talking about the fact that only the first letters of each word are now capitalized. Also, the inscription color was changed from black to navy blue. The rounded, bold sans-serif font was taken as the basis. It should be noted that some variations of the logo also have the foundation’s slogan, namely “Fighting for Air,” below the emblem. Smaller and thinner letters were used for it.
As the basis for the American Lung Association logo, the Lorraine Cross was slightly modified for this foundation. Thus, the company pays tribute to the historic fight against tuberculosis, which began in 1902, when the first congress against the dangerous lung disease was held in Berlin.
The decision to use this symbol as the foundation is based on the thesis of a representative of the Lorraine region, who spoke about the French soldiers. They marched to the battlefield with flags depicting the Lorraine Cross.
Font and Colors
The rounded modern sans-serif font looks effective. It addresses the main task of society: attracting public attention to the problem of tuberculosis.
The main color in the logo is historically a red shade of Scarlett. With its help, the company conveys the foundation’s energy and power, its perspective, and its impact on research in the field. The sharp angles of the cross give it a rather powerful and militant look.