The Boeing logo is an example of energy and development. The emblem indicates technologies that are ahead of their time, the creation of products that can launch into orbit and go around the globe. Transmits the striving upward to the cosmic expanses.
Boeing: Brand overview
Founded: | July 15, 1916 |
Founder: | William E. Boeing |
Headquarters: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Website: | boeing.com |
Meaning and History
In 1903, 22-year-old William Boeing dropped out to start a logging business, which he inherited from his father. The enterprise turned out to be very profitable, so the young man invested the accumulated money in a boat factory. But he never had time to use it for its intended purpose because he was carried away by airplanes. As a result, Boeing began building amphibious biplanes, and in 1916 registered an aviation company under its name.
Subsequently, the company was renamed several times and turned into a group of companies, uniting many small manufacturers of aircraft and helicopters under its leadership. Its largest acquisition is the defense and aerospace divisions of Rockwell International Corporation, which were incorporated into Boeing in 1996. Another historical event was the merger with McDonnell Douglas Corporation in 1997.
This move allowed the multinational firm to reach a new level and carry out a small redesign as part of a marketing campaign. Now all Boeing aircraft are adorned with the classic wordmark, complemented by a graphic composition of three elements in black: a ring, an arc, and a triangle in the shape of a pointer. The symbol was taken from the old McDonnell Douglas logo. In addition, the logo can be seen at the Chicago headquarters.
What is Boeing?
It is one of the largest aerospace corporations, founded in 1916 in the United States. It has a very wide range of activities – from the production of passenger aircraft to nuclear testing.
1920 – 1930
At first, Boeing’s identity was based on the image of a bird with a forked tail. The designers found this to be a great way to convey the flight dynamics in a static drawing. The image looked like a 3D pencil sketch. The bird flew to the east – in the same direction as the arrow with plumage and a triangular tip. A thin horizontal arrow was at the top and crossed out the word “BOEING” in bold sans serif type.
1930 – 1940
In the 1930s, a logo was popular, which resembled a totem pole in shape. It appeared in 1928, but the company began to use it to decorate aircraft much later – in the middle of the next decade. “Totem” consisted of the letters “B,” “O,” “E,” “I,” “N,” “G,” arranged vertically one under the other. The ” O ” ‘s right, and left was depicted as white wings with five feathers separated by a black outline. “G” formed a kind of pedestal, for which the designers made it large and flattened. The inscription was inside a white circle with a thin ring-frame, while the tips of the wings looked out.
This choice is because Boeing was founded in a Native American region. And the famous totem poles are considered the main symbol of the culture of the Indians. Perhaps it was this fact that served as an inspiration for the development of identity.
1940 – 1960
In 1940, the vertical inscription became diagonal and lost its white wings. The word was depicted in a handwritten script, and the letters almost merged due to bold lines and a strong tilt to the right. The first “B” stood out especially: it was uppercase but looked like a lowercase “b” with an arc at the top. In this case, the curved strip extended far beyond the limits of the vertical stroke.
Another important element was the dot above the letter “i” – rather than a dot, but a small five-pointed star. It made the logo elegant and hinted at the company’s aerospace focus. Stylized lettering was an integral part of Boeing’s identity until the 1960s.
1960 – today
In the mid-20th century, Bob Laly and Kith Kinsmen decided to design a logo to adorn any aircraft. Two in-house designers enthusiastically took this idea and developed it into a ten-page presentation with detailed information on the textures and appearance of the badge. But the main achievement of their collaboration was the custom Stratotype typeface, created especially for Boeing. They used it to style the brand name beautifully. The creative collaboration was first shown on the 377 Stratocruiser.
The character looks original because the letters are slanted to the right. It is the basis of visual dynamics associated with high-speed movement. The lettering is bold and black, but due to the “flexibility,” it does not seem massive. It has been used for aircraft design for many decades and has been supplemented with model numbers.
1997 – today
The latest Boeing logo results from a creative effort by Rick Eiber to enhance the company’s identity following its merger with McDonnell Douglas Corporation in 1997. Studio owner Rick Eiber Design was renowned for his creative personality and collaborated with influential firms such as Providence Health System. and Microsoft. Moreover, he always worked on graphic design by hand, without using computers.
Rick Eiber has combined the classic Boeing wordmark with the McDonnell Douglas symbol, placing the lettering on the right side. The new element consists of three geometric shapes. In the center is a black ring, crossed diagonally in an arc that looks like an inverted Nike swoosh. In the lower right corner, there is an elongated triangle of uneven shape.
Font and Colors
The emblem, borrowed from McDonnell Douglas, is an adopted symbol of the now-defunct Douglas Aircraft. The circle was originally the Earth, the arc line looked like a missile track, and the triangle represented a military plane. Rick Eiber kept the main theme of the logo but made the image more abstract. The symbol reflects the evolution and rapid development of the aerospace industry, reaching new heights.
As far as is known, the Boeing logo font is called Stratotype and is by two designers: Bob Laly and Kith Kinsmen. It is an oblique bold grotesque that is also used for alphanumeric designations on airplanes. The lettering is black, as is the emblem of geometric shapes.
Boeing color codes
Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 0 0 0 | |
CMYK: | 0 0 0 100 | |
Pantone: | PMS Process Black C |
What is Boeing’s logo?
The company logo consists of its name written in bold sans serif type and a symbol in the form of a ring with additional elements. The circle represents our planet, the curved line represents the aircraft’s route, and the triangle represents a military fighter jet.
What is Boeing’s full name?
The largest American aerospace firm is called The Boeing Company. Until 1961, it was called the Boeing Airplane Company.
What military aircraft does Boeing make?
Boeing makes a lot of military aircraft for different purposes: bombers, attack planes, fighters, and transport aircraft. In March 2021, the company began supplying the U.S. Air Force with the latest model of F-15EX – the fourth-generation fighter.
How does Boeing promote their products?
The aerospace manufacturer advertises itself in print media and makes creative videos to announce itself to the world. It also uses financial marketing to promote itself by sponsoring events.