The Correos logo shows a deep connection to the historical roots of the Spanish Post. That’s why it is included in the list of national treasures. Its uncomplicated design presents a balanced combination of straight and curved lines forming a recognizable symbol.
Correos: Brand overview
Founded: | 1716 |
Founder: | State Company of Industrial Holdings |
Headquarters: |
Madrid, Spain |
Website: | correos.es |
Meaning and History
The Spanish postal service takes its origins in the distant past. It was created in the early 18th century as a private courier service owned by the Italian count family Tasso. These representatives of the aristocracy of Italy with their mission set up the creation of mail-in Europe – and did it in Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, and other countries.
The Correos messengers carried royal decrees and other items throughout the country. They arrived in cities and settlements, with the help of a sound horn called the population to the central square, read out the decree, and issued letters if three witnesses confirmed the person’s identity.
The organization of such a service was so successful that on July 8, 1716, King Felipe V issued a decree and nationalized courier delivery. The founders were paid compensation, and high titles were granted.
Since 1756, only specially trained postmen were taken to the state postal service, who, with royal protection, delivered items throughout the country to neighboring France and Andorra.
In 1760, the first mailboxes appeared in Spain, from 1850 – postage stamps, they depicted Queen Isabella and the words Correos (Mail) and Franco (Payment) were written.
From the end of the 19th century, the postal service was allowed to provide banking services. Now the state post office has more than 12 thousand branches, 55 thousand people work there, and the number of annual departures is almost 6 billion.
The Correos logo for the Spaniards plays not only an iconic historical role but also has an artistic value, because it was created more than 300 years ago.
What is Correos?
Correos – the trade name for Sociedad Estatal de Correos y Telégrafos. This Spanish company deals with cargo shipping, parcel delivery, and written correspondence. It is considered one of the oldest postal services, having been in existence for over 300 years. Over time, it has expanded its network to 10,000 branches.
1909 – 1976
Initially, the family coat of arms of its founders, the aristocratic family of Tasso, as well as the generally accepted mail symbols of the time, a horn, and across, were depicted on the uniform and carriages of the courier service. The color scheme is blue, yellow, and white. When the company was taken into state ownership, the emblem was removed, the royal crown was replaced, yellow was replaced with gold and white with royal red. So the coat of arms of Correos, in addition to the dark blue color of the postal services of Europe, also received the colors of the Spanish flag.
1977 – 1989
The previous emblem lasted until 1977 when management decided to improve it and make it more modern. The image of the trumpet and crown was stylized; under them, they made a base from a thick strip and added the word English word Post. And below is the name of the Corrєos postal service with a special spelling of the letter “e” as “є.”
A unique font specially developed based on Monotype was specially designed. He received the name Postman (Postman) – in honor of all the postmen of the world. The color scheme has remained the same – blue, yellow, and red.
1990 – 1999
In the early 90s of the last century, the logo was slightly changed – the inscription below increased to the words Correos y Telégrafos (Mail and Telegraphs). The royal red color was removed from the logo, which meant that Spain was a republic, although the king is still there. It was replaced with dark gray, almost black (it was called gray at the presentation), and the logo began to look like this: on a dark rectangle, there was a yellow circle, and inside the postal emblem and below the inscription Correos y Telégrafos.
2000 – 2010
Another logo change: the words “and Telegraphs” were removed from it, the black background was replaced by dark blue.
2011 – 2019
Along with this option, in recent years, only the round yellow part with the emblem itself, without an inscription, has been used. In 2010, a pan-European study was conducted, and experts concluded that the smaller and more minimal the logo, the better for the environment – less ink and chemicals. As part of this eco-branding project, Correos significantly eased their emblem: they removed the dark blue background, made the yellow colorless saturated, the image of the crown and neighboring elements was simplified to the crown and cross above it, and its base was reduced to points.
But the logo remained recognizable; the Spaniards are very proud of it. The Correos logo is the thread that connects people all over the world, as well as the past and today. It is called the national treasure of the country and people.
2019 – today
In this version of the Correos logo, dots were removed from the crown at the base. All other elements remained in place.
Font and Colors
Correos’ modern logo embodies the historical values of the postal service. It consists of two elements: a crown with a cross and a swirling horn, which have become the main brand identifiers. Moreover, the crown is not only a symbol of royal power. It is also a sign that a titled count family once owned the company. The bugle is an ancient musical instrument used by postmen to gather people in the main square.
During 1909-1976, 1990-1999, and 2000-2010 there were inscriptions on the logo. At first, it was the phrase “CORREOS Caja Postal de Ahorros” in sans serif type. In the 1990s, italicized words “Correos y Telégrafos.” In the early 2000s, the word “CORREOS” was written in a stylized italic font with “CO” and a rounded “E” connected.
The palette also changed several times. The emblem had time to visit black, red, gray, and purple until it acquired the current shade of blue. But only the outlines are colored in it – most of the picture is white.
Correos color codes
Dark Cerulean | Hex color: | #004280 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 0 66 128 | |
CMYK: | 100 48 0 50 | |
Pantone: | PMS 294 C |