DirecTV Logo

DirecTV Logo PNG

The DirecTV logo demonstrates how the transformation of space technology can lead to creating a strong and large television and radio company. The emblem carries the idea of ​​flight, the dissemination of information using waves and wires.

Meaning and History

The firm that became the basis for the satellite service was manufacturing rockets, airplanes, and helicopters. Now, what’s left of Hughes Electronics represents the broadcasting industry and competes with cable TV providers.

Naturally, such a sharp change in priorities and a huge number of rebranding affected the visual identity. Another factor that influenced the identity was the transfer of DirecTV to the international conglomerate AT&T in mid-2015.

What is DirecTV?

This is a company that provides satellite broadcasting services in the United States and other countries in America. It was launched under its current name in mid-1994. Its predecessor is the Hughes Electronics Corporation.

1985 – 1990

The first predecessor of DirecTV is considered to be the Hughes Electronics division, which was created in 1985 based on General Motors. Its logo was much the same as its parent company: a blue rectangle with white lettering inside. Only the subsidiary brand used a rounded rectangle, complemented by a gray bar at the bottom. The word “HUGHES” was written in white letters on a blue background, and “ELECTRONICS” in black on gray.

1990 – 1993

In the early 1990s. Hughes Electronics has launched satellite broadcasting services under the DirecTV brand. In the beginning, the channel had a simple black and white logo, consisting of one lettering. The typeface was nothing remarkable: the usual oblique sans serif with small letter spacing.

1993 – 2004

In 1993, the first version of the famous swirl emblem appeared, which looked like the letter “D.” The designers combined a blue rectangle, borrowed from Hughes Electronics, and a curved white line that widens the top in the shape of a funnel. The image was followed by a black sans serif, “DIRECTV.”

2004 – 2008

News Corporation carried out the next rebranding. It bought out the remnants of Hughes Electronics with the DirecTV brand and named them DirecTV Group. But this almost did not affect the logo: the new owner only rounded the rectangle’s sides, repainted the left part of the figure in blue, and made the inscription blue. The font changes were minor and only concerned letter heights.

2008 – 2011

When Photoshop effects arose, the designers added shadows, highlights, and gradients to the emblem. Because of this, the image has acquired a three-dimensional appearance. The inscription also had color transitions, but it remained flat because the letters did not have well-defined edges.

2011 – 2015

In 2011, another transformation took place, as a result of which the shape of the D-shaped vortex inside the rectangle changed. The logo became more voluminous because the developers experimented a little with the arrangement of colors, darkened the edges, and increased the gradient.

2015 – 2016

In mid-2015, telecommunications conglomerate AT&T acquired DirecTV from its former owner to expand its content range. In terms of identity, it was a transition period between the classic blue and white letter “D” and the new design that appeared in 2016. The brand used the inscription from the old logo, abandoning the classic swirl in the rectangle.

2016 – 2021

A few months after the purchase, AT&T donated its globe-shaped brand name to DirecTV. The changes came into effect on January 1, 2016. The striped globe symbolizes the global nature of the broadcasting corporation. It is located to the caption’s left, which remains the same except for the gradient’s disappearance. Now the word is completely black.

The classic DirecTV emblem looks like the letter “D” but is a mini-tornado. Perhaps the designers wanted the drawing to symbolize expansion or happened by accident due to the similarity to “D.” Be that as it may, the iconic icon ceased to exist – an equally abstract globe replaced it. A white ribbon wraps around the globe, which represents worldwide telecommunications. The same element, unofficially named “Death Star,” is depicted on the AT&T logo. It was invented by the artist Soul Bass in 1982.

The inscription is based on the DIN Pro Bold font, developed by the typographer Albert-Jan Pool in 2005 and owned by FontShop International GmbH. Its characteristic features are bold lettering, uniform line thickness, no serifs, and many corners. This typeface was chosen for its crispness and legibility.

Next to the black inscription is a white and blue globe. Blue is the main color, and white only complement it. DirecTV’s current parent company, AT&T, uses the same palette.

2021 – today

Following the completion of the contract, the broadcaster redesigned the visual identity mark. She removed the AT&T globe from the logo and enlarged the text portion. The developers kept the same font but stylized the inscription. Now the name “DIRECTV” is color-separated: the abbreviation “TV” is completely colored blue, and the word “DIREC” is colored blue and black. This effect was formed due to the transfer of the line from the globe, which was previously present on the emblem: it had similar tapering stripes. The update has made the logo simple and easy.

Font and Colors

The redesign of the emblem did not affect the typeface in any way: it remained the same. The only thing that has changed is the appearance of the inscription, which received a curved line resembling a semi-arch in shape. A narrowing white stripe divides the letters into blue (bottom) and black (top).

DirecTV color codes