The organization protects society from the criminal world. This is immediately evident when looking at the FBI logo. The symbols of the coat of arms contain the readiness to fight, defend life and uphold the rule of law. The system leaves no loopholes for violators.
FBI: Brand overview
Founded: | July 26, 1908 |
Headquarters: |
Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Website: | fbi.gov |
Meaning and History
This organization was originally called the Bureau of Investigation and was subordinate to the Justice Department. When it appeared (in 1908), it did not have its logo – only a seal belonging to the Justice Department.
The security service acquired its seal in 1935 after it received its current name. However, the changes were minor because the designers added only two new elements to the old version of the logo. These were the inscription “FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION” and the slogan “FIDELITY, BRAVERY, INTEGRITY,” the authorship attributed to the inspector W. H. Drane Lester, then the deputy director of the FBI Edward Allen Tamm.
What is the FBI?
FBI is the abbreviated name for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is a US agency responsible for domestic intelligence and has full authority to investigate crimes. It cooperates with various law enforcement agencies to combat crime jointly and protect the interests of American citizens. The agency was established in 1908 as a division of the Department of Justice.
In 1940, another redesign was carried out. Special agent Leo Gauthier proposed his version of the seal, for which he made a few more adjustments to the original. He used elements from the FBI flag, designed by him, and connected them inside a blue circle.
There is a heraldic shield in the center of the logo, which is divided into two parts. At the bottom, five vertical lines are alternating in color: two white and three red. Such a quantitative ratio is not accidental because it references the national flag of the United States, where there are one more red stripes than white ones. In the upper part of the shield, there are scales – a symbol of justice. The bowls are frozen at the same level, which indicates balance.
The motto “FIDELITY, BRAVERY, INTEGRITY,” previously located in the ring, is now written on an unfolded scroll inside the circle. He briefly describes the moral qualities of the FBI special agents. Laurel branches are depicted on both sides of the inscription – the personification of glory, respect, and honor. The designers have detailed the leaves so they can be counted. The 46 leaves corresponded to the number of states when the Federal Bureau of Investigation was founded.
The central elements are enclosed in a chain of 13 yellow five-pointed stars. They are located at a central distance and symbolize the joining of efforts to achieve a common goal. Behind the stars are two yellow rings of different diameters. In the free space between them is written the full name of the organization (“FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION”) and the name of the structure to which it belongs (“DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE”).
On the outside, the circle is covered with an ornament of yellow polygons. They are folded in such a way that their sharp edges point outward. It is the personification of the problems, difficulties, and obstacles that stand in the way of FBI employees.
Font and Colors
The print shows two different fonts. The first – thin, with short serifs – is used for the motto. The second typeface is also antique, but it is bold and with thick rectangular serifs. It’s called Serifa Black.
Everything is symbolic in the FBI logo, including the colors. Gold conveys the importance of the security service, white personifies peace, openness, and purity, and red embodies moral and physical strength. Green is the traditional color of laurel. At the same time, the palette is dominated by a dark shade of blue, which denotes the struggle for justice.
FBI color codes
Safety Blue | Hex color: | #004791 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 0 71 145 | |
CMYK: | 100 51 0 43 | |
Pantone: | PMS 2945 C |
Gold | Hex color: | #ffd61a |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 255 214 26 | |
CMYK: | 0 16 90 0 | |
Pantone: | PMS 109 C |
Rich Carmine | Hex color: | #cf093f |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 207 9 63 | |
CMYK: | 0 96 70 19 | |
Pantone: | PMS 192 C |
Jungle Green | Hex color: | #009d7d |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 0 157 125 | |
CMYK: | 100 0 20 38 | |
Pantone: | PMS 334 C |