To grow a business, you need a fair foundation, says the H&R Block logo. And the company is ready to provide it. The signs of the emblem symbolize openness before the law, taxes on new profits, growth, and expansion thanks to the competent help of the organization’s specialists.
H&R Block: Brand overview
Founded: | January 25, 1955 |
Founder: | Henry W. Bloch, Richard Bloch |
Headquarters: | Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
Website: | hrblock.com |
Meaning and History
The business began when, after World War II, Air Force Navigator Henry W. Bloch thought about working and starting a family business. He caught sight of a brochure that brilliantly described the bright future of firms serving small businesses. In 1946, he, together with his older brother Leon, took out a loan for five thousand dollars to establish an accounting service in his hometown.
But things were not going well, and after four months, the brothers had too few clients to pay off the loan. Then Leon decided to get a specialized education, and Henry asked for help through the newspaper. Support came from the mother, who called and asked to take on another brother, the younger Richard.
The brothers took up the joint management of their firm, United Business Company, focusing on accounting, income tax, and payroll. When real money appeared, the owners immediately advertised in the local newspaper, informing the public about their service. The appeal brought success – more people learned about them and began to apply for services.
This event took place in 1955, which became the official year of the company’s foundation. The founders rebranded the firm, renaming the firm H&R Block. To do this, they used the first letters of their names and surname. For convenience only, the brothers replaced the final “h” with “k” to pronounce the word firmly and clearly. The first logo was a simple advertising plaque indicating the name and types of services.
A year later, the brothers decided to expand, choosing the city of New York for the move. But they did not want to take everything with them, so they agreed to sell the local branch to those who wish. So they laid the foundation for the franchise. By 1962, the H&R Block logo was well recognized.
In 1980, the company bought the Internet service Compuserve to develop in that direction. After six years, the brothers processed 10 million tax returns annually, opening their own offices in Australia and Canada. In 1986, the organization also collaborated with the Internal Revenue Service on the active implementation of electronic document management. During all this time, there were three logos in her career.
What is H&R Block?
H&R Block is an American company that simplifies tax return preparation. It was founded in 1955 and named after its founders, the Bloch brothers. H&R Block not only prepares tax returns but also teaches taxpayers how to complete them independently. To do so, it offers consultations and develops software.
1955 – 1999
The emblem of the period consists of the name of the company in classic block letters. The phrase “H&R Block” is bold in uppercase and is located between two wide lines of equal size. Below the bottom line is the advertising phrase “The income tax people.” The characters in it are slightly thinner and smaller in size than in the top line. Traditional color – monochrome. It consists of black (all elements) on a light (base background for the labels). The ampersand (&) connecting “H” and “R” is made small and depicted exactly in the middle – it seems to hang between two letters.
1999 – 2014
At this time, the transition from an advertising logo to a graphic sign took place. For this, the designers removed all additional inscriptions that are not related to the brand name. They placed the phrase “H&R Block” to the left of the large light green square. The black text effectively contrasts with the lime hue.
2014 – today
Before approving the new version, the designers corrected the logo. They changed the proportions and colors of all elements. Now the logo is used with a small light green square, which is perfectly balanced with the text. Now it is correlated with the inscription, so it looks harmonious. The letters have a graphite color, so they look not black but dark gray.
H&R Block: Interesting Facts
H&R Block, founded in 1955 by brothers Henry W. Bloch and Richard Bloch in Kansas City, Missouri, has become a key player in the tax preparation industry, offering services to individuals and small businesses globally.
- Start: The Bloch brothers started H&R Block to provide tax preparation services, choosing “Block” for the company name for easier pronunciation.
- Growth: The company expanded rapidly across the U.S. in the early 1960s, driven by the increasing complexity of the U.S. tax code.
- Technological Advances: H&R Block was an early adopter of computerized tax preparation, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of its services.
- International Expansion: From its modest beginnings, H&R Block now operates in countries like Canada and Australia, adapting to various tax systems.
- Broadening Services: To meet diverse client needs, the company has broadened its offerings to include financial consulting, business services, and DIY tax software.
- Digital Solutions: With the trend towards digital, H&R Block provides online services and software for convenient at-home tax preparation.
- Tax Education: The company emphasizes tax education, offers courses to clients and the public, and ensures its tax professionals receive thorough training on tax laws.
- Community Involvement: H&R Block engages in philanthropy and community service, supporting financial literacy, education, and small business initiatives.
- Compliance: As a tax preparation leader, H&R Block focuses on legal and regulatory compliance and maintaining ethical practices.
H&R Block’s transition from a family-owned business to a global tax service provider marks significant growth, innovation, and a dedication to meeting taxpayers’ needs worldwide.
Font and Colors
Throughout its existence, the logo of this company contained the same details. The authors changed their proportions and corrected the color. The key elements were and still are the brand name text and the classic green square. However, it did not appear immediately since the main inscription was, and not the image. So the tax and consulting service gradually moved away from the information version of the logo.
For a business and serious logo, the designers have chosen a geometric sans-serif typeface – flat, smooth, austere, which reflects the company’s style as much as possible. The font is called Coflax Black. It was created by Eric Olson in 2012 and released by Process Type Foundry.
The emblem palette is two-part: apart from the white background, only lime and black are present in it. H&R Block chose the green color during the reboot when it expanded its activities and wanted to attract attention. And bright green helped her with this because it is associated with novelty, freshness, and confidence.
H&R Block color codes
Davy’s Gray | Hex color: | #5d5d5d |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 93 93 93 | |
CMYK: | 0 0 0 64 | |
Pantone: | PMS 425 C |
Lime Green | Hex color: | #48c431 |
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RGB: | 72 196 49 | |
CMYK: | 63 0 75 23 | |
Pantone: | PMS 802 C |