I Love New York Logo PNG
The I Love New York logo embodies this phrase, and the designers created it in an interesting way that makes it look like a puzzle. The original logo includes fervent love, recognition, and patriotism. It became so famous that similar signs were dedicated to other cities after it first appeared.
I Love New York was born during New York’s deep crisis of the 1970s. In 1975, the city faced near bankruptcy after President Gerald Ford refused federal aid. Around 50,000 city workers were laid off, crime was high, and the 1977 blackout led to mass looting, with 1,616 stores damaged and 3,776 arrests in one night. Tourism was fading, and state tourism revenue in 1976 was only about $500 million.
State commerce officials John Dyson and William Doyle decided that tourism marketing was the fastest way to repair the city’s image. Wells Rich Greene, led by Mary Wells Lawrence, handled the campaign. The slogan “I Love New York” came from the agency, shaped by a simple advertising insight: words like “new” and “love” still resonated with the public.
The logo was designed by Milton Glaser, already known for his Bob Dylan poster and his work for New York Magazine. On the way to a meeting, he sketched the final mark in a taxi with a red crayon on an envelope: I, a red heart, and NY in American Typewriter. He had prepared a more conventional version, but called Doyle back and pushed for the new one. Glaser did the work for free, expecting the campaign to last only months.
The response was immediate. Doyle tested the logo on T-shirts during a trip to Barbados, and strangers kept asking where to buy them. By 1978, the campaign was called one of the most successful tourism programs in the country. Tourism revenue rose from $500 million in 1976 to $1.6 billion in 1977. In 1980, Steve Karmen’s “I Love New York” became the state song by the governor’s proclamation. After September 11, 2001, Glaser created the “I Love NY More Than Ever” version.
Meaning and History
The icon has become so popular that it can be seen everywhere: on advertising posters, brochures, mugs, flags, T-shirts, baseball caps, and numerous other souvenirs. In addition, the logo is represented by large and small installations scattered throughout New York State. It has developed a huge army of followers, so similar emblems (with different names for administrative offices) can be seen in every corner of the world.
And it all started with an action organized by the regional Department of Commerce. It was announced by William S. Doyle, who hired the marketing agency, Wells Rich Greene. Graphic artist Milton Glaser was also involved in the process. The initial sketch came about spontaneously during a cab ride. The author assumed it was a short-term campaign for a couple of months, so he did the work pro bono. But the innovative badge became so beloved that it became an independent brand and an inseparable symbol of New York City. And the conceptual sketch and presentation materials were given to the Museum of Modern Art, where they are still kept today.
The second surge of popularity of the icon with a declaration of love for New York occurred after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Then, in solidarity with the victims, Americans started buying and wearing clothes with the I Love New York logo to show their support. Glaser slightly modified the logo at the time by adding a small black dot to the red heart, a symbol of grief. It corresponded to the cartographic location of the demolished mall in Lower Manhattan. The emblem was placed on a poster and printed in the Daily News, a local newspaper that raised funds to support victims of the attacks.
The emblem consists of a shortened inscription that symbolizes affection for the city and evokes a sense of unity among the metropolis’s residents. The icon features the letter “I,” a red heart as seen on Cupid cards, and the abbreviation “NY,” derived from the phrase “New York.” Originally, all the elements were on one line, but they were split into two lines. Now, each sign is placed above the other in proportion. The letters are bold and large, decorated with large horizontal serifs.
Font and Colors
The inscription on the logo is set in American Typewriter Medium, with smooth, rounded strokes on the protruding parts of the letters. Joel Kaden and Tony Stan designed it. It first appeared in ITC.
The official palette is understated, emphasizing the heart, which replaces the word “love.” It is the only one colored in bright red. The rest of the signs are black. The background is usually neutral white.