What do Boeing, Oral-B, and Windows have in common? All these brands use blue logos. Of course, their shades are slightly different because the semantic load depends on this. It is believed, for example, that light colors look modern and fresh while dark ones look solid and representative. Although, in fact, blue is associated with various phenomena and concepts: with freedom, boundless expanses of water, clear skies, coolness, tranquility, and silence. It creates a sense of stability, order, security, trust, and reliability.
Not surprisingly, for many companies, this color has become the basis of their identity. And we are talking about both serious technological and financial organizations and those whose activities are related to entertainment. After all, each shade of blue evokes certain emotions and is often radically opposite. For example, if aquamarine is perceived as a symbol of fidelity in the USA, it is associated with mourning in China. This means that when developing a design, enterprises need to adapt to the psychology of certain consumers.
Let’s take a look at what blue logo variations are used by world-famous brands and how they have played with the chosen color in their visual identity. This review includes representatives from different countries and is not limited to any one segment of activity. All emblems are randomly ordered and are mostly mono-color, with a few exceptions.
Windows
Windows logos used to be colorful because they used Microsoft Corporation brand colors. But that all changed in 2012 with the release of an operating system called Windows 8. The Pentagram designers created an all-blue flag graphic for it that seamlessly transforms into a window. Moreover, in this case, the drawing is based on the idea of perspective: the volume is created by lines stretching into the distance. This emblem was preserved in all subsequent versions of the OS with virtually no changes, except that the shades and adjacent inscriptions changed. The composition consists of four blue quadrangles arranged in pairs: two at the top and two at the bottom. They are separated by a kind of frame of thin white stripes.
Nestle
The Swiss corporation Nestle has a black and white version of the logo and a blue one with the addition of white elements. The name of the food manufacturer is written at the bottom, for which the designers chose a font similar to Helvetica. And on top is the iconic image of a nest and a bird with two chicks. This drawing symbolizes the process of feeding and, at the same time, personifies the name of the company because it is translated from German as “little nest.” The image itself was taken from the family coat of arms of the founder of Nestle. The blue color, in this case, is used for bold letters and the emblem’s outlines. Thanks to the dark tint, fine lines are visible on the screens of mobile devices.
Intel
The current Intel logo is predominantly black, but the previous version, which existed from 2006-2020, was completely blue. An American company producing components for electronic systems ordered its development from the British studio FutureBrand. The designers placed the brand name in the center of the so-called swirl, which consists of two semi-oval stripes. Moreover, one of the sides began exactly where the bottom “l” ended, which looked like a continuation of the letter. But they were not one: both lines forming the frame were separated from each other and from the surrounding elements by white indents. The lettering was done in a modified Intel Clear font by Dalton Maag and Red Peak Branding. But the blue color palette was not new: it was used in the first logo, which appeared in 1968.
Warner Brothers
Warner Brothers are the leader in the American film industry. This company has been in the entertainment industry since 1923, but the blue logo has been relatively recent since 2019. It features an iconic shield with a pointed base and a figured top. Inside are the letters “W” and “B,” which occupy most of the space. The Pentagram designers have adapted their shape so that the bottom is pointed and the top is flared like a shield. A navy blue hue combines pure white to create an attractive contrast. This color scheme is completely contrary to what has been observed before because all previous emblems of Warner Brothers were either red and gold or black and white.
Volkswagen
As stated on the official website of Volkswagen, the blue color in its logo represents high class, reliability, and impeccability. These are the qualities that can characterize the cars of this manufacturer. It is combined with white – a symbol of purity and nobility. This color scheme is presented in a minimalist icon consisting of a dark blue ring and two letters on a white background. Designers have traditionally used “V” and “W,” arranging them in such a way that they connect with the round frame with their free ends. As before, the letter “W” is at the bottom and has a shortened middle, and the “V” rises directly above it.
AT&T
Telecommunications conglomerate AT&T has used bright blue logos with different structures for many years. It began in 1969 when famed designer Saul Bass created the bluebell graphic for the company. Subsequently, the shape of the emblem has changed, but the color has remained the same, except for a slight adjustment in hue. The logo now features a stylized globe, unofficially dubbed “Death Star.” It is formed by white and blue stripes of different thicknesses, which symbolize the telecommunications network. Sometimes the pattern is combined with the black lettering “AT&T” located on the right or bottom.
Sachs
This German company appeared in 1895 and ceased to exist in 2011, merging with ZF Friedrichshafen AG and becoming its brand under the name Fichtel & Sachs. The company specializes in automotive components, suspensions, and engines. In the past, it has also dealt in spare parts for two-wheelers and ATVs. Therefore, the Sachs logo is known among fans of high speeds. The blue emblem demonstrates stability and reliability, motivation for continuous development, zeal, and advancement towards new horizons. And all because she chose a heavenly shade. The visual identity includes an icon that encodes the block of moped or bicycle pedals. These are two bold arches located sideways and a small circle between them. The title is on the right. It is chopped, even, strict and elongated in breadth.
Visa
After the redesign in 2014, the Visa payment system logo became completely blue. As for the period before 2014, then the word mark was two-colored: the first letter “V” had an orange upper left corner with a serif. A bright golden hue symbolized the Californian hills. This made the inscription contrasting, interesting and memorable. The word “VISA” now consisted of bold italic glyphs. Moreover, none of them, except for the first, had serifs. Since the brand is associated with finance, its blue color is associated with safety, confidence, and reliability.
IBM
Another well-known blue logo belongs to IBM, which is engaged in electronics and software production. The iconic badge contains the three letters of her name, written in block type with large rectangular serifs. “I,” “B,” and “M” consist of eight horizontal stripes. The dashed lines are colored in bright blue and are separated by white space. They symbolize dynamism and speed – this is the meaning that designer Paul Rand put into them. In addition, the original design is associated with digital technology and 8-bit systems.
Vimeo
Everyone has already forgotten what the first Vimeo logo looked like: a strict black inscription consisting of thin uppercase letters. Now users recognize video hosting solely by the blue wordmark, which is made in elegant cursive with handwriting imitation. All letters are lowercase, smooth, and slightly rounded. A light shade conveys a relaxed mood, inspires subconscious confidence, and creates a friendly atmosphere. A modified version of the Black Rose typeface, designed by Michael Hagemann, is used for the same purpose. Softened corners and sliding curves complete the logo, so it does not need additional graphic elements.
HP
The blue color in the HP logo has a special function: it is used as a surrounding background for the negative space in which the white “h” and “p” letters are visible. That is, the symbol of an information technology company reflects its name, made up of the names of the founders: Hewlett and Packard. Both glyphs are lowercase and written in bold italics inside a blue circle. Their diagonal lines have the same slope to the right side, and the longest strokes reach the edge of the round base and divide it into two halves of approximately the same size. The simple sans serif typeface and bright, expressive shade of blue symbolize the company’s professionalism, reliability, and progressiveness.
Unilever
There are so many details in the logo of this manufacturer of household chemicals and food products that they are not perceived separately but as a whole. Small images of clothing, plants, animals, insects, natural phenomena, and miscellaneous items reflect the brands that Unilever is associated with and add up to a large “U.” they are all painted in dark blue – a symbol of peace and constancy. This shade was chosen by the British advertising agency Wolff Olins, who was responsible for all stages of creating the new emblem. The ideological inspiration was Lee Coomber. Under the stylized “U” is written the name of the manufacturer, for which a set of individual glyphs with imitation of a handwritten font is used.
Gillette
The basic version of the Gillette logo is black, but on the labels of cosmetics and shaving systems, the inscription can be painted in dark blue. The wordmark contains only the name of the company in bold italic type. The typeface chosen resembles a heavily modified Futura Extra Black Italic. The designers thickened the letters, connected the two “t’s” with a single horizontal stroke, and replaced the dot above the “i” with a rectangular trapezoid. The blue color balances the visually heavy inscription, making it softer and more expressive.
The Twitter logo cannot be imagined in any other color than blue. Many have already forgotten that at the dawn of the social network’s existence, it was green, and different shades of blue and azure began to be used only after 2006. As for the current design, it appeared in 2012. Since then, the American microblogging service has been associated with a small bird. The inspiration for this symbol was a fluttering hummingbird. Graphic artist Martin Grasser tried to convey the feeling of flight by depicting the smooth curves of the body, head, beak, and feathers using layered circles. The blue color also represents lightness, and it also symbolizes the stability and security of Twitter.
Hyundai
The blue color in the Hyundai logo testifies to the key values of the Korean automotive giant: strength, impeccability, and high product quality. At the same time, the dark palette speaks of a serious approach to the production process, calmness and balance. The main emphasis in the emblem is on “H.” It is stylized, made with a smooth contour, and slightly inclined to the right. Due to its visual softness, the glyph does not cause a feeling of tension and balances the dark blue color well. The background is an oval frame placed horizontally. The upper and lower ends of the letter completely merge with it.
General Electric
The General Electric Company is not limited to any one area of activity. It produces a wide range of products, from nuclear warheads to light bulbs, so its logo is not tied to specific industries. The round medallion has the most neutral design and is decorated with meaningless patterns in the form of four curved lines with drop-shaped bulges at the ends. The stripes face the center, where the united letters “GE” monogram is located, which has spirals and curls. The decorative ornament and the abbreviation are colored white to stand out well against the blue circle.
Skype
The old Skype logos were orange-red, and the blue color appeared in the company’s identity and the program of the same name only in 2005. The current brand symbol contains the white letter “S” with rounded ends. She is depicted inside a large blue circle, which is superimposed on two other circles of the same color. The figures in the background are much smaller. They are only partially visible: their fragments protrude from opposite sides of the emblem and have blue shadows of several shades. The gradient gives the picture volume and makes it progressive, reinforcing associations with modern technologies.
Ford
Ford is the common name for an automobile brand and the automaker that owns it. This word is represented on the logo, created back in 1965. Previously, the emblem was black and white, but then the developers repainted the ellipse in dark blue. Against this background, light letters stand out perfectly. Childe Harold Wills designed the text at the personal request of the founder of the company, so Henry Ford approved the elegant curl at the “F.” The color scheme is also not chosen by chance: if white represents nobility and purity, then blue (especially such a deep shade) symbolizes reliability and superiority.
Samsung
Samsung is the largest South Korean business conglomerate. Its structure includes many enterprises that are engaged in the production of electronics, the provision of insurance services, shipbuilding, and other activities. Therefore, the logo of a diversified company has a universal design: it contains an inscription made in an angular sans-serif font. The typeface simultaneously resembles Helvetica Black and DDT Cond SemiBold. The white word “SAMSUNG” is inside a dark blue ellipse. Because the base is turned diagonally, the extreme letters are in contact with its border.
Pfizer
Pfizer is an American drug manufacturer that makes this list because of its custom blue logo. After the redesign was carried out in 2021, two shades appeared in it at once: light and dark. The first symbolizes hope, optimism, kindness, and eternity, and the second symbolizes professionalism, progress, and seriousness. The figured element in the form of a spiral is similar to a DNA chain associated with medicine. On the right is a no-less original inscription, made in an individual oblique font. An “f” connected to “i” by a horizontal line and “r” with a thick dot at the end catches the eye.
Since Facebook is one of the most visited websites in the world, its logo is familiar to many users. This blue inscription is typed in one of the subtypes of the Klavika font and is located on a white background. But few know that the colors for the wordmark were chosen because of Mark Zuckerberg’s illness. As it turned out, the creator of the social network suffers from partial color blindness and distinguishes well only blue shades.
PayPal
The logo of the largest payment system PayPal uses three shades of blue at once. They are all presented in a monogram of the letters “PP,” which are stacked together. The lower “P” is light; the upper one is slightly darker. And in the zone where they intersect, the color is the darkest. The Fuseproject advertising agency created this stylish icon. It symbolizes trust and transparency in relationships with clients. The inscription on the right is also blue but has only two shades: the first three letters are dark, and the rest are light. At the same time, the font of both parts of the PayPal name is the same: a modified version of the italic font from the Futura family.
Disney+
The blue Disney+ logo also has many shades, and they are presented in the form of a gradient strip that forms an arch above the name of this streaming service. One side of the arc, the darkest, starts from the “+” sign, and the second, light blue, dissolves into space somewhere above the “D.” As for the inscription, it is painted in a uniform dark blue color without transitions. The selected shade is Persian Blue (#113CCF). It personifies the expectation of something fabulous and exciting and symbolizes a good mood. The font of the wordmark is based on Walt Disney’s personal signature, but the designers, of course, changed some of the glyphs to harmonize proportions. Justin Callaghan later created a similar typeface, the Waltograph.
P&G
P&G is another company that is impossible to imagine without a blue logo. The consumer goods manufacturer, also known as Procter & Gamble, uses a wordmark that displays its abbreviated name. The glyphs are in the upper case and are slightly slanted to the right. The bold italic is similar to DSType’s Breve News Bold Italic, but very distantly because P&G has sharper serifs and smoother curves. The ampersand and the letters are colored in a single shade of blue that looks bright and promising. It also looks concise enough to reflect the company’s professional approach to everything it does.
Oral B
Procter & Gamble has many brands that, like their parent company, use blue-dominated logos. A good example is Oral-B, a world-famous brand of oral hygiene products. The designers placed its name inside a rectangular oval, stretched horizontally and rounded on both sides. The white lettering on the blue base looks like the result of negative space, where the shape of the objects is “cut out” inside the image. The font is also unusual: the logo developers chose Neue Haas Grotesk Black Italic bold italic but reduced the letter-spacing by connecting “r” and “a” together. They also brought the hyphen closer to the “B” to such an extent that it became an extension of the glyph.
Philips
The Dutch company used to produce household appliances and electronics but is now involved in medical technology. Hence, the soothing color of the Philips logo matches the scope of its activities. After all, blue and white are included in the medical palette. They inspire confidence, carelessness, stability, and reliability. The emblem consists of the name typed in grotesque. The font is bold, capital, geometric, and business, indicating the corporation’s seriousness. It lacks flowing lines, and the glyphs resemble vertically oriented rectangles. The exception is “S,” which has rounding. Like the “L,” she has diagonal cuts at the ends.
Dell
Dell is one of the leaders in the production of computers. Therefore, the blue color in the company logo evokes a feeling of trust and is associated with reliability and confidence. Designers chose a calm shade without bright transitions. In addition, they created a sign that is simple in structure, which at the same time symbolizes simplicity and a non-standard approach. Inside the minimalist ring is the brand name in the upper case. The letter “E” is slightly upside down: it stands in the lower-left corner, connecting the “D” and “L” to each other. The inner circle is white, while the inscription and frame are blue.
Nokia
The Finnish company Nokia, which produces mainly telecommunications equipment, also loves everything blue. At least its name on the logo is written in this color. The designers settled on a rich, dark shade to demonstrate the brand’s seriousness. Nokia Pure is custom designed as the main font. Grotesque with lots of angles looks solid and looks especially good in blue.
Cisco
As a major network equipment manufacturer, Cisco has a strict and concise style. To create just such an image of a technology company, the blue color is represented in both parts of its logo: both in the word mark and in the above composition of vertical stripes of different lengths helps. These lines simultaneously look like radio waves and symbolize one of the main attractions of the city of San Francisco – the Golden Gate Bridge. The Cisco name is in Futura Bold, a geometric sans-serif typeface, and is fully lowercase.
Boeing
The Boeing logo on this list is the most symbolic because the aircraft manufacturer automatically associates blue with the sky, space, freedom, flight, and the absence of borders. At the same time, the American corporation is engaged in manufacturing military and space technology, which is reflected in the elements of its emblem:
- The circle represents our planet.
- The arc represents the trace of a flying missile.
- The triangle represents military aviation.
The brand name is presented separately: it is written next to the picture in bold italic Stratotype.
American Express
In the case of the financial company American Express, the blue color of the logo symbolizes stability, reliability, eternity, and honesty. On a subconscious level, it creates an aura of peace, so the organization’s name is presented in the blue gradient. The designers chose a combination of soothing shades and circled the letters with wide white outlines for contrast. The two-line label is inside the square and evenly distributed: the first word is left-aligned, and the second is right-aligned. The sans-serif typeface was designed specifically for American Express and has been slightly modified since the redesign.
