Nokia Logo PNG
The Nokia logo symbolizes continuous development, stability, and high technology, helping it remain recognizable today. The fish on the brand’s first logo reflected the essence of the Nokianvirta River, which gave the company its name.
Nokia traces its origins to 1865, when mining engineer Fredrik Idestam received permission to build a pulp mill near Tampere, then part of the Russian Empire. A second factory along the Nokianvirta River gave the company its name. In 1871, Idestam and Leo Mechelin founded Nokia Ab, later expanding into the electricity sector.
In the early 20th century, Nokia operated alongside Finnish Rubber Works and Finnish Cable Works. After decades of cooperation, the three merged in 1967 to form Nokia Corporation, which produced paper, rubber goods, cables, and equipment.
The telecom shift began in the 1970s with the DX 200 digital switch, used globally until 2013. In 1979, Nokia and Salora formed Mobira, which Nokia later acquired in full. In 1981, Nordic countries launched the NMT network, and Nokia supplied infrastructure and car phones. The Mobira Cityman arrived in 1987.
Nokia contributed to the development of GSM and released the Nokia 1011 in 1992. That year, CEO Jorma Ollila refocused the company on telecom, spinning off units like “Nokian Tyres”.
By 1998, Nokia overtook Motorola in phone sales. Models like Nokia 3310 and Nokia 1100 dominated the 2000s, with market share reaching about 50% by 2007.
The same year, the iPhone entered the market. Nokia continued with Symbian, while Google advanced Android. By 2012, Nokia’s share fell below 4%. In 2011, CEO Stephen Elop partnered with Microsoft and adopted Windows Phone, but Lumia failed to reverse the decline.
In 2013, Nokia sold its mobile division to Microsoft for about $ 7 billion. Microsoft exited the segment in 2016, selling its assets to HMD Global, which continues to produce Nokia-branded phones.
Meaning and History
Some of Nokia’s logos once belonged to the companies that founded it. That may be why they look so illogical: many symbols have nothing to do with mobile and telecommunications devices.
What is Nokia?
Nokia is an international corporation based in Finland, headquartered in Espoo. Established in 1865, the company has been involved in various types of businesses, starting as a paper and pulp manufacturer and eventually becoming a leading mobile phone manufacturer. Today, it is one of the largest players in information technology and communications, ranking third globally in network equipment production.
1865 – 1898
The first emblem was used by Nokia Ab, which initially engaged in pulp processing and later switched to power generation. The trademark was round like a seal. Only a fish broke its shape, peeking out of the ring. Most likely, it was a salmon from the Nokianvirta River, on whose banks the city of Nokia is located. The drawing was complemented by the inscriptions “NOKIA OSAKEYHTIO” and “NOKIA AKTIEBOLAG.”
Two versions of the logo ran in parallel. The first is blurry, with jagged lines and detailed fish scales. The second one has clear contours and a minimalistic salmon image.
1898 – 1965
In 1898, the company switched to manufacturing rubber and electrical products and merged with several factories. The Nokia logo changed drastically. It contained the inscription “1898 S.G.T.O.Y. NOKIA,” where the abbreviations with dots after each letter stood for Suomen Gummitehdas Osakeyhtiö (Finnish Rubber Factory). The text was set in simple, thin, sans-serif glyphs and was enclosed within a pentagon with an elongated top.
1965 – 1978
The emblem, adopted in 1965, once belonged to the Suomen Gummitehdas Oy rubber factory. Because it specialized in tire manufacturing, the brand name featured a black ring. A semicircular strip of the same black crossed it, with the inscription “Nokia.” Interestingly, in this context, the word did not refer to the Nokia Corporation but to the city where the enterprise was located.
1978 – today
The Nokia logo with the dark blue inscription is one of the world’s most recognizable. It features the brand name in bold, sans-serif letters. Designer Dalton Maag designed this font, known as Nokia Pure. The blue in the wordmark carries several meanings.
- On the one hand, it is associated with technology, modernity, reliability, and quality.
- On the other hand, it symbolizes safety and tranquility, emphasizing the company’s overall philosophy.
2023 – today
In 2023, Nokia radically changed its logo to distance itself from mobile phones. For nearly a decade, the company has expanded into other business areas, primarily telecommunications equipment production. The iconic dark blue color in the main emblem version has become lighter, likely to attract potential clients’ attention. The chosen shade embodies freshness, energy, and innovation.
The letter “O,” which previously resembled a square, now resembles a round ring. This symbolizes wholeness and universality. The other glyphs look minimalist because they lack standard elements. The “N” is missing the right vertical line, the “K” is missing the left vertical line, and the “A” is missing a diagonal fragment in the upper-left corner. This design adds dynamism and modernity while suggesting openness and non-standard solutions.
Font and Colors
The Nokia brand name has evolved continuously since 1978. A version close to the modern one appeared in 1992. At the same time, the slogan “Connecting People” was adopted. The designers redesigned the letters using the original Nokia Sans font. The next modernization came in 2006: it changed the palette. The final version was presented in 2011. It lacks the famous slogan, so the company name immediately catches the eye.
In 2011, not only did the “Connecting People” label disappear, but the redesign sent the Nokia Sans font into the past, replacing it with the Nokia Pure. A simple sans-serif font reflects the manufacturer’s calm nature.
As for the palette, the company tries to stick to blue. She uses light and dark shades to showcase her corporate image.