The PayPal logo, created in 1988 by the American payment system, is distinguished by the uniqueness of self-expression. The conservatism of the visualization emphasizes the stability of the system, its security, and a high level of trust, providing recognition.
PayPal: Brand overview
Founded: | December 1998 |
Founder: | Max Levchin, Peter Thiel, Luke Nosek, Ken Howery, Yu Pan |
Headquarters: |
San Jose, California, U.S. |
Website: | paypal.com |
Meaning and History
The PayPal logo is conditionally permanent. Over the many years of the brand’s existence, it has been updated only a few times while maintaining the same style. Such conservatism is associated with the problem of brand continuity. Developers could not dramatically change the appearance of the icon that people look for every day on web pages or in the list of applications. They were limited by a high level of consumer confidence in the existing image of the payment system.
What is PayPal?
PayPal is one of the largest electronic payment services, formed in the United States in 1998. It focuses on paying bills, shopping, and transferring and receiving money transfers. Its headquarters are located in San Jose, California. Since 2002, the financial and debit service has been subordinated to eBay, which has made it its division.
1999 – 2000
Of course, the money company PayPal first decided to experiment with the dollar symbol. To do this, she took a round element resembling a coin and placed the “$” sign in it. To connect directly with the brand name, the designers made it based on two “P” connected by legs. They reversed one letter. Both had lengthened top strokes. The ends of the lines looked like brush strokes. The main color of the emblem is blue.
1999 – 2007
The original version of the logo contains a simple inscription, “PayPal.” White letters are indented and delimited only by wide blue contours. The font is bold, italic, sans-serif.
2007 – 2014
In 2007, the first redesign of the logo was carried out. The company was looking for a recognizable symbol that would support its image. Therefore, the developers made the word colored, dividing it into two parts: the dark blue “Pay” and the light blue “Pal”. Also, they increased the distance between the signs, rounded corners, and removed the usual contours.
2014 – 2022
In 2014, the global system decided to change the logo again and turned to Fuseproject for help. The main goal was to adapt the icon to all sizes of displays – from mini-screens to large flat monitors. At the same time, considerable attention was paid to the legacy of PayPal, the inextricable connection of the old design with the new.
The previous trademark did not reflect the technological achievements of the company, its transition from the era of web payments to the era of money transfers on mobile devices. A team led by Yves Behar conducted a visual audit of the past logo to learn about branding issues. Trying to avoid the mistakes made, the developers focused on trust and innovation.
2022 – today
The PayPal 2022 logo is very similar to the previous one, so many users did not notice the change. The designers’ main goal was to implement the concept of “people first,” which is aimed at demonstrating openness towards millions of customers of the payment system.
To align the identity with the brand’s new strategy, PayPal’s in-house team has teamed up with independent studio Gretel. To ensure that the emblem is in line with the idea of inclusion, they adapted it to the ADA standards, which take into account the needs of people with disabilities.
Now the colors in the logo are dark and pale, which makes it possible to use it on a bright gold background (for example, on a payment button). And thanks to a slight modification of the font, the letters in the monogram and the word mark became clearer, which increased their readability.
Font and Colors
In 2014, Fuseproject designers created the first PayPal graphic symbol: a monogram consisting of a combination of “PP”. Initially, there was only one “P” on the emblem, but it was associated with a parking sign. Because of this, it was decided to add a second letter, laying it on top, and use a translucent effect. So the famous icon appeared, which emphasizes the concept of rapprochement and is a marketing chip of the online system.
In 2016, PayPal accused Pandora of copyright infringement. Lawyers said the music streaming service stole their signature image to get around the competition. The two logos are similar. Judging by online reviews, people often mistake Pandora for the PayPal app.
The new emblem is characterized by a bright palette in which shades of blue prevail. The selected color allows you to distinguish PayPal from other companies operating in the financial sector. It symbolizes openness, communication, and arouses trust among users at a subconscious level.
Previously, the logo inscription was made in Verdana font. In 2014, designers began to use a modified version of Futura with soft edges and rounded “a” letters. Italic style conveys progress, innovation, and moving forward because dynamism is one of the key principles of the company. To make the icon more mobile, the letters are located close enough. Thanks to this, the inscription looks better on small screens of smartphones and tablets.
PayPal color codes
Dark Cerulean | Hex color: | #1d3384 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 29 51 132 | |
CMYK: | 100 99 17 14 | |
Pantone: | PMS 287 C |
Ocean Boat Blue | Hex color: | #3f6fdc |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 63 111 220 | |
CMYK: | 90 57 0 0 | |
Pantone: | PMS 2727 C |
Who designed the PayPal logo?
The modern PayPal logo was developed by the advertising and marketing agency Fuseproject. Experts led by its director Yves Behar have created an icon that accurately reflects the concept of the payment electronic service: mutual support, trust, and transparency. To do this, they combined two Ps from the name, superimposing them on top of each other in the form of a translucent monogram.
What color is the PayPal logo?
The PayPal logo uses two shades of blue – light and dark. Light Blue Codes: 2935 C (Pantone), 0, 121, 193 (RGB), # 0079C1 (Hex). Shade grid Dark Blue: 648 C (Pantone), 0, 69, 124 (RGB), # 00457C (Hex).