Rakuten Logo PNG
The Rakuten logo is bright and festive. The company puts maximum effort into providing consumers with convenient services. The lines of the emblem show determination and technological progress.
Rakuten’s history began in February 1997 in Tokyo, when Hiroshi Mikitani, a former employee of the Industrial Bank of Japan, left corporate banking to build an internet business. The company was first registered as MDM and was soon renamed Rakuten, a name derived from Japanese characters meaning “optimism.” At that time, e-commerce in Japan was still in its early stages, and the internet had only begun to enter everyday life.
In May 1997, Rakuten launched Rakuten Ichiba, an online marketplace with a model different from Amazon. Amazon bought and sold goods directly, while Rakuten gave independent merchants their own store pages inside the platform. Sellers could manage their shops, write product descriptions, communicate with customers, and pay Rakuten rent for using the marketplace. On launch day, only 13 sellers were registered, and company employees personally called entrepreneurs to explain the format.
The model gradually gained traction, helped by the “marketplace” structure and direct contact between merchants and buyers. In 2000, Rakuten was listed on JASDAQ, Japan’s market for growth companies. The same year, it acquired a financial division that later became Rakuten Securities. This marked the start of Rakuten’s expansion from an online shopping service into a broader group spanning commerce, finance, media, and digital services.
Sports and acquisitions later became part of Rakuten’s growth. In 2005, the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles played their first season in Japanese professional baseball, while Rakuten bought LinkShare in the United States for $425 million. Further deals included PriceMinister in 2008, Buy.com in 2010, Kobo in 2011, Viber in 2013, and Ebates in 2014. In 2010, Mikitani made English the required working language at Rakuten. In 2016, the company signed a sponsorship agreement with FC Barcelona.
Meaning and History
In its logos, Rakuten emphasizes its name to highlight that the group’s main focus is the service sector. No matter which service the client uses, the quality of the platforms brings joy and a good mood. The bright color reinforces the verbal message. Each emblem update is associated with global growth, expansion, and entry into new markets.
What is Rakuten?
The company owns 70 internet services, including online stores, communication, banking, ticket sales, food delivery, internet encyclopedias, books, and TV. In addition to its platforms, it owns shares in major corporations: Ozon, Pinterest, and others. It operates in 30 countries. It is located in Japan.
1999 – 2017
The first logo appeared in 1999, after the name change to Rakuten. The company was called MDM, Inc. for the first two years. The emblem consists of an image and a name.
The red circle with a white capital R inscribed in it resembles an icon or favicon. Since the corporation’s main business is online, the use of such a concise symbol is quite justified. The letter R is the first letter in the company’s name. Red is very attention-grabbing. Thanks to it, the figure looks like a button that you want to press. The circle is a symbol of harmony and repetition, predicting the company’s eternal existence.
The group’s name is shown in the image. The full name is Rakuten Group Kabushiki-gaisha, but only the first word is used for the logo. In Japanese, it means optimism. The combination of black and red colors expresses joy, inner uplift, and confidence in the future.
2017 – 2018
2018 – today
The company has managed to create its own logistics network and is also preparing to launch 4 G services. The expansion is marked by a new logo: the name in large font, emphasizing the central part of the word.
The bright red letters symbolize growth and development. Their size signifies the addition of new services. The underline is a narrow strip, reminiscent of a receding road. This is a hint at logistics routes. The strip shows the company’s aspiration toward the future, a long-term journey that continues.
Font and Colors
The emblem is executed in bright red. This signifies expression and enthusiasm. Applying maximum effort for the result. The team enjoys what they do and tries to convey this mood to their clients.
The color indicates rapid growth and development. In its 25 years of existence, the company has risen to third place globally in e-commerce.
Red conveys the joy of life. Company founder H. Mikitani created the project after the death of his relatives. The event showed the businessman that life is short and needs to be lived happily and brightly right now.
The font is similar to QARVIC Grunge Bold but with individual nuances. The even, straight letters are indicators of confidence and stability.