Snapchat Logo PNG
The original visualization presents a unique service for communication with Snapchat, the logo of which is made in the form of an image of a faceless ghost. This design symbolizes the inaccessibility, secrecy, and masking of transmitted messages.
Snapchat: Brand overview
| Founded: | 2011 |
| Founder: | Snap Inc. |
| Website: | snapchat.com |
Meaning and History
The logo, known as Ghostface Chilian, appeared at a time when the application was called Picaboo. Evan Spiegel invented it. Speaking at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the 25-year-old billionaire admitted that he spent the time developing the icon just one evening. And he painted it on a computer in his bedroom.
The co-founder and CEO of the company gave his character the name Ghostface Chilian in honor of the American rapper Ghostface Killah from the gangster music group Wu-Tang Clan. This is not surprising, because Spiegel himself was a dedicated fan and rap artist.
What is Snapchat?
It is an application and instant messaging system that has practically become a social network. Snapchat appeared in 2011 and at first assumed the exchange of photos, but then the function of sending posts, the so-called stories, appeared in it. The program is designed for iOS and Android mobile platforms.
2011 – 2013
The first Snapchat logo matches the Picaboo icon. It depicts a smiling ghost with a protruding tongue, a round head, two short arms, and an uneven base. It looks like a classic Halloween sheet costume.
2013 – 2019
On the new logo, the ghost has become faceless. If you believe the owners of the application, this suggests that each user is the face of Snapchat. But skeptics suspected completely different reasons for the redesign. In their opinion, the changes in the graphic sign are connected with the lawsuit that one of the creators of Picaboo brought about because of a violation of his copyright.
2019 – today
2019 was remembered for the most infamous update of the Snapchat logo. The developers made the outline of the ghost thicker and darker than caused a flurry of criticism. The changes were not announced: in the iOS store, unexpectedly for everyone, an improved version of the application appeared with bug fixes and an unusual icon.
It was supposed that this would go unnoticed, but users immediately noticed the picture. They began to file complaints, file petitions, and write negative reviews on the App Store. Many removed Snapchat from the phone because of the ugly, in their opinion, badge. Snap Inc. executives, in turn, said the thick outline makes the logo more visible and attractive.
Font and Colors
The appearance of the Ghostface Chilian mascot is associated with Picaboo. If you divide this word into logical parts, you get “Pic a Boo,” that is, “a photograph of a ghost.” Using a cartoony image, the creators of Snapchat originally beat the concept of fading shots. It is also noteworthy that the content is not completely removed from the application: it is stored in memory, but users lose access to it. The ghost logo says: if you don’t see something, this does not mean that it does not exist.
A white ghost, surrounded by a black outline, is inside a yellow square with rounded corners. At first, the background was a gradient, with three-dimensional shading and backlighting. Then it became bright and uniform. According to Snap Inc., the shade used is Pantone Yellow U or Hex 0xFFFC00. The developers have been looking for a suitable color for a long time, looking at competitors’ logos. As a result, they chose yellow, because no one else had it.
Snapchat color codes
| Yellow | Hex color: | #fffc00 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 255 252 0 | |
| CMYK: | 0 1 100 0 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 396 C |
| Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 0 0 0 | |
| CMYK: | 0 0 0 100 | |
| Pantone: | PMS Process Black C |
What is the Snapchat logo supposed to be?
The Snapchat logo emphasizes the inaccessibility, secrecy, and disguise of messages, so it uses the image of a ghost. At first, he was good-natured and had a face. In 2013, designers removed the eyes, mouth, and protruding red tongue, leaving white space. The modern emblem is also impersonal but with a thickened outline. It was adopted in 2019.
Why did Snapchat change their logo?
Snapchat has changed its logo to make it stand out more clearly from other similar services. Because by that time, the instant messaging service had grown into a mobile social network, and it needed a more recognizable logo. The new version was adopted in 2019.
