Snapchat Logo

Snapchat LogoSnapchat Logo PNG

The original visualization presents a unique communication service, Snapchat, whose logo is in the form of an image of a faceless ghost. Such a design symbolizes inaccessibility, secrecy, and the masking of transmitted messages.

Snapchat: Brand overview

Snapchat is a mobile application created in July 2011 based on the Picaboo project. Its developers, Bobby Murphy and Evan Spiegel focused on making the exchange of photos and videos more convenient. As a result, users can set the viewing time of media content from 1 to 10 seconds. After that, the photo and video disappear forever from the recipient’s phone.

Meaning and History

Snapchat Logo History

The Ghostface Chilian logo appeared when the application was still called Picaboo. It was the brainchild of Evan Spiegel, the platform’s founder. During his speech at the International Festival of Creativity “Cannes Lions,” the 25-year-old billionaire candidly recounted that he came up with the iconic symbol in just one evening, working on his computer in his bedroom.

Interestingly, the co-founder and CEO of the company decided to name the symbol “Ghostface Chilian” after American rapper Ghostface Killah, a member of the influential gangster music group Wu-Tang Clan. Such a choice is unsurprising, considering that Spiegel is a fan of rap music and its performers.

What is Snapchat?

This app and instant messaging system has practically turned into a social network. Snapchat appeared in 2011 and initially proposed photo sharing, but then introduced the function of sending posts, so-called stories. The program is designed for iOS and Android mobile platforms.

2011 – 2013

Snapchat Logo 2011-2013

The first Snapchat logo replicates the Picaboo icon. It depicts a smiling ghost with a protruding tongue, a round head, two short arms, and an irregular base. It resembles the classic sheet costume for Halloween.

2013 – 2019

Snapchat Logo 2013-2019

In the new logo, the ghost became faceless. According to the app’s owners, this means that every user is the face of Snapchat. However, skeptics suspect entirely different reasons for the redesign. In their opinion, changes in the graphic sign are related to a lawsuit filed by one of the Picaboo creators due to the violation of his copyright.

2019 – today

Snapchat Logo

2019 was marked by the most infamous logo update for Snapchat. The developers made the outline of the ghost thicker and darker, which sparked a wave of criticism. The changes were not announced: an improved version of the app with bug fixes and an unusual icon suddenly appeared in the iOS store.

This was supposed to go unnoticed, but users immediately noticed the picture. They began to submit petitions and write negative reviews in the App Store. Many deleted Snapchat from their phones because of the ugly icon, in their opinion. In turn, the leaders of Snap Inc. stated that the thick outline makes the logo more noticeable and attractive.

Snapchat: Interesting Facts

Snapchat is a fun app where you can send messages and pictures that disappear after a bit. It was made by three students, Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown, at Stanford University. They first called it “Picaboo” in 2011 but then changed it to Snapchat. Here’s what makes Snapchat special:

  1. How It Started: Evan, Bobby, and Reggie made Snapchat to share moments that don’t stay forever, like real life where moments pass.
  2. Messages That Disappear: Snapchat was one of the first to let you send photos and messages that disappear after being seen. This idea was new and made people more comfortable sharing things.
  3. Snapchat Stories: In 2013, Snapchat let people combine their snaps into a story that friends could watch for 24 hours. This was so popular that other apps made something similar.
  4. Discover for News: In 2015, Snapchat added the Discover section, which shares news and fun stories from different companies. This section is made just for young people who use Snapchat.
  5. Spectacles Glasses: In 2016, Snapchat introduced Spectacles, glasses with a camera. You can take snaps with them, mixing the real world with Snapchat fun.
  6. Fun Lenses with AR: Snapchat uses AR, or augmented reality, to let you add cool effects and fun changes to your snaps, like funny faces or trying on clothes virtually.
  7. Snap Map: Introduced in 2017, it lets you share where you are with friends and see stories from around the world, making it fun to explore places.
  8. Original Shows: Snapchat makes shows and series you can only watch on Snapchat, ranging from real-life stories to dramas.
  9. Going Public: Snapchat became a public company in 2017, and even though it had some ups and downs, it has grown a lot and is making money through ads and deals.
  10. Helping With Mental Health: Snapchat cares about its users’ well-being and offers tools and content to help with mental health and managing time on the app.

Snapchat keeps coming up with new ways to make social media fun and interesting, always thinking about what’s next in technology and how to make sharing moments with friends even better.

Font and Colors

Snapchat Emblem

The appearance of the Ghostface Chilian mascot is associated with Picaboo. If you split this word into logical parts, you get “Pic a Boo” and “ghost photo.” Using a cartoon image, the creators of Snapchat initially played with the concept of disappearing photos. Notably, the content is not completely removed from the app: it is saved in memory, but users lose access to it. The ghost logo says: if you don’t see something, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

Snapchat Symbol

A white ghost, outlined in black, is inside a yellow square with rounded corners. Initially, the background was gradient, with voluminous shadows and highlighting. Then, it became bright and uniform. According to Snap Inc., the shade used is Pantone Yellow U or Hex 0xFFFC00. The developers searched for a suitable color for a long time, studying the logos of competitors. In the end, they chose yellow because no one else had it.

Snapchat’s main colors are yellow, black, and white:

Yellow:

    • Hex code: #FFFC00
    • RGB code: (255, 252, 0)
    • CMYK code: (0, 0, 100, 0)
    • Pantone code: PMS Process Yellow C

Black:

    • Hex code: #000000
    • RGB code: (0, 0, 0)
    • CMYK code: (63, 62, 59, 94)
    • Pantone code: PMS Black C

White:

    • Hex code: #FFFFFF
    • RGB code: (255, 255, 255)

FAQ

What should the Snapchat logo be?

The Snapchat logo emphasizes inaccessibility, secrecy, and masked messages, so it uses a ghost image. Initially, it was friendly and had its own face. In 2013, designers removed the eyes, mouth, and protruding red tongue, leaving a white space. The modern emblem is also depersonalized but with a thickened outline. It was adopted in 2019.

Why did Snapchat change its logo?

Snapchat changed its logo to stand out more prominently against other similar services. By that time, the instant messaging service had turned into a mobile social network and needed a more recognizable logo. The new version was adopted in 2019.

What does the Snapchat logo symbolize?

The Snapchat icon, commonly called Ghostface Chillah, serves as a playful reminder of the ephemeral nature of messaging on the platform. It hints that messages disappear like ghosts.

Who designed the Snapchat logo?

The original design of this unique logo belongs to Evan Spiegel, who created it on his home computer in just one evening. Studying the top 100 apps, Evan and his college roommates noticed a lack of yellow in the Snapchat logo, leading to the decision to use it.

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