The company’s products are in demand. The Staples logo conveys confidence in this. The emblem shows the fast turnover of goods and the high revenue of stores. The symbols add the idea of simplicity and practicality, and the design of the products is fully consistent with their purpose.
Staples: Brand overview
Founded: | May 1, 1986 |
Founder: | Thomas G. Stemberg, Leo Kahn, Myra Hart |
Headquarters: |
Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Website: | staples.com |
Meaning and History
The idea of opening a stationery store came from Thomas G. Stemberg in 1985, when he was working on another project. Then he urgently needed a ribbon for the printer, but he could not find it anywhere, since all points of sale were closed on the occasion of the weekend due to Independence Day. His despair became the platform for the concept of specialty supermarkets.
A pilot store was set up in Boston’s Brighton, where Staples began operations with financial support from private equity firms. In 1991, she created a subsidiary of Business Depot in Canada, after which she began to open stores under this name. But after ten years, she renamed them, Staples. The first overseas supermarket originated in Vaughan, Ontario. The opening of points of sale in Europe started from the British city of Swansea. The development of the network moved at such a pace that after ten years of operation, Staples crossed the three billion dollar sales threshold and entered the Fortune 500 list.
Over the entire period of operation, the American company actively sold office supplies and everything related to them and continuously expanded, acquiring competing firms. Since 2014, she has repeatedly cut the number of employees as she initiated the transition to e-commerce. This allowed her to optimize costs. In addition, the chain of stores now has several trademarks. In 2021, it sold almost all its European subsidiaries, focusing on commercial services for three countries – the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Each serious step of her activity was accompanied by a change of logo, of which she has three.
What is Staples?
It is an American retail chain that sells stationery and other office supplies. Some outlets also provide photocopying services, the printing of texts and documents. The first store appeared in Brighton, Massachusetts, in 1983.
1986 – 1994
The debut emblem was a combination of text and graphic elements. The visual identity sign served as a sign at the entrance to the store, so it primarily consisted of the name. To beat him, the developers turned the “L” into a paperclip. It was vertical and bent at one end. The lower part of the letter represented an unbent bracket. Usually, such paper clips are used to fix papers and notebooks.
The word “Staples” was executed in uppercase font with smooth, elongated characters, half of which were connected (“S,” “T,” “A,” “P”). Whereas “L,” “E,” and “S” did not touch each other. It was a bold sans serif with a single serif as a parenthesis.
1994 – 2019
For the next few years, a red emblem with a bold typeface was used. Moreover, the designers have separated all the letters, placing them at a minimum distance.
2019 – today
After the transition of the trademark to a new commercial level, the management approved a different logo. The developers removed the similarity of “L” with a paper clip and transferred the font to lower case, leaving only the first letter in the title in the capital. But they still kept the paperclip, just giving it a different look. Now it is in front and has an inverted shape, visually resembling a table. This was done deliberately since stores have switched to the massive sale of office furniture and office equipment.
Font and Colors
Staples corporate symbols are visually similar because each new version of the logo is based on the previous one, so the changes are not striking. The designers adjusted the style of the text, which, despite the corrections, always remained chopped up.
The typeface of the Helvetica family predominates in the brand identity. The emblem and signage use the Helvetica Neue Bold font, and the slogan, which often complements the logo, is by Helvetica Roman. Its developer is Max Miedinger.
The palette is distinguished by restraint, as the brand sells office supplies, educational and other purposes that require serious attention. Therefore, the emblem is dominated by the classic black and red color scheme.
Staples color codes
Fire Engine Red | Hex color: | #cb2026 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 203 32 38 | |
CMYK: | 0 84 81 20 | |
Pantone: | PMS 485 C |
What font is the Staples logo?
The chain’s name on the Staples logo comes from Helvetica Neue Bold, designed by Max Miedinger. It is a serrated typeface with curvature and flowing lines. The slogan, which is sometimes used in the logo, is written in Helvetica Roman font.
Did Staples change their logo?
Yes, the Staples brand has changed its logo. This happened in 2019. Then, instead of a half-bent bracket in the letter “L,” a separate and full-fledged paper clip with smoothly rounded corners appeared on it. It is located in front of the name of the office and trade network.
Why did Staples change their logo?
Staples has redesigned its logo to reflect its relevance, evolution, and modernity. She has significantly expanded the assortment, so she no longer needs a half-bent bracket. Instead, a paper clip appeared, symbolizing the entrance.
What Staples new name?
On December 25, 2021, the Staples Center is due to get a new name. After that, it will be called Crypto.com Arena. The renaming will take place under the terms of a 20-year rights agreement for the famous Los Angeles building, which opened in 1999.