The Thomson logo has a secret. The emblem contains an encrypted message about the great people who founded the brand. The sign tells of partnership and the connection between different branches of the conglomerate.
Thomson: Brand overview
Founded: | 1892 |
Founder: | Elihu Thomson |
Headquarters: | Paris, France |
Website: | mythomson.com |
Thomson is a now-defunct consumer electronics brand acquired and renamed Technicolor in 2011. The company’s headquarters are in Paris, and production facilities are in the US, China, India, and France. The company employs 75,000 people and has revenue of 7.6 billion euros.
Meaning and History
Despite multiple relocations, mergers, and name changes, until 2011, the French division maintained an unchanging constancy to its logo for over 100 years until new owners ceased the brand’s production. The first use of the Thomson brand dates back to 1925, when the first logo likely appeared. There were several minor modifications to the sign, but the combination of the first letters remained the hallmark of each emblem.
What is Thomson?
A European brand of TVs, tablets, smartphones, routers, receivers, and multimedia, founded in France in 1893 as a subsidiary of American General Electric. It is now marketed under the Technicolor brand. The company has representations in the US, Belgium, England, and India.
1892 – today
The company logo is simple and has a red inscription in uppercase letters. Its only feature is merging the first letters T and H, which have become one.
The technique indicates the numerous acquisition and merger processes the company has experienced:
- Thomson CFTH was born through the merger of two companies.
- In 1966, the acquisition of Hotchkiss-Brandt took place, forming Thomson-Brandt.
- Then, in 1968, a partial merger with Compagnie Générale de Télégraphie Sans Fil and the formation of Thomson-CSF.
- In 1982, Thomson-Brandt was renamed Thomson SA and merged with Thomson-CSF.
The special emphasis on the letters T and H is associated with the names Thomson and Houston, which lie in the company’s historical past. American inventors Elihu Thomson and Edwin Houston made significant contributions to the industry. They were also at the origins of the parent company Thomson-Houston Electric Company (the future General Electric). Its divisions, Société Française Thomson-Houston and Edison-Lalande, became part of French Thomson.
Interestingly, the French branch was sponsored by entrepreneur François Charles Thompson, who was unrelated to Elihu Thomson, despite the similarity of their last names. Ultimately, the brand name is associated with these two historical figures. One founded the parent company, and the other its French subsidiary.
Highlighting these two letters emphasizes the number 2, which is significant for the company. Formed by the union of two large enterprises in 1893, the brand was again born by merging two firms into the Thomson Group in 1982. In 1999, the single corporation split into two: Thomson Multimedia and Thomson-CSF.
The inscription’s slant speaks to the aspiration for development and forward movement, while the capital letters signify the brand’s significant role in the market.
Font and Colors
Red is the color of life, growth, and leadership. The company itself is the result of General Electric’s development and expansion into European countries. The shade is related to energy and electricity, in which GE founder Elihu Thomson worked. Red tells the story of the brand’s rise to the top, which has long competed with Sony and Samsung.
The font of the inscription is similar to ITC Blair Bold Italic. The wide letters indicate the scope of the corporation, which has production capabilities worldwide.