Thomson Logo PNG
The Thomson logo has a secret. The emblem contains an encrypted message about the brand’s founders. The sign signifies partnership and the connection among the conglomerate’s different branches.
Thomson’s history began in 1879 in the United States, when engineers Elihu Thomson and Edwin Houston founded Thomson-Houston Electric Company. On April 15, 1892, it merged with Edison General Electric Company to form General Electric. Around the same time, the group opened Thomson Houston International, and in 1893, Compagnie Française Thomson-Houston was established in Paris.
The French company supplied power and electric traction motors for city tramways. In 1903, GE sold the French subsidiary to local investors, who kept the founders’ name and continued licensing ties with GE. From 1921, the company moved into consumer products, following General Electric’s model. In the 1920s and 1930s, Thomson-Houston entered civilian and military radio systems.
In 1928, Thomson-Houston merged part of its assets with SACM to form Alsthom. In 1966, Compagnie Française Thomson-Houston merged with Hotchkiss-Brandt, a maker of appliances and weapons, and became Thomson-Brandt. In 1968, its electronics division joined Compagnie Générale de Télégraphie Sans Fil to form Thomson-CSF, focused on defense and communications electronics.
In 1982, under François Mitterrand, Thomson-Brandt and Thomson-CSF were nationalized and combined as Thomson SA. In 1983, Thomson acquired Telefunken. In June 1987, it bought Thorn-EMI’s consumer electronics division. In July 1987, Thomson exchanged Compagnie Générale de Radiologie and cash for General Electric’s consumer electronics business, gaining RCA and GE brand rights. Thomson Consumer Electronics appeared in 1988, became Thomson Multimedia in 1995, while Thomson-CSF was later privatized and renamed Thales Group in 2000. Thomson SA became Technicolor SA in 2010.
Meaning and History
Despite multiple relocations, mergers, and name changes, the French division maintained a consistent logo for over 100 years until the brand’s new owners ceased production. The Thomson brand dates back to 1925, when the first logo likely appeared. The sign saw several minor modifications, but the first letters remained the hallmark of each emblem.
What is Thomson?
A European brand of TVs, tablets, smartphones, routers, receivers, and multimedia products, founded in France in 1893 as a subsidiary of the 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, with a red inscription in uppercase letters. Its only feature is merging the first letters T and H into a single letter.
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, Hotchkiss-Brandt was acquired, forming Thomson-Brandt.
- In 1968, a partial merger with Compagnie Générale de Télégraphie Sans Fil formed Thomson-CSF.
- In 1982, Thomson-Brandt was renamed Thomson SA and merged with Thomson-CSF.
The special emphasis on the letters T and H reflects the names Thomson and Houston, part of the company’s history. American inventors Elihu Thomson and Edwin Houston made significant contributions to the industry. They also helped found the parent company, Thomson-Houston Electric Company (later 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 reborn in 1982 as the Thomson Group. In 1999, the single corporation split into two: Thomson Multimedia and Thomson-CSF.
The inscription’s slant suggests aspiration and forward momentum, while the capital letters signal the brand’s significant market role.
Font and Colors
Red symbolizes life, growth, and leadership. The company grew out of General Electric’s expansion into Europe. The shade relates to energy and electricity, areas where GE founder Elihu Thomson worked. Red tells the story of the brand’s rise to the top, as it has long competed with Sony and Samsung.
The inscription’s font resembles ITC Blair Bold Italic. The wide letters suggest the corporation’s global reach and production capacity.