TikTok Logo

TikTok LogoTikTok Logo PNG

The TikTok logo, recognizable by all, is characterized by simplicity and originality. The graphic image of the social network’s tremolo sign and its choice symbolizes the service’s capabilities, its music, and its video orientation, demonstrating the user’s creative potential.

TikTok: Brand overview

TikTok is a web service that allows you to shoot short videos and view them through a browser. It was launched in 2016 by ByteDance Ltd., a Beijing-based internet technology company. It is one of the most downloaded apps in China and other countries.

Meaning and History

TikTok Logo History

The logo of TikTok depicts an eighth note. The symbol was chosen because the media platform is often used for filming small music videos. The pattern looks unusual due to the combination of three colors: black, purple, and blue. According to the designer’s idea, the black color reminds the hall during a rock concert, when it is dark, and the light falls only on the stage.

In this case, the emblem seems stereoscopic. Many people think that you should look at it in 3D glasses. However, this is a misconception because the developers did not set themselves the task of creating an anaglyph and did not make a horizontal shift of the picture. They tried to depict the effect of tremolo – a shaking sound when repeating one note. After all, the TikTok app in China is known as Douyin, which means “trembling music” in English. As a result, the logo looks like it is distorted by electromagnetic waves.

What’s the Inspiration behind the TikTok logo?

The TikTok logo is meant to capture the essence of the app, which serves as a platform for creative expression and enjoyment around the world. In the app, diverse communities participate in various activities such as humor, dancing, sporting feats, and interesting music videos.

The creator of the emblem had a vision: to epitomize the virtual scene that TikTok provides to its many talented users. As a young man with a passion for live music events, especially rock shows, he found his muse in the crowd under the glowing stage. He decided to carry this atmosphere into the logo design, choosing a black background to create dynamic content in the app.

He sketched a musical note as the main element. To make it stand out against the black background, he superimposed an image of an electric wave over the flat sketch. Several designs were tried before one visually appealing design was chosen.

In creating the final logo, the designer wanted to ensure that it didn’t blend in with the sea of app icons while still reflecting the vibrant user experience of TikTok. He aimed for the logo to exude an aura of excitement and attraction.

What is TikTok?

TikTok is the international version of the Chinese program Douyin. It is a social network where users can post and view short videos of up to 3 minutes. The TikTok platform debuted in 2016 but didn’t go public until two years later when it became the largest video community through a merger with Musical.ly.

September – December 2016

TikTok Logo 2016

Before the stereoscopic effect, the TikTok logo was much simpler. It also represented a note formed by overlapping many similar notes, but it looked unstructured. To show the musical “infinity,” the designers slightly rotated the main element, demonstrating the presence of multiple layers colored in different shades of amaranth. Shadows were also added. At the bottom, a brief inscription was placed – “A.ME.” The first letter is a classic printed letter; the other two are handwritten and appear to be drawn with a black marker with a wide pen.

2016 – today

TikTok Logo 2016-present

A note was chosen as the symbol of the new app. However, the designers added an effect similar to 3D colors when looking at the image without glasses.

2017 – 2018

TikTok Logo 2017-2018

The name TikTok is added to the symbol for greater brand recognition around the world. The “Nota” logo that was present in the app or on other promotional products did not always guarantee brand recognition and memorability. With the addition of the name “TikTok” to the symbol, users were better able to remember the brand.

2018 – today

TikTok Logo 2018-present

In 2018, the famous Chinese app Musical.ly became part of TikTok. At the same time, a new logo design appeared. The 3D effect was given to the letter “O.” Otherwise, the logo has not changed.

Font and Colors

TikTok Emblema

Since 2017, the graphic part of the logo has been supplemented with the inscription “TikTok.” At first, “Tik” and “Tok” were written separately, with a wide indentation, but then they were combined into one word. This happened in 2018. Then the letter “o” had a purple-blue outline, similar to “note.”

The designers also slightly changed the style of the symbols: they replaced the square dot above “i” with a round one and shortened the strokes at “T” and “k.” But the basic typography remained the same. The developers relied on the highly readable sans-serif font because, in their opinion, it is ideal for the brand name.

The position of the elements is not regulated: the text can be placed either below the note or to the right of it. Depending on this, its size changes slightly. When both parts of the logo are close to the horizontal plane, the inscription “TikTok” coincides with the graphic symbol.

TikTok symbol

To convey the musical effect of the tremolo, the designers combined several colors. The main color is black (No. 010101). It represents the note. Additional colors are a magenta shade of red (# EE1D52) and turquoise Light Aqua (# 69C9D0). They are layered unevenly on top of each other, giving the impression that the pattern jiggles under the influence of an electromagnetic field.

TikTok color codes

Black Hex color: #010101
RGB: 1 1 1
CMYK: 0 0 0 100
Pantone: PMS Black 6 C
Middle Blue Hex color: #69c9d0
RGB: 105 201 208
CMYK: 50 3 0 18
Pantone: PMS 325 C
Amaranth Hex color: #ee1d52
RGB: 238 29 81
CMYK: 0 88 66 7
Pantone: PMS 1925 C

FAQ

Who designed the TikTok logo?

The name of the person who designed the TikTok logo is kept secret. According to legend, this young man allegedly likes to go to rock concerts. Whether this is actually the case is unknown.

What is the TikTok logo based on?

The TikTok logo is based on the letter “d,” stylized as a musical note. As you know, the name of the Chinese platform Douyin, which is the ancestor of TikTok, begins with “d.” At the same time, the image is based on the tremolo effect: the artists tried to convey the shaking of sound with the help of an unusual combination of colors. After all, “Douyin” translates as “trembling music.”

How was the TikTok logo made?

The person who created the TikTok logo was inspired by rock concerts. He liked the contrast between the dark hall and the lighted stage so much that he reflected it in the design. As a result, the black middle note is complemented by brightly colored outlines in the form of neon reflections. The word “Douyin” (“shaking music”) was used to play with the visual effect of shaking.

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