The WhatsApp logo symbolizes connection, communication, free access, and the desire to stay in touch. The right colors and symbols help the world’s most recognizable messenger to remain popular despite huge competition.
WhatsApp: Brand overview
Meaning and History
The Messenger was created in 2009. Its founders were two friends, Brian Acton and Jan Koum, who were working at Yahoo! but wanted to do more global things. They applied for a job at Facebook but were rejected. Then, the young people thought about creating an application platform for mobile devices, which would allow them to communicate not by sending SMS but in live chat. This is how a convenient messenger appeared, which allows you to communicate online. Its name was coined from the English phrase “What’s Up?” used for the greeting format. What’s up? Or what’s new?
The first app was created for the iPhone, but things were tight at first due to a lot of crashes. Jan Koum was already disappointed in his brainchild and decided to abandon this “hopeless” endeavor, but Brian Acton convinced him to continue working.
What is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is an online chat that allows you to exchange messages in real time. It is owned by Meta Platforms, Inc, formerly known as Facebook, Inc. The initial version of the program was released in 2009, and six years later WhatsApp was already recognized as the most popular messenger in the world.
In 2013, the company already had 50 employees, and the number of users exceeded 2 million. Then Facebook offered to buy the rights to the brand; it was sold for $19 billion, which is the largest deal amount until today. Today, WhatsApp works as an online chat; audio and video calls can be exchanged, and information can be stored in cloud storage.
Font and Colors
There is no exact information about how the recognizable white and green icon appeared. Presumably, it was invented by Acton and Koum while working on the app. The simple but meaningful design proved highly effective as a cell phone user interface element.
The full trademark logo includes the WhatsApp icon and the name to the right of it.
The large icon is embedded in a simple icon: the green background color symbolizes that WhatsApp lines are always free to communicate, while the raised handset symbolizes the freedom of communication and the ability to call anywhere in the world at any time. All this is placed in a white cloud (a text bubble with a tail at the bottom), denoting messages.
Unlike modern smartphones with a multitude of features, the handset from an old corded phone was chosen for a reason – it denotes the ability to make calls.
For ten years, the visual image of the logo has not changed. As of 2020, there are eight patented icons, each with a specific purpose: for Android, for iPhone, Web, etc. Some of them are now obsolete and no longer in use. All of them are copyrighted.
The main icon colors are background green and white, used for image transfers. As an additional option, one of the variants (the icon for Windows devices) uses black as the background color.
The full logo has two official color options:
- The white horizontally stretched white plate features a green icon and the WhatsApp name in Helvetica Neue font in a gray-green tone.
- The gray-blue plate features a standard icon and the name in white.
The iconic WhatsApp icon is a vivid example of how simple visuals can be used to clearly distinguish a product from others and attract a lot of users.
WhatsApp color codes
UFO Green | Hex color: | #25D366 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 37 211 102 | |
CMYK: | 82 0 52 17 | |
Pantone: | PMS 354 C |
Teal Green | Hex color: | #075e54 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 7 94 84 | |
CMYK: | 93 0 11 63 | |
Pantone: | PMS 329 C |
FAQ
What do the symbols mean on WhatsApp?
The clock symbol means that the message has been sent. One checkmark means it has arrived on the WhatsApp server but has not yet reached the recipient’s device. Two ticks mean the message has already been delivered. And when the recipient opens it, the ticks will turn blue.
What is the logo for WhatsApp?
The WhatsApp logo consists of two parts. The first half is a green “bubble” with a white tube. The second element is a verbal sign containing the name of the messaging service. The inscription is in sans-serif font and is colored gray-green.
Why is the logo of WhatsApp green?
Jan Koum and Brian Acton, the direct creators of WhatsApp, chose green as its visual identity to symbolize security. They considered it the most important characteristic, as the messenger should securely store users’ confidential information.