The Youtube Shorts logo is dynamic and compact, like the content posted on the platform. The emblem indicates the video format and the engaging content of the stories that are hard to turn away from.
YouTube Shorts: Brand overview
In the evolving landscape of digital content, YouTube, a titan in video sharing, ventured into the realm of bite-sized entertainment in September 2020 with the introduction of YouTube Shorts. This new feature was YouTube’s strategic move to tap into the burgeoning market of short-form videos, a domain that TikTok, a popular app hailing from China, had dominated. Designed to cater to the quick consumption habits of modern audiences, YouTube Shorts offers a creative outlet for crafting videos up to 60 seconds long, enriched with a suite of editing tools, including a vast selection of music, filters, and effects available right within the YouTube app.
The genesis of YouTube Shorts took place in India, serving as a testing ground in 2020, which set the stage for its global expansion. By the middle of 2021, YouTube had rolled out Shorts across over 100 countries, marking its commitment to becoming a significant player in the short-form video segment. Despite the competitive landscape, YouTube’s strategy leveraged its massive user base of over two billion monthly active users and a well-established creator ecosystem to position Shorts as a formidable competitor to TikTok.
YouTube Shorts distinguishes itself with a dedicated feed for these snappy videos, where creators have the liberty to soundtrack their creations with tunes from YouTube’s extensive music library. Since its launch, the platform has witnessed a staggering influx of over 50 billion daily views on Shorts, underscoring the feature’s rapid acceptance and popularity among users worldwide.
Recognizing the potential of short-form content in capturing the fleeting attention spans of viewers, YouTube continues to invest in Shorts, introducing features like video remixing and establishing a creator fund to incentivize content production. This investment not only underlines YouTube’s dedication to nurturing the Shorts platform but also reflects its broader ambition to remain at the forefront of the digital content revolution, offering both amateur and professional creators a powerful tool to reach global audiences with quick, engaging videos. Through Shorts, YouTube is not just competing for screen time against other apps. Still, it is also enriching its ecosystem, providing new avenues for creativity and engagement in the fast-paced world of online video sharing.
Meaning and History
The short video format was officially launched in 2021, although it existed in beta form since 2019. Therefore, the series emblem likely appeared two years before the global release. The sign is a transformed logo of the main platform, differing from the Youtube emblem in just a few details.
What are YouTube Shorts?
A video format for posting short 15-second vertical clips. It allows reaching a larger audience and increasing the number of subscribers. It is part of YouTube and belongs to Google through the Alphabet Inc. conglomerate.
2020 – today
The logo of the short films is quite compact. It consists of a red icon and a name.
The product name was chosen to emphasize the duration of the clips. The format was intended to compete with TikTok. Therefore, it was important to highlight the minimal video length.
The red icon resembles a stylized letter S – the first in the name. The figure consists of two parallel lines and represents a sped-up way of writing the letter.
In the center of the symbol is the Play icon, which is part of the constant YouTube emblem. The choice demonstrates the format’s affiliation with the main platform. The symbol itself embodied the transmission of information and the shift of power. Before the advent of platforms, the ability to show video content and spread ideas was only available to large firms and corporations. With the emergence of YouTube services, power shifted to the people. It is no longer possible to “silence” facts. On the platform, one can always find an alternative opinion.
Font and Colors
The emblem’s palette is built on the contrast of red and black.
- Red speaks of interesting and captivating stories. YouTube Shorts is an endless feed, and some users get so engrossed in watching that the company even added a special reminder for teenagers about the need to take a break. The color also emphasizes the short time span in which the author must convey or show the necessary information. It should be noted that red, although not intentionally by the creators, has become a warning about the danger, as according to studies, many young people use short videos as a way to escape reality, which is harmful to personality development.
- Black signifies the stability and weight of the platform—2.5 billion people per month view Shorts.
Meanwhile, the color of the red icon can change depending on the situation: it can be white when highlighted, black if a black-and-white screen is used, and concentric maroon circles on advertising materials.
The font of the inscription resembles Maleo Medium and Roboto black.