IBM Logo Evolution - Transcending Time
Overview and History
International Business Machines (IBM) is a revolutionary multinational IT company with operations in more than 170 countries. It has harbored a series of ground-breaking inventions in its repertoire such as the floppy disk, the hard disk drive, magnetic stripe card and many more. The face of modern day technology prevalent today would be radically different, if it were not for the hefty contribution from IBM over the past century.
The company was established in 1889 under the name of International Time recording company (IRTC). Next, a merger led to the formation of Computing Tabulating Recording company (CTRC) in 1910. Finally, the change in name to IBM occurred in 1946 under the supervision of Thomas J. Watson Jr., the general manager of the organisation. A change in name also ushered a much needed change in the brand identity, including the logo which occurred at the hands of the legendary designer, Paul Rand.
Logo Evolution
The first ever logo of the company, which at the time was named IRTC was a plain monochromatic monogram. Post the merger, which led to the establishment of the company CTRC, there was a change in the visual of the logo too. A medallion encircling the four excessively rococo letters represented the visual identity of the company.
In 1924, a redesign in the logo occurred when the name of the organisation was changed to IBM. The new logo emulated the shape of the globe through the means of slight distortion of the words ‘Business’ and ‘Machines’ written in a sans serif typeface. ‘International’, etched on a band like shape swaddled the globe. Such exemplary usage of typography in those times to create a legible yet unique logo was indeed impressive.
From being a punched card tabulating company to a company about computers, a logo redesign was needed after 22 years. The complex contorted globe was taken over by a plain simple logo which consisted of the three letters i.e. IBM in a modest serif typeface called Beton Bold. The logo simply conveyed what the company was, unaccompanied by any form of beautification.
In 1956, under the leadership of Thomas J. Watson Jr. who had ambitious visions for the organisation, the logo underwent further modifications. The distinguished graphic designer Paul Rand was hired to renew the logo. He changed the typeface from Beton bold to City Medium. This simple change added more gravity and weight to the aesthetics of the logotype. The elongated serifs along with the boxy look of the font created a sense of power and authority.
Current Logo
The current IBM logo is undeniably iconic and has gracefully aged over time, still retaining relevance and recognisability. The classic ‘8-bars’ logo was conceived by the noted designer Paul Rand in 1972. The earlier solid letters of the logotype were replaced by horizontal blue stripes to add a sense of ‘speed and dynamism’. This welcome change was brought to the logo due to the dissatisfaction of Paul Rand over the prior one. He believed that the solid letters did not align with the rhythm of the company.
The stripes inculcated within the logo also served another purpose. By breaking apart the solid letters, the disparate stripes somehow enabled the visual to feel less rigid and immovable. Though the block letters greatly signified corporate authority and strength, the stripes were inexplicably needed to make the logo more approachable and interesting. Furthermore, Rand always believed in the power of geometry as he said, “one quickly realizes that simplicity and geometry are the language of timelessness and universality". Interestingly, he also played around with the number of stripes by bouncing between 13 and 8 for a while, to finally settle at 8 bars.
It is always fascinating to trace how an artist was inspired to create such a distinct visual. In this case, Paul Rand said, “I got the idea for the [stripes] by projecting the notion of a document that you signed that uses a series of thin parallel lines to protect the signature against counterfeiting. And I thought, ‘Well, if that’s the symbol of that kind of authority, then why don’t I make the letters into stripes or into a series of lines.’”
Another significant aspect of the logo was the wonderfully rich hue of blue used. It emits a wave of corporate sophistication which aligns with the company’s brand identity. Moreover, the colour that the logo employed has become synonymous with the identity of the company as IBM is commonly referred to as the ‘Big blue’. The nickname could also have been conceived due to the dress code of blue suits that the company propagated.
Though the glorious shade of blue has been quite iconic, the form of the logo is so distinctly unique and has also been utilized wonderfully in the branding of the company. Breaking away from the shackles of monotonous and corporate brand stationery, Paul Rand used poppy colours to make the company seem more amicable. Albrecht says, "In the exhibition we have carbon paper boxes that are pink and brown. And that gives the company a very colorful, hip appearance...All of this is meant to make the company more personable."
The logotype of IBM has now been around for nearly half a century and still stands as one of the most globally renowned and recognizable piece of art. With an intent to ‘defamiliarize the ordinary’, Rand has conceptualized something so universally simple and unique that it has beautifully transcended time.
