Astro is a Malaysian satellite television provider. The name of the company is the abbreviated version of “All-Asian Satellite Television and Radio Operator.” It was launched in 1996 under the name of “Philips ASTRO.”
Meaning and history
Astro is a Malaysian media and entertainment holding company that began as a pay-per-view digital satellite radio and television service, and today offers its customers such services as direct broadcast satellite, Mobile TV, and Internet TV.
In 2012 Astro launches NJOY, a free-to-watch satellite service with about 20 tv-channel and radio stations. The company keeps growing and developing, adding new services and improving those in its portfolio.
What is Astro?
Astro is the name of a satellite tv provider from Malaysia, which also operates in Brunei. The company was established in 1996, and by today has become one of the strongest and largest names in this segment in its country. The company is owned by Astro Malaysia Holdings Bernard.
1996
The original Astro logo was dominated by a large blue letter “A.” The horizontal bar was replaced by a blue orbit going around the glyph. Below, there was the lettering “Astro” in yellow. The glyphs were capitalized.
The writing “Astro” in yellow was a secondary logo, which was paired with the main logo from 2001.
2003
This is when the now-familiar lowercased wordmark with a wave appeared. The design forces behind the brand opted for an unpretentious yet friendly type. It looked rounded and balanced and provided excellent legibility. The lettering was dark blue, the wave below was red, while the background was white. There were also versions with a reversed color scheme (white letters, blue background), as well as versions with a tagline.
2012
While the shape of the Astro logo remained pretty much the same, the palette became completely different. The blue and red were replaced by a bright, sweet shade of pink. The glyphs seem to have been modified (the “s,” for instance) but the alterations were so subtle they are hardly noticeable even if you compare the two versions side by side.
Below the word “Astro,” the tagline “Go Beyond” can be used. It is given in light gray.
Font and color
The stylish lowercase logotype from the Astro badge is set in a smooth and elegant sans-serif typeface, which looks very tender and friendly due to the rounded shapes of the characters and the bright colors. The closest fonts to the one used for the Astro insignia are, probably, Chronica Pro Medium and Catesque Medium.
As for the color palette of the Astro visual identity, it is set in an intense shade of fuchsia, which adds vitality and noting to the badge, also making it look welcoming and cools