Cetelem Logo PNG
The logo of the French credit company Cetelem has gone through more than five modifications.
Meaning and history
Cetelem is a banking company owned by BNP Paribas, one of the largest and most reputable financial institutions in Europe. BNP Paribas was established in 1848 as the Comptoir National d’Escompte de Paris. As for the modern name, BNP Paribas, it appeared in 2000, as a result of a merger between Bank National de Paris and Paribas.
The Cetelem brand was created in the middle of the 20th century, as a credit-oriented brand of the French bank. Today Cetelem is focused on consumer and online crediting, insurance, and asset management, along with traditional banking services and investments.
What is Cetelem?
Cetelem is the name of a French financial organization, which was established in Paris in 1953. The brand is owned by the large BNP Paribas company, an international banking group, which has its representative offices all over Europe. Apart from traditional banking services Cetelem offers online credit and credit cards.
1953 – 1962
The earliest Cetelem logo was rich in detail. You could see a stylized money-box in the form of a house. Above the house, there was a large coin, which was “falling” through the slot in the roof. The lettering “Credit Cetelem” could be seen on the coin.
The logo conveyed its message in an apparent way. Both the house and what was inside showed some of the things for which the money borrowed from the company could be used. On the downside, it looked too cluttered for a logo – it was more of a picture than a real logotype.
The original palate was dominated by shades of yellow, which were inspired by the universal symbol of wealth, the gold.
1982 – 2006
The design went through a complete overhaul. The sleek, minimalist result was opposite to the original one.
Now, the logo only featured the word “Cetelem” in a simple yet distinctive type. While it was not overloaded with details, you could see several purely decorative elements (like the serifs on the top ends of the “c” and “l”).
1990 – 2006
The same type was used in the following Cetelem logo, although now the design was enriched by additional elements. The lettering went white, and a green square appeared in the background. Also, a red square appeared to the left, which added a vivid and dynamic accent.
2006 – 2008
The simple geometric shape at the background was replaced by a dynamic streamlined one. The gradient added even more implied motion. And yet, the updated design did not seem to perfectly fit a company dealing with finance.
The type was updated but its overall rounded style remained unchanged.
2008 – 2019
This time, the shape at the background was a simpler ellipse. A friendly anthropomorphized character appeared to the left. There was a red accent in the form of a stroke under the character’s feet.
2019 – Today
The design has become sleeker, more modern and easier to grasp. The type was somewhat similar, yet it has grown softer, more rounded. The distinctive “t” with the shortened horizontal bar is still there.
Font and Color
The friendly lowercase lettering from the primary Cetelem badge is set in a rounded sans-serif typeface which looks very modern and unusual for the banking segment. The closest fonts to the one, used in this insignia, are, probably, Modulus Pro Semi Bold or Arista Pro Regular, but with the contours of the letters slightly narrowed and refined.
As for the color palette of the Cetelem visual identity, it uses a bright and lively shade of green as the only color. The light green is a symbol of wealth and prosperity, which also represents constant growth and development, and shows the company as a progressive and dynamic one.
As the logo is a typographical one, the font plays a major role in its success. The streamlined, soft glyphs have rounded corners adding a friendly touch.
Company overview
Cetelem was established in 1953 in Paris, France, where it has been headquartered ever since. The company focuses in consumer credit, online credit and credit cards. The brand operates in thirty countries and boasts twenty seven million customers. Cetelem’s parent company is BNP Personal Finance.
