Compaq Logo

Compaq is the trademark of Compaq Computer Corporation, an American company seated in Houston, Texas, the USA and producing personal computers and computer software. It was founded in February 1982 and was one of the first world manufacturers of IBM compatible computers maintaining good business ties with IBM company. In 1998 the company was the largest PC producer in the world. Nevertheless, in 2002, Compaq Corporation was acquired by Hewlett-Packard and became defunct as an independent company.

The logo, its meaning and history

The first logo was introduced by the company in 1982 and was used until 1993. It was concise and straightforward, having just the brand name “Compaq” written in white block letters over a red and orange line. The company’s trademark on the logo is an acronym and it stands for “Compatibility and quality”. The font was severe and laconic; the letters had square outlines with rounded corners and were slightly tilted to the right. The bowl of the letter “P” and the horizontal stroke of the letter “A” had small gaps. It was a corporate font reminding both of Sonic Std Extra Bold and Inline Square Oblique JNL.
In 1993 the logotype was slightly modified. It was still the same brand name but the font was changed. This time, the graphics of the letters became softer and more rounded. The colour of the new version was orange. Starting from 2002 the brand name was used in combination with “HP” emblem of Hewlett-Packard.

The final version of the Compaq logo was introduced in 2013. It was the concise “COMPAQ” brand name in block letters with graphics of the commercial font Controller Five. The colour was changed to scarlet red. A special feature was given to the letter “Q”. It received a gap in the bowl near the tail, which is now directed downwards, giving the letter the graphics of both “Q” and “C” simultaneously.