D-Link is a world-renowned designer and manufacturer of network and telecommunications equipment and offers a wide range of solutions for home users, corporate segments, and Internet service providers. Founded in Taiwan in 1986, today D-Link is a global leader in its segment and has offices in dozens of countries around the world. The logotype of the Taiwanese networking equipment manufacturer D-Link is based on the brand’s name given in an unusual custom script.
So the story of the Taiwanese company began in the mid-1980s when engineer Ken Kao and six like-minded people founded a small company called Datex Systems. As early as 1987, Datex released its first significant product, the DE-001 Ethernet adapter. But the main achievements awaited the young company ahead.
In 1988, Datex Systems introduced a new product, LANSmart, which was the first peer-to-peer network operating system capable of running both Novell’s NetWare and TCP/IP. It was a landmark innovation that turned Datex into a standards-setting company. This development gave the company wings and made it look toward expansion. Thus Datex set its course for international markets.
In 1992 it was decided to change the name to the familiar today D-Link, thus marking a new era in the development of the company. And in 1994, D-Link became the first networking company in Taiwan to hold an IPO on the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
Today, the company remains a global technology leader. In 2020, D-Link became part of the Taiwan Steel Group, which gave it access to even more resources, so the company is certainly not going to stop there.
In terms of visual identity, D-Link is quite stable and confident. The brand got its current name in 1992 and the nameplate appeared on the logo only in 1994. Since that time the logo hasn’t changed much.
The D-link wordmark is unique and highly recognizable. Its custom typeface is bold and sleek.
The main detail of the logo is the letter “D”, which is also used as a brand’s icon if needed. The letter has an unusual shape, resembling of an arrow pointing to the future. It is sharp and edgy.
One more special thing in the D-Link logo is its color palette. The brand uses a calm sea blue tone for the wordmark and alternates the background from white to black.
The color of the nameplate looks perfect on both backgrounds and evokes a feel of calmness and trust.
The D-Link logo is stylish and memorable. Its typeface makes it modern and elegant, while the color adds a sense of reliability and high quality.
Probably the most distinctive design element of the logo is the letter “D,” which has a rather unusual shape. It can be used on itself as an icon. In addition to the wordmark, the logotype includes the motto “Building Networks for People.”
The primary color is teal (hex: #0087A9, PMS: 3145 C). The list of additional colors that can be used on the logo includes white for the background, black (in case of the black-and-white palette), and grey (hex: #CCCCCC).
The unusual custom typography featured on the D-Link logo is its highlight. The company recommends using the Myriad font family for its designed print communications.