Fannie Mae is the common name of the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA). The organization sponsored by the US government works on the secondary mortgage market. It is ranked number 25 on the Fortune 500 rankings by total revenue, as of 2021.
The Fannie Mae logo hasn’t been updated very often. On the whole, as the result of the evolution, it has grown by far more minimalist and meaningful than it originally was.
What is Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae (FNMA) is a government-sponsored enterprise, which was created with the aim of securitizing mortgage loans in the form of mortgage-backed securities. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
In 1938, the U.S. Congress introduced amendments to the National Housing Act. According to them, an organization was founded with the aim to improve the situation in the mortgage market. It was supposed to provide local banks with federal money to finance home loans. The original name of what was to become Fannie Mae was the National Mortgage Association of Washington.
Let’s take a look at one of the earliest logos used after the organization adopted its current name. It looks rather cluttered, with a detailed emblem and a rich typographical part.
The emblem showcased an abstract pattern that can be described as either a link from a chain or a couple of interwoven strands of a rope. Apparently, this conveyed the idea of state support that was given to banks through Fannie Mae. The emblem was pretty heavy.
To the right, the lettering “FannieMae” could be seen. It featured an austere sans serif typeface. Below, the explanatory tagline was placed, which read “The USA’s Housing Partner.” Here, the letters were by far smaller and lighter. It was necessary to make the line not longer than the name of the organization above. As a result, the tagline perfectly fitted into the overall design.
This logo did its job well enough as it was straightforward. On the downside, it lacked a unique touch and couldn’t catch your eye. It’s not the kind of design that can capture your imagination.
The typographical part was simplified, while the emblem, conversely, became more detailed.
The explanatory tagline disappeared from the Fannie Mae logo altogether leaving only the name of the brand. This time, it was given in a lighter serif type. In a way, it looked old-fashioned due to the serifs and the strokes that varied in their thicknesses. Apparently, such a type was used deliberately to convey tradition.
The emblem didn’t appear modern either because it contained lots of small elements that somehow made it difficult to grasp, especially in smaller sizes. However, its meaning was now more transparent than in the previous version.
The organization made a step towards a simpler, more modern logo.
While the type still featured prominent serifs, they had a fresh style. This was partly because they were paired with the letters formed by lines of almost identical thickness.
While the emblem still featured a house, it looked more laconic. When you place it next to the previous logo, you can clearly see that it has grown by far easier to see and understand. Also, the house was placed inside a circle now, which made the design a bit leaner.
The Fannie Mae logo is dominated by a calm and dark shade of blue paired with white. The type boasts adequate legibility and is also rather memorable.