HPE is a multinational enterprise information technology company that appeared as the result of the splitting of the Hewlett-Packard company in 2015. The brand specializes in operating servers, storage, networking, and containerization software. Also, it offers its customers consulting and support. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, US.
What is the symbol of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company?
The symbol of Hewlett-Packard is a stylized lowercase “HP” monogram, inscribed into a solid blue circle. The main part, distinguishing the HP logo from all others is the elongated vertical bars of both letters, cutting the blue circle diagonally, adding a sense of motion and progress to this laconic composition.
To better understand the HPE logo, we need to analyze the circumstances in which it appeared and compare it with the older versions.
To begin with, we should point out that the brand’s roots can be traced as far back as 1938, when Stanford University graduates Bill Hewlett and David Packard started working part-time in a garage in Palo Alto. This led to the foundation of the company Hewlett-Packard (HP), which was incorporated in 1947.
In 2014-2015, HP was split into two companies, each with a slightly different specialization, HP, Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company. HP, Inc. deals with everything that concerns the systems and printer group, while HPE works with the enterprise IT business.
The split was the most important event in the history of the logo. Creating a distinct visual brand identity was a real challenge for the marketing team of HPE as it meant they needed to pave a new path for each of the new brands, while also including some reference to their legacy.
The result, which was created by branding agency Siegel + Gale, is a white rectangle with a green border. The rectangle is positioned horizontally, standing on one of its wider sides. According to the explanation given by CEO Meg Whitman at HP Discover on 3 June 2015, the minimalist shape symbolizes the simplicity inspired by the brand’s past. Also, it symbolizes a window into the future.
The typeface is a clean and highly legible sans with classic glyphs. The first line is bolder as it carries the main part of the meaning, while the second line is lighter. While the font isn’t very original, this is a wise decision, in this case. Here, the aim of the wordmark (apart from introducing the company’s name, of course) is not to outshine the emblem, not to steal the limelight.
Whitman claimed that the logo reflects the company’s new approach – HPE is focused on “ideas” and the idea economy. What it effectively means is that the brand is paying closer attention to developers and the DevOps movement. There is a notable shift in the way HPE assesses analytics and its approach to working in operations.
The minimalist style of the HPE logo is in line with modern trends in logo design. In spite of its simplicity, it is also unique. This partly results from the rather rare shade of green.
What is HPE
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company is an American IT company, which is ranked No 106 on the Fortune 500 list, as of 2021. It reported total revenue of $26,982.
Also, the design doesn’t resemble neither the visual brand identity of its predecessor, HP, nor that of the current company HP, Inc. Their logotypes are based on a circle and feature an italicized type. This is in stark contrast to the straightened, angular shapes dominating the Hewlett Packard Enterprise logo.
On the other hand, we can’t help but notice that there still is a link with the brand’s heritage. If you take a look at the old logos of its predecessor, HP, you will notice that some of them did include a rectangle and the full name of the company in a straight sans serif font.
The unique shade of green is what makes the HPE logo memorable and recognizable. It makes the logo stand out in spite of the fact it is a mere rectangle paired with a generic typeface.