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IBM is an IT corporation from the United States, which was established in 1889 as ITRC, standing for International Time Recording Company. One of the world’s leading companies in its segment, IBM specializes in producing software and hardware, along with providing various services, including support and consultancy.
Meaning and History
The visual identity of the world’s most famous IT company is strict and professional. The iconic logotype consists of a stylized corporation’s name. First introduced in 1946, it still keeps the original color palette and style.
The name IBM appeared in 1946. Before then the company was called Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (1910 — 1924) and International Business Machines (1924 — 1946). CTRC was formed through the merger of International Time Recording Company (est 1889) and Computing Scale Company (est 1890). Both firms had monochrome monograms as their logos and after the merger, CTRC also adopted and elegant black and a white medallion with four ornate letters for their visual identity.
The logo was redesigned in 1924 in order to get a more modern and professional look. It was a wordmark stylized as a globe. This is how the corporation wanted to show their ambition as in extending to the international market. The new era of the visual identity started in 1946 when the company finally got its current name, which was an abbreviation for International Business Machines.
The sky-blue logotype placed on a white background was pretty simple and minimalist during the first years until it finally got a fresh design in 1967. The letters were crossed by several white horizontal lines, creating a striped pattern. And this was a prototype of the logo we all know today.
The current IBM logo was designed by Paul Rand in 1972, and it still featured a blue and white inscription. Striped letters represent an innovative and progressive company, its willingness to develop and grow and its fundamental approach.
The blue and white commit combination reflects professionalism and reliability, while the unusual pattern makes the logo unique and instantly recognizable across the globe.
In 2018 the company started using an additional logo — a strict white inscription placed in a gray rectangle. This version represents the stability and responsibility of the corporation, making its customers feel secure and confident.
Symbol 1946-2017
The typeface is the main point that makes the 1946 version of the logo different from the ones that appeared later. All the modifications introduced later were quite subtle, there were no drastic changes. The insignia wasn’t changed overnight. When the graphic designer Paul Rand was commissioned by IBM in 1956, he decided to use the City font instead of Beton as the former looked a bit stronger and is better in terms of legibility. Moreover, he customized the shape of the letters. The serifs grew longer while the squares in the “B” characters grew larger.
However, Rand felt that wasn’t enough. The way how the characters went from narrow to wide didn’t satisfy the artist, he felt the need for better rhythm. After more than a decade of experiments he eventually unveiled his new logo with stripes in 1972. Due to the stripes, the insignia looked more dynamic, suggesting a better harmony between the characters. Later, there was some playing around with the number of stripes: the original 13 stripes were replaced by 8.
The 2017 Emblem
The 2017 version includes 8 colors. Other than that, it is the same as the previous one. The rainbow flag was introduced as a symbol of solidarity with the LGBT community.
Font
The logotype of IBM is executed in a bold custom serif typeface, which was based on one of the traditional fonts, such as Galería or Egiziano, but with circles in the letter “B” replaced by squares and the serifs of the “M” cut from the inside and speed to the outside.
It is a strong inscription with individual character and spirit. Straight lines of the letters and distinct square cuts of its edges evoke a sense of power, influence and a perfect reputation.
Color
Guess why IBM is sometimes referred to as “Big Blue”? The blue color scheme of the logo the company used from 1972 to 2016 is the most important reason for this. However, the nickname can also be explained by the fact that the company used to have a dress code with blue suits.
