Starting from 1938, the Philips logo has been using the same visual metaphor, and basically has been staying very much the same.
Meaning and history
The first time when the wavy lines and star spangles became part of the Philips logo, was around 1925. Two people claimed to be the author of the Philips logo: Kalff and Johan van der Ley. Kalff said that creating the wavy lines he was inspired by the idea of sound waves travelling through the air, while Johan van der Ley emphasized the stars, which, according to him, were inspired by electric lighting. It is possible that both of them could have played their role in creating the logo.
Earlier symbols
The now-familiar Philips shield traces its history to 1938. Prior to this, there were so many different logos that it is hardly possible to accurately describe them all.
The 2013 emblem
The current version is the result of collaboration between the in-house designer team, Interbrand, Ogilvy, and OneVoice. The slightly modified shield adopted a small bulge on the top, while the star “rays” grew softer. Also, one wave was removed, and the shield was filled with color.
Font
The wordmark sports uniform all-cap characters in a sans-serif typeface. The insignia formed in its present form as far back as the 1920s, and only subtle modifications have been made since then.
Color
The emblem has been featuring blue since 2008, with minor shifts of the shade.
