Google is the most widely used search engine in the world and supports the most languages. Students at Stanford University Sergey Brin and Larry Page were the ones who came up with the idea for it. Another designer, by the name of Ruth Kedar, made a significant contribution to the development of the Google logo by conceiving about a dozen different concepts that have since been included into the design of the logo.
Google Slogan
- Don’t be Evil.
- Do the right thing.
- Search, Ads and Apps.
- Just try using another search engine.
The significance and the past
BackRub was the original name of Google when it was founded in 1995. In 1997, the company wisely decided to change its name to the one that it is known as today, and since then, it has become the most popular internet search engine in the whole world. The word “googol,” which refers to a very huge number, is where the term “Google” comes from. The firm has always maintained a fairly consistent visual identity, with the exception of the first two years, during which it operated under a different name. Because of its vividness and its understated design, the logo became an immediately identifiable and genuine symbol.
1995 — 1997
When it was first released in 1995, the BackRub logo was a straightforward wordmark in red consisting of two capital letters. The inscription was set in a strong sans-serif typeface that is quite comparable to the typefaces PF Fusion Sans Pro Black and Impart Family. The corporation used this straightforward and reliable logotype for the first two years of its existence, up to the point when it adopted its current moniker.
1997 — 1998
In 1997, Google’s initial logo was made; while it was only utilised for the beta version of the website, it served as a foundation for all of the company’s subsequent visual identity designs. The three-dimensional leaping leathers were each created in a different hue, giving the impression that they had been done by an amateur. It was a humorous design that evolved into something that has become absolutely famous.
1998 — 1999
1998 was the year that saw the conception of the very first official logo, which included a title case inscription with each letter being rendered in one of the following colours: green, red, yellow, or blue. Baskerville Bold, which is a transitional serif font, was used in the execution of the inscription.
Later in the same year, the blue exclamation symbol was added to the wordmark and lasted there for a year. The writing was given a shadow in a very light grey colour and given a three-dimensional effect.
1999 — 2013
The rebranding that took place in 1999 resulted in the incorporation of a two-dimensional (2D) form into the visual identity. Additionally, a new typeface, the Catull BQ serif font, was introduced. This font included beautiful, solid lines as well as strong serifs. The colour scheme has not been altered in any way. The letters “O” in the wordmark were angled ever-so-slightly to the left as an additional distinctive feature of the wordmark.
In the second half of the same year, a three-dimensional version was added to the portfolio that represented Google’s visual identity.
2010 — 2013
The shadow that was previously present on the logotype was eliminated in 2010, and the colours became lighter and more vibrant as a result.
2013 — 2015
The rebranding that took place in 2013 brought back the flat logotype, which helped to create a logo that was simple but powerful. The colour tones have been improved upon even more, and the serifs on the letters have been given a sharper appearance in comparison to earlier iterations of the design.
2015 — Today
The Google logo had yet another update in the year 2015. The only aspect that has not been changed is the characteristic colour palette. The appearance of the letters has undergone a radical transformation, both in terms of their style and their form.
The new inscription is set in a strong sans-serif font that is quite similar to Muguet; nevertheless, it was designed specifically for Google and is known as Product Sans. There is no longer a signature tendency associated with this, since both of the letters “O” in the title are circles.
During the same year, a new symbol was developed. It was a large letter “G” that was designed in the same way as the previous image, but it was coloured with all four primary colours (red, yellow, green, and blue).
Updated Symbol
The current Google logo is based on the sans-serif typerface, and it was released on September 1, 2015. It was selected because sans-serif tends to be more readable than most other typerfaces when tiny sizes are employed. This version was built to accommodate users of small-screen mobile devices.
It retains the colour palette that was first shown in 1998, although with colours that are more vivid and uniformly distributed throughout the spectrum. The tetradic colour palette that it uses gives the overall design of the logo a feeling that is upbeat and energising, and the colours themselves are placed in accordance with that palette. It is one of the things that has helped Google achieve the incredible level of success that it has. Apart from the outstanding aspect, bright colours appeal to the worldwide cultural variety and have a type of uniting influence.
On various times (typically sorrowful), Google shows a colourless rendition of the logo. Thus, the light-gray logo appeared on Google Poland for many days after the aircraft tragedy, in which Lech Kaczynski, the President of Poland, was murdered. In the not too distant future, it was shown on Google Hong Kong and Google China in remembrance of those who perished in the Quanghai earthquake in China.
Symbol
The very first favicons consisted of nothing more than a blue capital letter “G” enclosed in a white square. In 2008, it was changed to a lowercase “g” in a light blue colour, and then a few years later, a whole new colour palette with a variety of hues was launched. The favicon for 2012 was very identical to the one for 2008, only with the colours switched around.
In 2015, together with the launch of the new company logo, a refreshed favicon was presented. Some graphic designers have noticed that the present favicon for Google is rather similar to the logotype that Gymboree used in 1993 for their clothing line. While the colour scheme was completely different, the first letter in the Gymboree wordmark had virtually the same form as the one used in the Google favicon. However, the Gymboree wordmark utilised a different colour scheme.
Symbols in “white” colour
As was just indicated, the corporation would often switch to a monochrome logotype in the wake of a major catastrophe. Up to this point, there have been a few different “white” logos. The “white” variant of the logotype seems to have the exact same dimensions as the standard variant; the colour scheme is the sole distinguishing feature. The first colourless logos had a three-dimensional look, but the one that is now in use, as well as the one that was used in 2013, are both flat.
Font
The most recent iteration of the Google logo utilises the sans-serif typeface, which is distinct from the Times New Roman and decorative fonts that were previously used by the wordmark. This typeface is pixel-friendly due to its bold and streamlined design, which makes it suitable for all resolutions; thus, the wordmark is visible on a wide variety of devices.
Google Plus logo
The capital letter “G” forms the foundation of the Google Plus logo, and it is rendered in the same font as many of the other products that Google offers (for instance, Google Search). The actual letter is white in colour. The + symbol, which is likewise white, may be seen just next to it. They are positioned inside a circle that has a filler of red. The shading technique gives the impression that the logotype is three-dimensional. It is interesting to note that the mix of colours and the plus symbol make the Google Plus logo fairly similar to the insignia of the Red Cross, but the colours on that emblem are the opposite of what they are on the Google Plus design.
Google Play logo
Since the platform’s name changed from Android Market to Google Play in 2012, the Google Play logo has seen many iterations of revision. The triangular outline of the insignia has been preserved, although the colours and the wordmark have been subjected to a little of experimentation in recent years. The symbol that was launched in April 2016 has colours that are more vibrant and saturated. The appearance of the insignia became more two-dimensional.
Google Drive logo
The Google Drive logo is comprised of a combination of colours and shapes, each of which has its own unique significance. There are three different file types that may be stored in Google Drive: DOCs (represented by a blue logo), SHEETs (represented by a green logo), and SLIDES (yellow). So, each hue of the Google Drive logo signifies one of the services it contains. The shape of the triangle draws attention to the number “three,” while the fact that it is a closed figure conveys the idea that your information is secure.
Google Maps logo
The wordmark features the word “Google” appearing precisely like the standard Google logo and the word “Maps” in grey. In contrast to the version from 2013, the initial letter of the name of the service is written with a capital letter. The favicon depicts a stylised map with three fields, two roadways (one yellow and one white), and a yellow and a white road (blue, green, and grey). In addition to that, there is a sign that looks like a red balloon with a circular dot that is a deeper shade of red.
The logo for Google Analytics
The wordmark itself was constructed in the same manner as the wordmarks for other Google services; the first word is the standard Google wordmark, and the second word is the name of the service, which is presented in a grey font.
A graphical depiction of an ascending and descending trend may be observed on the Google Analytics logo, which is shown on the icon. In addition to white, the colour palette also consists of two different tones of orange.
Icon
