Snapchat’s logo, a ghostly phantom, is a distinctive icon for this novel messaging service, which is shown in the original presentation. This pattern represents the obscurity, secrecy, and concealment of secret communications.
In July of 2011, the Picaboo experiment served as inspiration for the development of Snapchat, a smartphone application. Creators Bobby Murphy and Evan Spiegel wanted to make it easier to share photos and videos with others, so they did just that. Accordingly, users may choose a time range of 1-10 seconds to watch media material. Once that time has passed, the recipient’s phone will no longer have the photos or videos.
Context and Origins
Explain Snapchat to me.
It’s a programme and IM service that’s evolved into a de facto social media platform. Snapchat debuted in 2011 with the primary purpose of exchanging images, but soon added the ability to make postings in the form of “stories.” The software can run on both iOS and Android.
The Ghostface Chilian logo first emerged while the app was still known as Picaboo. Snapchat was first developed by Evan Spiegel. The 25-year-old millionaire said at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity that he spent only one evening creating the symbol. And he did the painting on his bedroom computer.
BRITANNIA, THE BANK OF ENGLAND’S LOGO, HAS BEEN REVISED
The CEO and co-founder of the firm named his fictional persona Ghostface Chilian after American rap star Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan. This is to be expected, given Spiegel’s background as a rap artist and ardent admirer.
2011 – 2013
The original Snapchat icon is reminiscent to the Picaboo symbol. It shows a ghoulish figure with a jutting tongue, a spherical head, two stubby arms, and a wobbly foundation. It reminds me of a traditional Halloween outfit made from a sheet.
2013 – 2019
The ghost on the updated emblem no longer has a visible face. If you trust Snapchat’s creators, this means that each user effectively serves as the company’s public persona. Skeptics, however, had other ideas about why the remodelling had taken place. They believe the updated logo is related to the copyright infringement complaint filed by one of Picaboo’s original developers.
2019 – today
The most notorious redesign of the Snapchat icon happened in 2019. Developers made the ghost’s shape larger and darker, drawing a barrage of complaints. Unannounced, a new and enhanced version of the app with bug patches and a peculiar symbol debuted on the iOS store.
The assumption was that this would go undetected, yet viewers saw the image right away. They started making official complaints, petitions, and bad App Store reviews. A lot of people deleted Snapchat because they thought the unsightly logo looked horrible on their phones. Snap Inc. officials countered that the bold border enhanced the logo’s readability and visual appeal.
The Symbol’s Typeface and Hue
Coming out of nowhere, Ghostface Picaboo, the chilean mascot, is a well-known character. This term may be broken down into its component parts to reveal the phrase “a picture of a ghost,” or “Pic a Boo.” Snapchat’s original beat the notion of fading photos by using a cartoony picture. Notably, the material is not really deleted from the app; rather, it remains in memory but is inaccessible to the user. It’s important to remember that just because you can’t see something, doesn’t imply it doesn’t exist, as the ghost logo suggests.
Inside of a yellow square with rounded sides is a white ghost with a black outline. Initially, there was a gradient in the backdrop, complete with three-dimensional shading and illumination. Eventually, it evened out and became luminous. Snap Inc. claims the colour to be Pantone Yellow U (also written as Hex 0xFFFC00). The designers have been scouring the logos of their rivals for inspiration in their search for the perfect hue. The group settled on the colour yellow since it was unique.
Colors for Snapchat
| Yellow | Hex color: | #fffc00 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 255 252 0 | |
| CMYK: | 0 1 100 0 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 396 C |
| Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 0 0 0 | |
| CMYK: | 0 0 0 100 | |
| Pantone: | PMS Process Black C |
In your opinion, what does the Snapchat logo represent?
The ghost in the Snapchat logo represents the disappearance, anonymity, and secrecy of communications. He seemed kind and human at first. 2013 saw the removal of the eyes, mouth, and projecting red tongue, leaving just white space. However, the shape of the current logo is thicker, making it seem more impersonal. Its 2019 adoption is official.
For what reason did Snapchat update its symbol?
Snap Inc., creators of the popular photo-sharing app Snapchat, recently updated their logo in an effort to differentiate themselves more strongly from competitors. The IM service had evolved into a mobile social network at that point, therefore a new, more recognisable logo was in need. In 2019, we officially accepted the new version.
