Let’s get an insight into the Alphabet logo and some history behind the internet giant.
A rebranding exercise of Google in 2015 gave birth to a new company and a trademark. The company, Alphabet, came with a modest yet effective logo: a red wordmark on a neutral background. It was made from Product Sans font, making it a custom logotype.
Today, the Alphabet logo is the visual ambassador of Alphabet, a brand ranked as the third-largest technology firm by revenue. Similarly, Alphabet is now the parent company of Google and other subsidiaries. So, yes, it’s structured as a collection of companies.
And therefore, it’s the umbrella company for Calico, CapitalG, Google Fiber, X Development, to name a few. The name—Alphabet resonates with the collection of letters that represent language. Luckily, it aligns with how the company indexes its search engine.
The former Google Hamburg office’s street address: ABC-Straße, initially inspired the name. Currently, Sundar Pichai is the CEO. Also, the founders—Sergey and Lawrence, are controlling shareholders. Again, both are board members and employees of the company.
Today, the logo leads a company with over 150,000 workers and revenue of $257.63 billion.
Alphabet Logo Evolution And Its History
The Alphabet logo is yet to change. It’s seven years old and impactful. It has a classic charisma that makes it pleasing, readable, noticeable, and scalable. Wherever it appears, you can quickly decode its personality. However, it’s hard to predict its future. Perhaps it might get updated one day. But, until then, let’s stay calm while examining the current one.
2015—Present
Alphabet, the parent firm of Google, has a simple logotype. It’s a readable wordmark executed in sentence case letters. This visual identity is a custom sans-serif type created from the font known as Product Sans. Though the Alphabet wordmark is red, it can adorn several other colors.
Why Does Alphabet Logo Work?
1. The Logotype Is Readable:
Illegibility is an offense in logo design. It makes it hard for people to identify with the brand easily. Remember, your brand’s name is vital in promoting your goods and services. Luckily, the Alphabet wordmark is highly readable, helping it build connections.
2. The Logotype Is Simple:
The creative designers at Alphabets are masters in simple designs. They have shown this quality with the several visual identities they have created for Google. So, they designed the Alphabet logo using the same design principles. In effect, this makes the logo highly recognizable.
3. The Logotype Is Memorable:
The Alphabet logo is impactful: it captures attention quickly, leaving a lasting impression. However, for a logo to be memorable, it should be simple, unique, and eye-catching. With this in place, your audience can quickly recall your brand. Remember, memorable logos create lasting relationships.
4. The Logotype Is Versatile:
A great logo is adaptable: you can use it in various ways without losing its glory. Therefore, such logos can reach their target audience regardless of the medium. Thankfully, the Alphabet trademark falls into this category. It can fit any marketing channel because of its modest layout.
5. The Logotype Is Timeless:
Though the Alphabet wordmark has existed for seven years, it will stand the test of time. This is because it has no trendy graphic elements. Again, the visual mark is simple, conveying only the core ideas of the brand. Finally, compared to its competitors, it’s attractive and unique.
Alphabet Logo Design Elements
Compared to its predecessors, the Alphabet logo has distanced itself. Here, the colorful designs people see with Google logos are absent. Instead, the directors opted for a wordmark and a color to create this logo. With this personality, the logo shows the maturity of the new brand.
Let’s now examine the symbolism of the elements used.
Alphabet Logo Colors
1. A Red Color:
The Alphabet logotype has a red personality. This primary color is a mark of caution. It also resonates with blood and fire. Red, an intense color, represents courage, leadership, action, and willpower. On the flip side, it signifies rage, anger, danger, and stress.
2. A White Color:
The Alphabet wordmark sits on a white background. Interestingly, across the world, people align it to virtues. For example, the color of heaven, white, symbolizes purity, humility, safety, and protection. Also, others used it to signify virginity, sincerity, perfection, and faith.
Who Created the Alphabet Logo?
The designers created the logo in-house. Though simple, the wordmark came from some of the company’s creative designers. Of course, you can’t ignore Alex Cook, Jonathan Jarvis, and Jonathan Lee here. These three graphic designers are the brain behind the humble logo design.
What Is the Tagline of Alphabet, Inc.?
Most serious brands have slogans. So, it would be a wonder if Google has none. Previously, Google used the phrase—Don’t be evil. It also doubled as an official code of conduct for the company. But, with a name change comes another tagline, and it reads—Do the right thing.
Who Founded Alphabet, Inc.?
Two computer enthusiasts founded Alphabet, Inc., formerly Google. That is Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page. These visionary partners met at Stanford University when both were pursuing their masters. They co-wrote the paper entitled The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine during this period. Also, they attempted several projects together.
Without further ado, here is a brief account of the founders of Alphabet, Inc.
1. Sergey Brin:
On August 21, 1973, Sergey Brin was born in Moscow, Russia. His parents, Mikhail and Eugenia Brin are Jewish. Coincidentally, both parents graduated from Moscow State University. On October 25, 1979, Young Brin and his parents moved to the United States.
While here, he attended Paint Branch Montessori School in Adelphi, Maryland. Later, he went to Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Maryland. After high school, Sergey got admission to the University of Maryland. Then, in 1993, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science.
Within the same year, he began his internship at Wolfram Research. Then, to advance his knowledge, Sergey started his graduate study in computer science at Stanford University. Here at Stanford, Sergey met Larry Page during orientation for new students.
The two men got close, eventually becoming business partners and forming Google, Inc. In 2007, Sergey Brin married Anne Wojcicki in the Bahamas. They had two children before divorcing in June 2015. Then, in 2018, he married Nicole Shanahan. They have a daughter.
He has received several recognitions for his innovations, including the Golden Plate Award. Today, Sergey Brin ranks as the seventh richest person globally, with a net worth of $124 billion. Though Sergey is Russian by birth, he also owns American citizenship.
2. Larry Page:
Lawrence Page is an American computer scientist and an internet entrepreneur. He was born on March 26, 1973, in Lansing, Michigan. His parents are Carl Victor Page and Gloria Page. Interestingly, both parents are passionate about computers.
Lawrence attended the Okemos Montessori School in Okemos, Michigan. Then, in 1981, he graduated from East Lansing High School. Later, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan.
Also, Lawrence holds a Master of Science in computer science from Stanford University. He did a lot while pursuing his first degree. For instance, he designed an inkjet printer. Also, he proposed using a personal rapid transit system in the school instead of the bus system.
In 2007, Lawrence married Lucinda Southworth on Necker Island. This is the famous Caribbean Island belonging to Richard Branson. Together, they have two children. Though he has invested in Tesla Motors and other ventures, he is famous for co-founding Google, Inc.
Just like his business partner, Lawrence has received several awards. Two of these recognitions are the Golden Plate Award and the Marconi Prize. With his businesses making money, it’s no wonder he is among the first ten wealthiest people in the world.
As of January 2022, Bloomberg Billionaires Index put his net worth around $122.8 billion.
Why Is Google Called Alphabet?
Google has grown to become Alphabet. Originally, the name was inspired by the company’s former Hamburg office’s street address: ABC-Straße [de]. Also, over the decades, Google has proven itself as a trusted data hub. It’s responsible for collecting and sharing reliable data with interested users. Therefore, the Alphabet name is a perfect fit for the company’s mission. To confirm this ideology, Larry Page, the company’s co-founder, once remarked:
“We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity’s most important innovations, and is the core of how we index with Google search! We also like that it means alpha‑bet (Alpha is investment return above benchmark), which we strive for!”
Finally, from this statement, they also chose the name because it signifies return-on-investment above target. Interestingly, the name—Alpha could represent dominance, supremacy, power, wealth, prestige, etc. Though not stated, these are values that echo with Google.
Why Was Google Rebranded As Alphabet?
Companies can rebrand based on several reasons. Interestingly, these reasons could be negative or positive. In 2015, Google, the online search giant, changed its name. As to be expected, most people wonder the reason behind such a decision. According to Larry Page, then CEO, they renamed the brand to make it more accountable. Now, read what he said:
“Our company is operating well today, but we think we can make it cleaner and more accountable.” You can avoid the guesswork regarding the brand’s rebrand from this statement.
Who Owns Alphabet Inc.?
The American technology firm hasn’t changed hands since it began. From the days of Google to the era of Alphabet, the founders still own the business. The two founders and owners are Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page. However, they have appointed Sundar Pichai as their CEO.
When Was the Alphabet Founded?
The company has existed as Google since September 4, 1998. It specializes in online advertising, search engine, and other tech services. However, it rebranded on October 2, 2015, becoming Alphabet Incorporated. Interestingly, it focuses on its previous services and more.
Concise History About Alphabet Inc.
By revenue, Alphabet is the world’s third-largest tech company. It was formed because of Google’s rebranding on October 2, 2015. As an American global company, Alphabet specializes in internet-related services and products.
These include online advertising, search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. Still, the co-founders of Google, Sergey and Lawrence, remain owners of Alphabet. Today, the new brand is the parent company for Google and other subsidiaries.
The others businesses include Calico, Nest, Verily, Fiber, CapitalG, and DeepMind. Alphabet was chosen because it echoes the brand’s mission of collecting and sharing data. To Larry Page, they rebranded Google to make it “cleaner and more accountable.”
The co-founders, Sergey and Lawrence, resigned from their respective roles. However, they remain active as employees, board members, and owners of the company. They took this stand on December 3, 2019. With this decision, Sundar Pichai became CEO and Ruth Porat, the CFO.
Alphabet operates from its headquarters in Mountain View, California. At the close of 2021, it has a staffing strength of about 150,000 workers. Also, it made about $257 billion in revenue, netting $40.27 billion in income. On January 16, 2020, it reached a $1 trillion market value.
My Final Thoughts On the Alphabet Logo And Its History
On October 2, 2015, Google, Inc. rebranded to become Alphabet, Inc. The founders regard the new firm as a collection of companies. Therefore, it’s the parent company for Google and several other ventures. It’s a global company specializing in internet-related services and products.
Currently, it has its head office in Mountain View, California. And some of its subsidiaries are Calico, Google Fiber, GV, Intrinsic, Verily, and Waymo. Still, Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page are controlling shareholders of the firm.
With a revenue of $257.63 billion (2021), Alphabet ranks as the world’s third-largest technology company by revenue. Also, it’s one of the world’s most valuable companies. Undoubtedly, it’s in the same league as Apple, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft.
The founders aimed to make Alphabet—cleaner and more accountable. Interestingly, the company’s name echoes the core mission of the company. Also, it was inspired by the then Google Hamburg office street address. Today, Sundar Pichai is Alphabet’s CEO.
Finally, on January 16, 2020, Alphabet entered the trillion-dollar company club for the first time.
