Mar 11, 2016
IBM is perhaps the most recognized name in the field of IT products and services. But, people may not realize that it was not IBM when it started its opera>ons in 1888. Its name then was the Interna>onal Time Recording Company (ITR), whose major products were mechanical >me recorders, invented and patented by William L. Bundy. This is ITR’s ini>al logo with its ini>al leHers, ITR, inscribed on it.
• In 1891, ITR decided to make changes in its logo again and came up with this. The changes they made were quite complex and the logo was not easy to understand at a glance. Nevertheless this logo lasted for 20 years >ll they made a merger with another company.
• Later in 1911, ITR was merged with the Compu>ng-‐Tabula>ng-‐Recording Company and as a result the company had to modify the logo. Clearly companies must alter their logos to reflect the changes they are undergoing and the evolving IBM is a really good example. When one company merges with another company, they need to create a new iden>ty to signal the change to the rest of the world.
• However, in 1924, the company wished to signal an expanded business role. The ornate, rococo leHers that formed the ‘CTR’ logo were replaced by the words ‘Interna>onal Business Machines’ which were wriHen in more contemporary sans-‐serif type font. The design of it was arranged to have the look of a globe, which confirmed the company’s inten>on to be ‘Interna>onal’.
• Over 20 years later in 1947, Interna>onal Business Machines (IBM) decided to eliminate the globe from its logo. Besides this, they also had a major change in their business; they expanded from the punched-‐card tabula>ng business to the new world of computers. The typeface of this logo was called Beton Bold. The logo was cut short to IBM alone.
• A[er 9 years, in 1956, Thomas J. Watson appointed Tom Watson Jr. as the CEO. As soon as he took over, he decided to change the logo of the company. He hired Paul Rand, who was a famous logo designer. He asked Paul to make subtle changes to the current logo and make it more solid, grounded and balanced. He wanted a logo, which would be an evolu>on of their logo and not a design which would look en>rely different.
• The story begins in 1956 when designer Paul Rand introduced what IBM refers to as the IBM con>nuity logo (1956-‐1972) This logo is the solid block leHers IBM in City Medium type font. At the >me it was considered a moderniza>on from the IBM in transi>on (1947-‐1956) logo in the Beton Bold type font. This earlier logo is most easily recognized by the flat boHom M, where the New block leHer logo has a pointy M.
• According to the IBM Archives in 1972 the IBM interna>onal recogni>on logo was adopted and remains the official logo s>ll in use. The IBM logo is easily recognized by the dis>nc>ve eight stripes that make up the leHers IBM. This logo is o[en refereed to as the Eight Stripe Logo, or the Eight striper for short. There is liHle ques>on based on published material that 5 years earlier in 1967 the 360 family of computers were produced and shipped to with a logo made up of 13 stripes. The Thirteen Striper is easily recognized by the fact it has three stripes or lines making up the >p of the I where the Eight Stripe logo has only two.
• IBM logo From globes to stripes: The IBM logo • Just as a na>on's flag expresses the dis>nct iden>ty of a country, so, too, a logotype — typically a symbol or leHers — helps to establish the name and define the character of a corpora>on. Effec>ve logos become synonymous with the organiza>ons they portray. They are instantly recognized by millions of people, and help to iden>fy their companies and convey a message about the brands for which they stand.
• Down through the years, IBM (and its predecessor companies) has used a series of logos on signs, sta>onery, vehicles, products — and even flags — to make a dis>nc>ve statement and foster immediate recogni>on all over the world. Here are those logos.