The hidden meaning behind the famous Google logo
There is no logo that is more famous and recognizable than Google’s, but do you know what is behind the colorful design?
Over time, it’s become the logo we see every day, but it’s still strikingly similar to the original creation of Stanford University students and Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998.
The current Google logo that everyone is familiar with is still similar to the original design.
One of the original Google logos that featured an exclamation point
the original logo
An early Google logo from 1998 had an exclamation point and used the three primary colors of blue, yellow, and red; there was also a secondary color which was green.
However, the founders were not happy with the design, so they asked an assistant professor at Stanford, Ruth Kadar, to improve it.
They wanted it to stand out and they didn’t want Google to be portrayed as just another company.
To do this, they changed the order of the primary colors in the letters and made the ‘L’ green.
What does each color mean?
Each color has a different meaning and was carefully chosen to market and represent Google as a brand.
- Blue represents trust, reliability and security: the most “formal” part of Google
- Red symbolizes emotion and passion. It is striking to represent the powerful part of the company.
- Yellow represents creativity, adding a bright and happy element to the logo.
- Green communicates growth; it also makes you think of healthy and environmentally friendly companies.
Each color in the Google logo was chosen for a specific purpose.
In 2015, the simpler Google logo was also created which is made up of a colorful ‘G’.
The evolution of the Google logo from 1997 to 2023. In 2015, the logo was changed again, but only slightly, as the font was changed to Product Sans.
The 2015 redesign
In 2015 the logo was changed again, but only slightly. The font was changed to Product Sans, keeping the distinctive color pattern.
The simpler Google logo was also created which is made up of a colorful ‘G’ – it’s used for products like Google Pay and is what appears at the top of your screen when you have a Google tab open.
google doodle
Pictured: A Google Doodle celebrating Dr. Mohammed Helmy: an Egyptian doctor with a powerful link to the Holocaust
A Google Doodle to celebrate Juneteenth earlier this year
Another fun fact about Google is the concept of the Google Doodle.
In 2000, then-Google intern Dennis Hwang designed a doodle drawing for Bastille Day. Dennis was then named “chief doodler”.
Now doodles are often used to commemorate events, important people, and holidays.
Recent Google Doodles include Belgian National Day and Women’s World Cup celebrations.
