In this post, we takes a look at the history of one of the most recognisable brand logos of all time. When Facebook made the leap from a university networking site to a global phenomena, Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker (the first person to see some real potential in the site) commissioned Mike Buzzard of Cuban Council to design the logo.
In a recent interview with Down with Design, Buzzard explained the simple modification of an existing font to create the now globally recognised logo: “It was a modification of the typeface Klavika, which was designed by Eric Olson. Type and graphic designer, Joe Kral, who was a good friend that was working closely with Cuban Council at the time, completed the type modifications and final word mark, whilst I oversaw the project.”
Confidently simple
Unlike so many of the big name brands out there today, Facebook have been one of the few to stick to their original logo design, albeit with the slight change here and there. Lowercase text on a light blue background is likely to be Facebook’s logo forever more, or at least for the near future. Who knows, maybe when the social network hits 20 or 30, a change of logo might be on the cards! It’s clear Facebook have confidence in simplicity, as they constantly rework their site layout, much to the annoyance of many of its 1.23 billion users, their logo remains steadfast.
Colour combination success
The colour combination of blue and white is one key factor in the Facebook logo success. 1000 Logos analyses this, saying: “The combination of blue and white creates an even more pronounced feeling of purity and youth, and it inspires one to go for bigger endeavors. Therefore, the Facebook symbol, as well as many other known logos, which have a similar color palette, uses this combination to express optimism and determination to follow through with their strategy.”
Blue was specifically used due to Mark Zuckerberg, who suffers from a visual defect known as deuteranopia, which is a form of colour blindness. One of the few colours he can actually distinguish is blue, he also is able to differentiate between different shades of blue, far more than most people can.
Iconography success
Much like Twitter, Facebook is now a daily part of so many people’s online social life, attracting regular users, businesses, politicians and celebrities, so really, there’s no need for the team behind the brand to really bother changing the logo, perhaps some slight modifications may come along, but Facebook clearly has a winning formula and it would be stupid for them to disturb that. It’s a success in creating the right iconography that is part of Facebook’s charm, the simplistic design, matched with the bright and exuberant colours are what make Facebook book a distinguished player in the social media game.
Forever representing the new and exciting, Facebook’s aesthetic is one which never fails to entice new users.
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