Boeing is arguably the biggest aircraft manufacturing company in the world. Established in 1916, the company is known for building aircraft, rockets, and missiles for the military and big airliners for the commercial sector. The Boeing logo has undergone several transformations since the company was founded. And each logo iteration reflects the evolution of the company and the broader changes in design aesthetics and corporate branding strategies. The article explores the various logo iterations Boeing has had over the years.
The Genesis of the Boeing Logo (1920–1930)
Boeing came up with the first logo in the 1920s, which comprised three key elements. The first element was the image of a bird with a forked tail flying to the right or East. It had an arrow overhead with a plumage as its tail, and the wordmark “BOEING” being mentioned in the middle. These two symbols signified speed and freedom.
The second element of the original logo showed two stylised wings to symbolise quality and style. The third element was that of the wordmark “BOEING,” rendered in a sans-serif typeface in black capitals. At the top of the logo, the arrow with a plumage tail and a triangular tip was shown crossing the wordmark.
(1920-1930)
Another logo iteration that originated during the 1920s was that of a bird in flight looking straight. Here, the wings of the birds were straightened up, and a black accent appeared on the inner areas of both wings.
(1920-1930)
Again, the 1920s saw the wings of a bird stretched on both sides and the wordmark “BOEING” being depicted at the centre. The individual letters of the wordmark appeared in an arched fashion at the bottom end of the centre. Also, the upper end of the logo at the centre probably depicted the image of a fixed wing aircraft.
(1930-1940)
In the thirties, the totem pole concept was quite popular. Boeing, too, came up with a logo concept that resembled a totem pole. It consisted of the letter “BOEING” written vertically. And on the right and left sides of the letter “O” were shown two five-feathered wings with their distinctive characteristics.
The totem concept was chosen as Boeing was set up in a region populated by native Americans, for whom the totem was a cultural symbol. Interestingly, the letter “G” in the brand name was depicted as big and flattened, sort of a pedestal upon which the totem was placed. The whole totem was enclosed within a thin circle.
(1940-1960)
In the logo redesign of 1940, the brand name was depicted diagonally without any wings. It was written in a script typeface with a five-pointed star shown above the letter “I” instead of the usual dot. The letters in a title case appeared to have merged with each other thanks to their right tilt and bold lines. The first letter “B” had an arc at the top. The logo looked elegant and reflected the focus of the company on aerospace. This particular logo remained the identity of the company until the 1960s.
(1940)
Designers Bob Laly and Kith Kinsmen came up with a design to adorn an aircraft. This design was picked up by two in-house designers at Boeing, who developed it further in the form of a presentation. It was they who came up with the Stratotype typeface specially customised for Boeing. According to the design, the letters in black, bold, and capitals were inclined to the right to display the dynamics related to high speed.
(1960s)
One of the competitors of Boeing was McDonnell Douglas Corporation, with which it merged later in 1997. And after the merger, Boeing incorporated the insignia of McDonnell Douglas Corporation, which is composed of three geometric elements. At the centre was a blue ring crossed by a diagonal arc in red and black. The lower side of the ring featured an elongated triangle that mirrored the shape of an aircraft’s wing. And on the left of the insignia appeared the italicised wordmark “MCDONNELL DOUGLAS” in bold and black.
(1997-Today)
As mentioned earlier, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas merged in 1997, which led to the creation of a new logo as envisioned by the celebrated American designer Rick Eiber. The new logo comprised the visual identities of both entities. On the left appeared the insignia of McDonnel Douglas Corporation, consisting of a stylised wing, a ring, and an arc-like element crossing the ring vertically.
The insignia was rendered in a blue and grey colour scheme. On the right of the insignia appeared the bold, inclined wordmark “BOEING,” as conceived in the 1940s. However, this time around, the wordmark was executed in blue. Overall, the logo reflects the nature and essence of Boeing: air, speed, and safety.
The Elements of the Boeing Logo
Symbol
In 1997, Boeing merged with its competitor, McDonnell Douglas. In doing so, it incorporated the emblem of McDonnell Douglas—a sphere encircled by a ring—into the Boeing logo. Created by the renowned American graphic designer, Rick Eiber, this new design saw the merger of the sphere with the Boeing name rendered in a modern Stratotype typeface. The letters in the Boeing name are highlighted in bright blue to symbolise the sky. The logo reflects Boeing’s commitment to reach new heights, pursue excellence, and envision a bright future.
Font & Colour
The Boeing logo used the Stratotype typeface, which was designed by Bob Laly and Kith Kinsmen. This oblique, bold grotesque font is utilised for alphanumeric designations on airplanes. Here, both the lettering and the geometric shapes in the emblem appear in black.
Finally
The evolution of the Boeing logo shows the adaptability and vision of the company over more than a century in the aerospace industry. Each logo redesign has marked a new chapter in Boeing’s history and reflected broader trends in design and branding. With Boeing continuing to innovate and lead in aerospace technology, its logo is likely to evolve further to symbolise its journey into the future.