Books-A-Million (BAM) is a prominent American bookstore chain that has evolved significantly since its inception in 1917. It was originally founded as a newsstand in Florence, Alabama, and with time has transformed into one of the largest book retailers in the United States. Over the years, BAM has undergone several changes, not only in its business model but also in its branding, especially its logo. This article explores the history and evolution of the BAM logo, among others details, over the years.
The Genesis of the Books-A-Million (BAM) Logo (1988 – 1997)
In 1988, the BAM logo featured the full brand name in uppercase and in a light blue colour scheme against a white background. The individual letters were thinner and elongated for greater visual clarity and readability. The individual words in the brand name were separated by hyphens that served as brand identifiers.
(1997 – Present)
In 1997, the logotype was reduced in size, and the characters were made bold. The hyphens between words were replaced with dots. The shorter size of the words was in sharp contrast to the taller words of the previous logo. The brand name in full was rendered in a custom sans-serif typeface to give the logo a modern and dynamic look.
(2000 – Present)
As BAM continued to expand, it refined its logo further in the early 2000s. The design became more streamlined and incorporated a more contemporary font that emphasised professionalism while retaining an approachable feel. The logo featured the abbreviated form “BAM” followed by an exclamation mark and the previous logo design beneath. The word “BAM!” was rendered in a massive size where the individual letters had pointed ends.
The Elements of the Books-A-Million (BAM) Logo
Font
The “BAM! BOOKS-A-MILLION” logo utilises a font that resembles Eagle Bold, which is a sans-serif typeface designed by Morris Fuller Benton. This font choice imparts a modern and robust appearance to the logo, which aligns with the dynamic branding approach of the company.
Colour
The Books-A-Million (BAM!) logo primarily features a bold blue colour, which has been a consistent element of its branding over the years. The colour is mostly associated with trust, professionalism, and reliability—qualities that align with BAM!’s long-standing reputation as a major book retailer. The colour is also linked to knowledge and intelligence, which complements the brand’s focus on books, learning, and literature.
Finally
The Books-A-Million logo encapsulates the journey of the company through various market challenges and consumer preferences over more than a century. Each logo iteration serves as a testament to BAM’s resilience and adaptability in an ever-changing retail landscape.