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.
The History of Boeing
In 1903, the 22-year-old William Boeing left college to take over his father’s profitable logging business. With the wealth he accumulated, he invested in a boat factory. However, his focus was redirected to aviation, thanks to his growing fascination with the sector. So, on July 15, 1916, he founded Pacific Aero Products Co. in Seattle, Washington. This company focused on building amphibious biplanes. The first aircraft made by the company was the B&W Seaplane, which made its maiden flight on June 15, 1916. The early growth of the company was driven by producing training planes for the U.S. Navy during World War I.
In the 1920s, Boeing focused on developing mail and military aircraft. In fact, the Boeing Model 40A became the first commercial success for the company. In 1928, Boeing acquired Pacific Air Transport to enter the passenger aviation sector. Over time, the company underwent several name changes and evolved into a major aerospace conglomerate. In pursuance of the same, it acquired various small aircraft and helicopter manufacturers. A significant milestone came in 1996 when Boeing acquired the defence and aerospace divisions of Rockwell International Corporation. And in 1997, the company merged with McDonnell Douglas Corporation.
The Second World War saw Boeing grow as it produced vital military aircraft, including the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-29 Superfortress bombers. The workforce swelled to nearly 100,000, which was a significant increase from the 10,000 employees at the beginning of the war. Post-war, Boeing continued to innovate in commercial aviation. The 1950s brought the Boeing 707, the first successful jet airliner, which was followed by the Boeing 720, the Boeing 747 (the first long-haul wide-body aeroplane), and the iconic “Jumbo Jet.”
During the 1960s and 1970s, Boeing strengthened its aerospace credentials by contributing to NASA’s Apollo missions. This included building the first stage of the Saturn V rocket. The company also introduced the Boeing 737, the best-selling commercial aircraft ever, and the Boeing 727 for medium-haul routes.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Boeing continued to expand its offerings with the Boeing 777—the first aircraft designed entirely with computer-aided design—and the twin-aisle Boeing 757 and 767. The acquisition of McDonnell Douglas in 1997 further cemented Boeing’s dominance in the aerospace industry. However, the early 2000s presented challenges, particularly following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Despite these difficulties, Boeing adapted by focussing on new, fuel-efficient models like the 787 Dreamliner.
Interesting Facts About Boeing
- Boeing is arguably the largest aerospace company in the world. It is ahead of Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics.
- Boeing has the largest building in the world by volume. Its Everett factory in Washington covers a massive area of 98.7 acres, or 39.9 hectares. The huge building once saw the formation of clouds after moist and warm air entered it.
- The first successful aircraft to be built by Boeing was the B&W Seaplane.
- Boeing builds satellites for government organisations and other companies after acquiring Hughes Electronics in 2000.
- Boeing is a key player in space exploration by developing launch systems, spacecraft, and satellite technologies.
- The founder, William Boeing, studied at Yale University.
- Boeing has built the Standard Light Rail Vehicle in cities such as Boston, San Francisco, Morgantown, and others.
- Boeing had revolutionised air travel by building the iconic jumbo jet, the Boeing 747. It is also known as the “Queen of the Skies.” In fact, it is by far the best-selling commercial aircraft in history.
- Boeing is a major supplier of aircraft and other equipment to the U.S. military. These include missiles, satellite communication equipment, rockets, and rotorcraft.
- Boeing is in the process of developing environmentally friendly places after Muppet characters such as “Fozzie,” “Kermit Kruiser,” and others. These planes will produce less noise and consume less fuel during operation.
- Boeing has built the Dreamliner 787 aircraft using composite materials to improve fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.
- The Boeing 777X is known as the largest twin-engine airliner in the world.
- Boeing almost embarked on a project to develop a spy plane that could remain airborne for 5 years. Known as SolarEagle (Vulture II), the company received a contract worth $89 million from DARPA’s Vulture Program. However, it was cancelled in 2012.
- In 2003, two men “stole’ a Boeing aircraft in Angola and flew away without a trace to date.
- At the height of the Cold War, Soviet scientists visited the Boeing facility wearing shoes fitted with adhesives to collect metal samples covertly.
- Prior to the 1960s, Boeing used ferrets to lay cables in the most inaccessible parts of the aircraft. However, it was not a success, as ferrets would do their own thing instead of pulling the cables.
- Boeing made the Boeing 2707 to match Concorde, the supersonic passenger commercial aircraft that could cross the Atlantic in 3.5 hours. However, the project could not take off, and several employees were laid off.
- In order to get even with Boeing, Bombardier, the Canadian aircraft manufacturing company, sold 50.01% of its stake to Airbus, the biggest competitor of Boeing, for just CAD$1.
- In 1981, a Boeing 747 aircraft created a world record by ferrying 1088 passengers from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of Operation Solomon. On the flight, two babies were born.
- In the 1970s, Boeing laid off more than 70,000 employees.
- Boeing 737 Max aircraft have faced safety issues, with a few of them crashing.
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.