Instagram is the renowned photo-and video-sharing social media platform that came into existence in 2010. Founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the platform, which is a portmanteau of “instant” and “telegram,” has undergone a remarkable transformation. Today, it has become arguably the largest video and photo sharing platform in the world and is worth billions of dollars.
While the core purpose of this photo sharing app has remained constant—to connect people through visuals—the branding of the app, especially its iconic logo, has evolved significantly over the years. In fact, each iteration of the Instagram logo has left an indelible mark that reflects the growth and adaptation of the platform to the ever-changing digital landscape. The article delves into the origins and evolution of the Instagram logo over the years.
The Genesis of the Original Polaroid-Inspired Logo (2010)
In October 2010, the original Instagram logo was launched. It was a design that featured a retro camera with a rainbow stripe across the lens. This logo paid homage to the Polaroid cameras of yesteryears and captured the essence of both instant photography and nostalgia. The camera body had a warm and beige coloured background to offer a classic and familiar feel. This design choice was intentional, as the founders wanted to evoke a sense of nostalgia and connect with users who had a fondness for printed photographs. The logo easily stood out among its competitors, thanks to the milky-coloured appearance of the camera.
(2010-2011)
In 2010, the Instagram logo was refined. So, while the core camera icon remained the same, the colours of the body of the camera were changed from beige to a more vibrant gradient of orange and yellow. This update made the logo look vibrant and energising. It reflected the growing popularity and dynamic nature of the platform.
(2011-2016)
In 2011, Instagram unveiled a redesigned logo that was a departure from its retro roots. The new logo featured a flat and minimalist design with a simple camera icon that was set against a gradient of warm colours, such as purple, pink, orange, and yellow. This redesign was part of the efforts undertaken by Instagram to create a more modern and versatile brand identity. The flat design and vibrant colour palette were in line with the trends of the time. They appealed to a broader audience and were adapted to various digital platforms and devices.
(2016-2022)
In 2016, Instagram made a subtle update to its logo. Here, while the overall design remained the same, the background of the gradient was given a softer and more muted treatment. The colours changed more smoothly and created a more harmonious and cohesive visual experience. The colours included orange and pink and their various shades and gradients. This update seemed to be a response to user feedback and an effort to enhance the aesthetics and readability of the logo across different screen sizes and resolutions.
(2022-Present)
In 2022, Instagram once again refined its logo by embracing a vibrant colour palette. The new logo featured a solid and vibrant gradient of warm colours, such as the various gradients and shades of orange and purple. And the camera icon adopted a sleek and simplified design. This iteration was meant to create a more unified and streamlined visual identity without disturbing the recognisable camera icon. The colour scheme made the legibility and consistency of the logo better across various platforms and devices.
The History of Instagram Logotype
(2009-2010)
Instagram used to be called Burbn in its initial days. So, its initial logo prototype featured the stylised name in lowercase and executed in a custom cursive font with curved and rounded ends. The thick letters were written in black against a white background.
(2010-2013)
The original Instagram logo featured a fancy handwritten font, and the letters in black were written cursively. Some letters had elongated lines and curved tails and were balanced by shorter, bold strokes. Interestingly, except for the first letter, the rest were connected to each other.
(2013-2015)
In 2013, the logotype and the colour palette were changed to cursive lettering and a calm sea-blue colour shade, respectively. Similar to the previous iteration, the letters with bolder lines were connected to each other, except the first letter. Also, the curved ends on the letters “I” and “G” were removed, which made the logotype appear more modern and professional.
(2015-2016)
The 2015 logo iteration was refined without changing the typeface. However, the colour palette was made a bit darker and deeper. This logotype exuded loyalty, creativity, and professionalism.
(2016-Present)
In 2016, the font was not touched, but the colour palette turned black. The change in colour contrasted well with the new colourful and gradient-rich emblem.
(2022-Present)
In 2022, a new typeface called Instagram Sans was launched in various styles. Rendered in black, this typeface has standalone letters, except for “r” and “a.” This logotype has been created for use in reels and stories.
The Elements of the Instagram Logo
The cursive typeface used in the Instagram logo was crafted by the graphic design agency Mackey Saturday. This bespoke font was introduced in 2013 as part of the second iteration of the Instagram logo, which showed a smooth calligraphic aesthetic. The font style used for this new Instagram logo was similar to the popular typefaces of Billabong Regular, Bluestar Regular, and Avangard Regular. These fonts are known for their rounded letterforms, smooth edges, and soft lines. They have an elegant quality about them, which was evident in the second logo iteration.
Over the years, the colour palette of the Instagram logo has gone through several transformations. And after the inaugural logo, which featured an elaborate image of a Polaroid camera, the next two iterations adopted a simplified version that contained a camera icon and a stripe of the rainbow. However, these designs aimed for muted shades of brown to depict the camera.
The 2016 redesign marked a bold departure from the previous iterations and introduced a brighter and more vibrant colour scheme. The new logo discarded the bland browns and opted for a combination of warm colours. These colours were derived from the rainbow stripe, and blended reds, yellows, and blues. This way, the colour combination appeared to be similar to the TikTok logo, but with a greater focus on red and blue colours. Thus, the Instagram logo has evolved from its roots and has embraced a sleek and contemporary design. It reflects the growth and adaptation of the platform to modern design trends.
The History of Instagram
Instagram came into being from a simple idea given by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger in 2010. Initially called Burbn, it was designed as a mobile check-in app similar to Foursquare. However, the two founders placed the focus of the app on photo-sharing after finding similarities to Foursquare. In January 2011, Instagram introduced the ‘hashtag’ feature, which allowed users to find and connect with others through specific and relevant tags. This move became popular for facilitating the discovery of content and building virtual communities.
February 2012 saw the introduction of ‘Lux Filler,’ which was a feature that enhanced the quality of a photo by making the shadows lighter, increasing the contrast, and darkening the highlights. In June 2012, Instagram saw the launch of a powerful tool called “Explore” to curate popular photos, make tags, and make location-based content trend. This made it easier for users to discover new and engaging content.
Instagram continued to innovate and introduced ‘Website Profiles’ in November 2012. It allowed users to view feeds on web browsers. In June 2013, the platform expanded its capabilities by enabling users to share 15-second videos with friends and loved ones. And by enhancing its communication features, Instagram introduced ‘Instagram Direct’ in December 2013. It enabled the exchange of private messages between users with a mutual following, complete with photos and videos.
In June 2015, Instagram refreshed its user interface by replacing angular picture profiles with circular ones. It adopted a minimalist and flat design that was similar to mobile websites to optimise the desktop experience. Thereafter, after recognising the growing popularity of mobile devices, Instagram launched its ‘Windows 10 Mobile App’ in April 2016. It supported a host of activities, such as video viewing, post creation, live streams, and photo albums.
August 2016 saw the introduction of ‘Instagram Stories,’ which allowed users to capture and enhance photos with effects and layers. Then, they were allowed to share them in a dedicated Stories section. As the popularity of Instagram grew, its founders, Krieger and Systrom, announced their resignations in September 2018. Soon thereafter, in October, Adam Mosseri was appointed as the new head of Instagram.
In a bid to stay ahead of the curve, Instagram released its most popular feature, the ‘Instagram Reels’, in August 2020. It mimicked the functionality of TikTok. Concurrently, Facebook began integrating Instagram Direct into its Messenger app. And under the ownership of Facebook, Instagram has continued to innovate by introducing features such as IGTV Ads, Facebook Shop, Instagram Shop, Live Shopping, and Messenger Rooms. These enhanced the capabilities and user experience of the platform further.
Interesting Facts About Instagram
- Instagram was launched on 6th October 2010, and on that very day, it clocked about 25,000 users.
- Kevin Systrom is credited with creating Instagram. Earlier, he used to work for Google and had a degree in Computer Programming from Stanford University.
- The name Instagram was formed after combining the words “instant camera” and “telegram.”
- The first photo posted on Instagram was that of a dog by the co-founder Kevin on 16th July 2010.
- A study stated that about 8% of all Instagram accounts are fake.
- Pizza is the most featured food item on Instagram, followed by sushi and steak.
- Instagram was initially called Burbn based on the drink Bourbon, which the founder loved.
- In 2012, Facebook bought Instagram for $ 1 billion. At that time, Instagram had only 30 million users.
- Presently, Instagram has a worth of more than 100 billion dollars.
- As of August 2024, Instagram has more than 2.4 billion users worldwide.
- India has the largest user base on Instagram, with an average of 326.6 million active users, followed by the USA at over 143 million users.
- Instagram aims to move away from being a photo-sharing platform to being more like a video-sharing app similar to YouTube and TikTok.
- Instagram is looking to become a paid platform and give a plethora of benefits to such subscribers, such as blue badge verification, increased account visibility, monitoring services to find impersonators stealing content, and personalised support from the Instagram team.
- In 2021, Instagram had banned Donald Trump from using the platform, as the former President had praised those who took part in the Capitol events of 2021.
- As of August 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed personality on Instagram with 640 million followers and closely followed by Leonel Messi with 504 million followers.
- The hashtags used more commonly on Instagram are #love, #me, #follow, #cute, and #instagood.
- On Instagram, posts that include one hashtag are known to get 12.6% more engagement.
- Instagram has about 1 million advertisers.
- Heart emoji is the most followed emoji on Instagram.
- The most used filters on Instagram are Gingham, Clarendon, and Juno.
- Google receives 16 million searches every month on Instagram.
- The most followed brands on Instagram are National Geographic, Nike, Victoria’s Secret, 9GAG, and Nike.
- Selfies are the most uploaded pictures on Instagram.
- In the US, about 96% of the top fashion brands use Instagram.
- The majority of users on Instagram are in the age group between 18 and 29.
- According to Pew Research Centre, half of all Instagram users log into the site on a daily basis.
Finally
As the popular photo and video-sharing app Instagram continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape, its logo remains a symbol of its journey. Each iteration of its logo reflects the growth and maturity of the platform. It also reinforces the platform’s commitment to staying relevant and engaging for its users. In the future, while the appearance of the logo may change, its core objective of connecting people through the sharing of photos and videos will remain unchanged.