LG is a South Korean-based electronics brand that is known for producing high-quality consumer electronics and appliances. Since its inception, the company’s logo has undergone a remarkable evolution. It is a monogram comprising the first letters of the merged companies “Lucky” and “GoldStar.” The evolution of its logo over the years reflects its growth and ability to adapt to changing technologies, market trends, and consumer preferences. This article explores the history and evolution of the LG logo over the years.
The Genesis of the Logo (1947–1963)
The forerunner of LG was a company called Lucky. The logo of the company was designed primarily for an Asian audience. It incorporated hieroglyphs to represent the full name of the company. The bold red ellipse served as the primary design element. It was placed in contrast to a white backdrop. The graphic contained two inscriptions in Korean, one in a red oval and another below it on a white background. This striking visual identity aimed to captivate consumers and establish a strong presence in the Asian market.
(1958–1964)
At the end of the 1950s, the GoldStar brand was launched. Its logo displayed a cursive wordmark and a crown-shape emblem placed above it in monochrome colour.
(1963–1978)
During this period, LG underwent a significant transformation in its logo design. The branding strategy of the company changed with the removal of the red ellipse that had previously defined its visual identity. The revamped logo featured a red square with a stylized letter “L” and a wavy lower bar inside it. The logotype was rendered in bold lines with straight edges and smooth angles. This redesign marked a departure from the company’s Asian-centric branding and was aimed at expanding its reach globally.
(1964 – 1983)
The LG logo underwent a transformation in 1964 with a black-and-white emblem. The emblem featured a solid black square containing a white roundel. Inside the roundel was a stylised crown with 5 pointed spurs, wherein each of the spurs had black balls tied to their ends. Below the crown was the abbreviation “GS” positioned, which alluded to the name of the company, GoldStar.
(1978–1983)
The logo iteration during this period comprised the name of the company written in Korean and a blue square with bent edges placed on the left of the company’s name. The square had a flower with four white petals.
(1983–1995)
The GoldStar logo was changed, and its colour palette was made dark red and white. The crown-like emblem remained unchanged, though, and was placed in a white circle. Also, the first letters of Gold and Star were marked in red and placed beneath the crown-like emblem. The entire graphic was enclosed in a red-coloured square, and the wordmark was rendered in a sans-serif typeface.
(1983-1995)
In 1983, the companies “Lucky” and “GoldStar” merged to form a new entity called Lucky-GoldStar or LG. The new logo for the merged entity featured an emblem in red and white and a wordmark in black. The emblem comprised a solid red square with a white “L” and a white GoldStar crown. Here, the horizontal leg of the letter “L” resembled a zigzag bar. Alongside the emblem also appeared the name of the company in Korean.
Modern Day: The Contemporary Image (1995–Present)
Today, the LG logo reflects the growth of the brand and the technological advancements it made to stay up the competition curve. The sleek and minimalist design features a simple yet powerful wordmark, with the letters “LG” written in a bold, sans-serif typeface. The clean and modern aesthetic of the logo aligns with the company’s commitment to innovation and cutting-edge technology.
The contemporary LG logo is more than just a graphic representation; it is a symbol of the company’s evolution and its ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences. The design elements convey a sense of strength, stability, and confidence. They reflect LG’s position as a global leader in the industry.
(1995–2014)
In 1995, the name of the company, “Lucky GoldStar,” was changed to LG. The logo of the period comprised a red circular emblem and a light grey wordmark on the right. The wordmark was written in Helvetica font. The circle had three white symbols inside: the letter “G” placed in the inner perimeter, the letter “L” placed at the centre, and a white dot placed on the upper left of “L.” The emblem looked like a stylized image of a smiling face.
(2008–2014)
The LG logo was refined further by giving the colour of the wordmark a darker shade of grey. The emblem was made three-dimensional, and the face image was given a few gradient shades.
(2014–Present)
The logo iteration of 2014 saw the fuchsia red colour of the emblem change to burgundy. The typeface of the LG wordmark was slightly modified to look modern without changing its dark grey colour.
(2023–Present)
The logo was redesigned without changing the iconic emblem. It features a scarlet red square with thin white lines forming the face with the letters “L” and “G” and a white dot placed on the upper side of “L.”
The Elements of the Logo
Symbol
At the heart of the logo lies a circle with the stylized letters “L” and “G” and a round white dot inside. The overall impression of the logo is similar to that of a smiling human face. Beside the circle, the company name “LG” is displayed in a straightforward, minimalist typeface.
Font
The original LG logo used a typeface from the Helvetica family (Helvetica Black). In 2015, the company revamped its wordmark by reshaping the letter “G.” Additionally, both letters were enlarged relative to the adjacent red circle.
Colour
The colour scheme of the LG logo comprises three elements. The most vibrant colour is a dark red shade. According to the designers of the Korean company, the primary colour of the emblem seeks to project a sense of friendliness and show the company’s dedication to excellence.
Within the red circle, the name of the company is shown in white. The LG characters adjacent to the emblem are shown in a dark grey colour palette. The shade used in the updated version is slightly lighter than that in the previous logo.
The History of LG
The LG company we know today was founded in 1947 and originated from Lucky Chemical Co., Ltd. The initial name of the company was “Lucky,” which phonetically resembles “Lak Hui” and translates to “bringing joy to all.” It was chosen by Chairman In-hwoi Koo after the immense success of “Lucky Cream,” the first makeup cream in Korea. This product marked the first major success of LG and later became the namesake of the company.
The “Lucky” brand emerged as the face of Lak Hui Chemical and became popular with products such as “Lucky toothpaste.” In 1974, Lak Hui Chemical was rebranded as Lucky Co., Ltd. Further, the electronics company GoldStar contributed a lot to the history of LG. Established in 1958, GoldStar was responsible for the development of the country’s critical electronic products. Thus, both Lak Hui and GoldStar quickly became leaders in their respective sectors.
By the late 1960s, the Lucky Group had expanded to include high-tech industries like petrochemicals, energy, semiconductors, and more. It also ventured into construction, securities, distribution, insurance, and other service sectors. With this expansion, Lucky and GoldStar formed several affiliates. And by 1983, the conglomerate was renamed “Lucky GoldStar.” The 1990s ushered in an era of openness, globalisation, and information. During those years, the “Lucky GoldStar” name seemed too lengthy for international consumers. So, it became imperative for the company to craft a robust and vibrant brand identity.
Interesting Facts About LG
- LG is an acronym for Lucky GoldStar.
- It has fierce competition with Samsung, leading to the theft of business secrets, lawsuits, espionage, and others. Even the employees of the companies do not meet each other. Interestingly, the founders of Samsung and LG were in-laws, went to the same school, and started a network together.
- LG began as a cosmetics company and used to produce facial creams until 1947.
- The first company to launch a smartphone with a flexible display (LG G Flex).
- The company produces components for electric vehicles and is into the exploration of technologies for autonomous driving.
Finally
The evolution of the LG logo proves the resilience of the company and its ability to embrace change. LG has consistently reinvented its visual identity to stay relevant and resonate with its target audience. The logo highlights the importance of adaptability, the need to keep up with market trends, and the power of simplicity in conveying the essence of a brand. The journey of the LG logo serves as a reminder that a successful visual identity is not cast in stone; it must evolve and transform to remain relevant in an ever-changing business landscape.