The Johnson & Johnson logo actually originated from the signature of James Wood Johnson, one of the three founders of the company. While most other logos during that time were simply well-set type which was then printed on a label, this handwritten swing off Johnson’s signature quickly set it apart as an effective, competitive mark. The very personal feel of the logo fits well with the goal of Johnson & Johnson as they market themselves as “A Family Company.” The Johnson & Johnson logo has not changed much throughout the years and is still effective today as it is combined with more modern packaging.
Concept aside, the translation of Johnson’s signature into a typographic mark is easy to read, despite the fact that it is hand written. It also has the fun perk of having the ampersand connecting to the “J”. The Johnson & Johnson logo is also clean and streamlined, which fits with the type of products the company sells.
Its always interesting to watch the evolution family businesses, especially since there was one in my family. It is always interesting to see how they choose to represent themselves through design. A lot of times the family miss represents either the character of the family or the company and the business goes down because of it. Not because the company wasn't established well, but because the identity was off.
ReplyDeleteGood point, this is definitely a logo/brand that we see *all* the time but never stop to think about the design behind it. Johnson & Johnson definitely has branded itself for success. Love the picture of the old products!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many logos out there that we see everyday and take for granted. Johnson & Johnson is the perfect example of this. It is nice to stop and admire a logo that is well done. Maybe we don't stop to look at well done logos, because they are so recognizable and easy to look at, and they get overlooked. Its the best logos that dont need an explanation or need to be figured out.
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