GE Logo
General Electric, abbreviated as GE, is an international corporation operating in many industries and economies, including providing financial services to more than 100 million consumers. General Electric produces a huge range of products for the energy and electrical industries, transportation, and healthcare. It has long occupied one of the first places in the production of household appliances segment and is not planning to give up its position. The company made a great contribution to the development of the world industry.
Meaning and History
General Electric was founded by world-famous genius Thomas Edison in 1878. The original name of the company was Edison Electric. The company began operations under the name GE on April 15, 1892, when Edison Electric and Thompson-Houston Electric merged. Besides Thomas Edison, its founders were Thomson Elihu, Charles Coffin, and Edwin Houston. The merger allowed the management to begin to realize the global objectives of distributing their lamps. At the start of the new millennium, GE made many scientific discoveries and made a large number of developments. In over 130 years, this small laboratory turned into a huge corporation, known in almost all countries.
What is GE?
General Electric is one of the most innovative companies in the world. The corporation is represented in many areas, producing various products: from incandescent lamps to nuclear reactors for power plants and engines for nuclear submarines. GE is one of the world’s largest corporations in terms of revenue and production volume.
1892 – 1900
The logo of the company that made a huge difference in the world looked very delicate, dynamic, and sophisticated at the same time. It featured company initials done using ornate, elegant cursive writing. The black color choice added a touch of sophistication and created a truly timeless look.
1900 – 1909
It is not known for sure who designed the iconic GE logo that served as the base of all future logos. Some believe that it was one of the company’s employees, either Arthur L. Rich who worked in the catalog department, or a draftsman Sven Stalberg. Others say it could have been Charles Kelley, Stalberg’s employee. In either case, the design was successful. It featured a more symmetrical initials monogram placed on a round base. The latter had four ornate spirals going counterclockwise and curving inside. The whole emblem seemed to have a 3D appearance as the initials and the frame had highlights and shadows that made them pop, while the base also appeared to have some volume.
1909 – 1969
A flat version of the previous logo was presented in 1909. It featured an even black background and white initials along with decorative elements around the border. The lines of the initials look slightly thicker. The swirls stand out on the black background and symbolize the innovation speed the company has demonstrated right from the start.
1969 – 1987
It is not easy to tell right away what modifications have been done. However, when setting two logos side by side, one can notice that the white elements in the logo stand out more thanks to even thicker strokes. The logo looks bolder and not as delicate as before.
1987 – 1998
Landor Associated made the logo look more powerful and strong. The adjustments were now done to the ends of the spirals, both on the initials and the circle. They did not curve anymore but rather had rounded ends. In addition, the initials themselves did not take up so much space on the emblem. Despite this, the logo looked stronger.
1998 – Today
The adjustments were minor and once again they touches the terminals of the initials. The logo looks assertive and more put together.
2004 – Today
A major change was done in 2004. Although all the elements of the logo stayed the same, the color palette was different. All the black parts were replaced by a pleasant shade of blue. The other elements were preserved white. It was a good redesign since the logo preserved its essence while reflecting that the company has developed without abandoning its core values.
Font and Color
For over a century, the company used a black-and-white color palette. Only at the beginning of the 21st century, the company switched to blue and white. Both choices create a professional, classic, and sophisticated look. Although the first color palette was a truly timeless choice, the introduction of blue reflected the company’s trustworthiness, dependability, and loyalty to customers. All the logos, with an exception of the first one, feature the same elegant, cursive writing with small modifications being done each time the logo was updated. The custom font is called GE Inspira.
