Temu Logo
Temu is an online marketplace that belongs to the multinational e-commerce group PDD Holdings, which, in its turn, is owned by the Chinese businessman and investor Colin Huang. The marketplace specializes in low-priced consumer goods, typically delivered from China. Temu’s direct competitor, Shein, has sued the company multiple times. Temu has also often experienced criticism over suspicions concerning data privacy, forced labor, and product quality.
Meaning and history
In the US, the marketplace went live at the beginning of the fall of 2022. In March 2023, it started working in Australia and New Zealand, and just a month later, spread to the countries of the EU, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK. After that, it was the turn of Latin America to join in. By February 2024, the marketplace was introduced in the 49th country, South Africa.
What is Temu?
Temu is an online marketplace focusing in heavily discounted consumer goods. It’s similar to Shein. It’s operated by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, which also owns the online retailer Pinduoduo.
2022 – Today
The full version is an orange rectangle with rounded corners. Inside, there’s the name of the marketplace and four icons representing consumer goods. Each of the icons is placed right above a letter of the company name and echoes its shape.
This is especially obvious in the way the case is depicted: it has a U-shaped handle and rounded corners mirroring the letter “U” below. The diagonal line of the “M” seems to be reflected in the way the high-heeled shoe is depicted. The “E” echoes the lower part of the rocking horse (if you turn it to the side), while the “T” and the robe above both have a horizontal symmetry axis.
The most intriguing question in the way the logo looks is probably why there’s so much blank space left inside the box. Just look at all the orange space below the lettering and above the emblem. Why haven’t the designers either cut this space off and made the logo rectangular or, vice versa, filled it?
One way to explain it could be that it’s supposed to resemble an empty container that needs to be filled. Imagine this orange square is a shopping basket, and you’re in a shop. You can see how you’ve put some things into it, but there’s still a lot of room to accommodate other goods. Aren’t people wired to fill empty spaces? Of course, plenty of explanations are possible, and we should also keep in mind that in great logos, one object can symbolize multiple other things and serve multiple purposes.
Font and Color
The rounded shapes dominating the design create a friendly, laid-back feel. The glyphs look proportional, minimalistic, and perfectly legible. The bright orange color is eye-catching enough, without being as straightforward and generic as red.
