What Is the Epson Logo?
The Epson logo is the name EPSON in blue capital letters, a word coined in 1975 for the printers that followed the EP-101, a miniprinter launched in 1968. It belongs to Seiko Epson Corporation, the Japanese maker of printers, projectors and other electronics, based in Suwa, Nagano, whose roots go back to a company founded on the shore of Lake Suwa in 1942.
The blue wordmark is available as the Epson logo SVG.
Epson Logo Facts
| Introduced | 1975, with the Epson name |
| Symbol | None; the name stands alone |
| Logo type | Wordmark |
| Owner | Seiko Epson Corporation |
What the Epson Logo Means
The logo is a printer's family name. Epson says the word joins EP, for electronic printer, with "son", for the many derivative products it hoped would follow. The parent in that name is the EP-101, which Epson calls the world's first miniprinter. It went on sale in September 1968, and Epson describes it as the impetus for the Epson brand.
Because the word itself carries the story, the logo needs no symbol. Every product sold under it, from inkjet printers to projectors, is in that sense one of the EP-101's sons.
Epson Logo History
Epson's history starts in May 1942, when Daiwa Kogyo, Ltd., the predecessor of Seiko Epson, was set up on the shore of Lake Suwa in Nagano. In September 1968 the company launched the EP-101 miniprinter.
In July 1975 Epson was formally established as the name for the next generation of printers based on the EP-101, and the name has been carried by Epson products since. In November 1985 Suwa Seikosha Co., Ltd. and Epson Corporation merged to form Seiko Epson Corporation, bringing the name into the company title.
In 2005 Epson introduced "Exceed Your Vision" as a global tagline, presented in July of that year as a statement of what it wanted to give its customers.
For its 40th anniversary in 2015, Epson made a special version of the logo set against four background colours. Each colour stood for one of the areas Epson was focusing on: printing, visual communications, quality of life and manufacturing. In June 2025 Epson marked 50 years of the brand with another anniversary logo.
Epson and HP
The two printer makers took their logos from different sources. Epson's is a word made from the name of its first printer, while HP's is a pair of founders' initials inside a circle, used since 1941 (compare the HP logo). Epson's name says what the company makes; HP's says who started it.
For more brands like Epson, browse our tech logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Epson stand for?
It joins EP, for electronic printer, with "son". The name was chosen in 1975 for the successors of the EP-101 printer.
What was the EP-101?
A miniprinter launched in September 1968, which Epson describes as the world's first. Epson says it was the impetus for creating the Epson brand.
Who owns the Epson brand?
Seiko Epson Corporation, formed in November 1985 when Suwa Seikosha and Epson Corporation merged.
What did the Epson 40th anniversary logo look like?
It placed the logo against four background colours, one each for printing, visual communications, quality of life and manufacturing.