What Is the IBM Logo?
The IBM logo is the three letters IBM in blue capitals, each cut into eight horizontal stripes. American designer Paul Rand created this striped version in 1972, and IBM says it has not changed since.
IBM is the American technology company founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, and renamed International Business Machines in 1924. It is based in Armonk, New York. The striped letters are available as the IBM logo SVG.
IBM Logo Facts
| Designer | Paul Rand |
| Introduced | 1972 |
| Symbol | None; the letters are split into horizontal stripes |
| Logo type | Lettermark: the initials IBM |
| Earlier mark | A solid IBM in City Medium, also by Rand, from 1956 |
| Owner | IBM |
What the IBM Logo Means
The IBM logo stands for the company name, and its stripes were added to make the mark look more dynamic. IBM says Rand wanted a streamlined and dynamic redesign when he returned to the mark in 1972.
- The letters: IBM is short for International Business Machines, the name adopted in 1924.
- The stripes: horizontal lines turn three solid letters into a lighter, moving pattern.
- Eight or thirteen: IBM draws the letters with eight lines, and sometimes thirteen.
- The blue: it helped give the company its nickname, Big Blue, together with the blue suits its staff once wore.
The eight-bar logo replaced a thirteen-bar version. Photocopiers of the time could not reproduce the thinner stripes well.
IBM Logo History
The IBM logo history runs from ornate initials in 1911 to Paul Rand's stripes in 1972.
| Year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1911 | The C-T-R initials in curving lines, white on a black square |
| 1924 | A globe made of the words Business Machines, belted by International |
| 1947 | The letters IBM first appear, set in Beton Bold |
| 1956 | Paul Rand redraws IBM in City Medium |
| 1972 | Rand cuts the letters into eight horizontal stripes |
The 1924 globe came with the new name. Thomas J. Watson Sr. swapped the swirling C-T-R initials for Art Deco forms, a style IBM links to an admiration for machines and modern life.
- 1947: the three letters arrived on the masthead of the in-house magazine Business Machines.
- 1956: Thomas J. Watson Jr. hired Rand, who gave the letters a more solid and balanced look.
- 1972: Watson asked Rand back, and the stripes followed.
The Eye-Bee-M Poster
In 1981 Rand made a poster that spells the name as a picture puzzle.
- I: an eye.
- B: a bee.
- M: the striped M, left as it is.
The Museum of Modern Art in New York holds the Eye-Bee-M poster in its permanent collection.
For more brands like IBM, browse our tech logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed the IBM logo?
Paul Rand designed it. He redrew the letters in City Medium in 1956 and added the eight stripes in 1972.
Why does the IBM logo have stripes?
Rand wanted a streamlined and dynamic redesign. Eight bars also copied better than the earlier thirteen on the photocopiers of the time.
How many stripes does the IBM logo have?
Eight in the standard version. IBM sometimes uses a thirteen-stripe version.
Why is IBM called Big Blue?
The nickname comes partly from its blue logo and colour scheme. It also refers to the blue suits and white shirts IBM staff once wore.