What Is the Samsung Logo?
The Samsung logo is the name SAMSUNG in blue capital letters, with no symbol beside it, a design Samsung first used in 2005. It belongs to Samsung Electronics, the South Korean maker of phones, televisions, chips and home appliances, which began in 1969 as part of a group that Lee Byung-chull had started as a small shop in Daegu in 1938.
Samsung's phones and tablets also carry the Galaxy name as a product-line mark of its own. The blue wordmark is available as the Samsung logo SVG.
Samsung Logo Facts
| Introduced | 2005 |
| Symbol | None; the name stands alone |
| Logo type | Wordmark |
| Earlier mark | White SAMSUNG lettering on a blue oval, from 1993 |
| Owner | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. |
What the Samsung Logo Means
The meaning sits in the name. In Korean, Samsung means "three stars". Samsung explains that "three" stands for something large, plentiful and strong, and "star" for something bright, lofty and eternally shining. Founder Lee Byung-chull wanted his company to shine like stars in the sky, and for decades the stars were drawn into the logo itself.
When the stars went, colour took over the job. Samsung chose blue as its brand colour in the 1990s, and its own shade, Samsung Blue (PMS 286C, hex #1428A0), fills the letters of the wordmark. Samsung says the 2005 design came out of changes meant to improve visual clarity, with the spacing and height of the letters set so they sit in even balance. Both letters A are drawn without a crossbar, which gives the name its open, angular look.
Samsung Logo History
Lee Byung-chull founded Samsung Sanghoe in 1938, and by 1948 the business was trading with Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and other markets in Southeast Asia. Samsung's early logos were built around the three stars of its name.
In the 1980s Samsung updated its logo to give the brand a more unified corporate image, and the three stars stayed in use until 1993. That year the stars were dropped. After settling on blue as its brand colour, Samsung designed a new logo: white SAMSUNG lettering over a blue oval background.
In 2005 Samsung simplified the logo again. The background oval was removed and the letters themselves were set in Samsung Blue, a change Samsung ties to its aim of becoming a leading global brand. As the wordmark spread to more uses, Samsung later redrew it in a sharper form, keeping the same letters and colour.
Samsung and Huawei
The two Asian electronics makers took opposite routes in the same years. Samsung dropped its oval in 2005 and let the name carry the whole mark, while Huawei introduced eight red petals above its name in May 2006 (compare the Huawei logo). Samsung's mark has no symbol to read at all; its three stars live on only in the meaning of the word.
For more brands like Samsung, browse our tech logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Samsung mean?
It means "three stars" in Korean. Founder Lee Byung-chull chose it because he wanted the company to be large, strong and eternally shining, like stars in the sky.
Why did Samsung remove the oval from its logo?
Samsung says it simplified the logo as part of its aim to become a leading global brand. The oval was dropped and the letters were changed to Samsung Blue.
What colour is the Samsung logo?
Samsung Blue, listed by Samsung as PMS 286C, RGB 20/40/160 and hex #1428A0. Black and white versions are also part of the brand colours.
When did the three stars disappear from the Samsung logo?
In 1993, when Samsung replaced them with white lettering on a blue oval.