The IBM logo is the striped “IBM” lettermark designed by Paul Rand in 1972, with the letters drawn in eight horizontal bars. It builds on Rand’s 1956 version, set in a modified City Medium slab serif, and IBM says it has remained unchanged since 1972. IBM was formed in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, and today the mark is one of the best-known tech company logos.
What Is the IBM Logo?
The IBM logo is a lettermark: the capitals I, B and M in a square-cornered slab serif, each cut by horizontal stripes. Paul Rand created the striped version in 1972, building on the City Medium-based logo he designed in 1956. It exists in an eight-bar version, the default, and a thirteen-bar version for more refined uses.
IBM logo at a glance
| Symbol | Lettermark “IBM” cut by eight horizontal bars (a thirteen-bar variant also exists) |
| Designer/agency | Paul Rand (1956 logo, 1972 striped version) |
| Current version since | 1972 |
| Colors (hex) | IBM Blue, Pantone 2718 C per IBM; approx. #1F70C1 as rendered in the common logo file. Black, gray and white versions also exist |
| Typeface | Custom lettering based on City Medium (Georg Trump, 1930); Roboto Slab is a loose free alternative |
| Previous major version | 1956-1972 solid City Medium lettermark, also by Rand |
How Has the IBM Logo Evolved Over Time?
According to IBM’s own logo history page, the company’s marks run from the 1888 International Time Recording Company logo through the 1911 Computing-Tabulating-Recording (C-T-R) logo, the 1924 globe, the 1947 Beton Bold wordmark, Rand’s 1956 logo and the 1972 8-bar logo. IBM has not changed the logo since 1972.
Computing-Tabulating-Recording Logo (1911-1924)
Charles Ranlett Flint merged four companies into the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company on 16 June 1911. Its logo showed the letters C-T-R in white on a black square, with sinuous whiplash curves. IBM does not name the designer.
International Business Machines Globe (1924-1946)
Thomas J. Watson renamed the company International Business Machines in 1924, a name already used by its Canadian division. The logo was an Art Deco globe with “International” wrapped around the middle and “Business Machines” in a simple sans serif. IBM says Watson directed the design and names no designer.
Beton Bold Wordmark (1947-1956)
In 1947 the company switched to the letters “IBM” alone, set in Beton Bold, a slab serif. It first appeared on the 1 January 1947 issue of the company magazine Business Machines. No designer is credited.
Paul Rand’s Solid Logo (1956-1972)
Rand redesigned the logo in 1956, using City Medium with a square-contoured B and asymmetrical serifs on the M. IBM’s page dates it 1956 in the text and 1957 in one image caption; Wikipedia gives 1956. Rand modified it again in 1960. The lettering is still the base of today’s logo.
The Eight-Bar Logo (1972-Present)
In 1972 Rand cut the letters into horizontal stripes, creating the logo IBM still uses. Wikipedia’s article on Rand says the default has eight stripes and that a thirteen-stripe version was made for more refined uses such as executive stationery. Wikipedia’s IBM article adds that the 8-bar replaced a 13-bar logo that period photocopiers reproduced poorly. Sources disagree on that point and on the date of the earlier 13-bar logo, and IBM itself lists the 13-bar as a variant.
What Do the Design Elements of the IBM Logo Mean?
The stripes are usually read as a sign of speed and dynamism, and as a way to make the heavy letters feel lighter. Wallpaper’s coverage of Rand’s design notes that the striped logo comes in two stripe weights chosen by scale. The equal-sign and “scanning lines” readings are common interpretations, not statements from IBM or Rand.
In 1981 Rand also designed the “Eye Bee M” rebus poster for IBM, replacing the I and B with an eye and a bee. It is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, according to IBM.
What Are the IBM Logo Colors?
IBM’s logo history page says the logo is usually black, gray, white or “IBM Blue,” which it specifies as Pantone 2718 C. The blue in the common SVG logo file is approx. #1F70C1. Do not mix it up with #0f62fe, which is “Blue 60” in IBM’s Carbon design system and is the interface link and button color, not the logo color.
The nickname “Big Blue” comes partly from the company’s blue logo and color scheme and partly from its former white-shirt-and-blue-suit dress code, according to Wikipedia.
What Font Is the IBM Logo?
The 1956 logo, and the 1972 version built on it, use City Medium, a slab serif designed by Georg Trump in 1930, redrawn by Rand with a square-contoured B and asymmetrical M serifs. It is custom lettering, not a font you can install. A striped alphabet like the one above is a fan-made imitation. IBM Plex is IBM’s own text typeface and is a separate design from the logo.
FAQ on the IBM Logo
Who designed the IBM logo?
Paul Rand. He designed the solid logo in 1956 and the striped version in 1972. Rand also designed the logos of Westinghouse, UPS, ABC and NeXT. He is among the best-known graphic designers of the 20th century.
What does the IBM logo look like?
Blue capital letters I, B and M in a slab serif, each cut by eight horizontal white stripes.
What is the current IBM logo?
The eight-bar logo from 1972. IBM says it has not changed since then.
What font is used in the IBM logo?
City Medium, designed by Georg Trump in 1930, as redrawn by Paul Rand. It is custom lettering. IBM Plex is the company’s separate text typeface.
What is the IBM blue color code?
IBM specifies Pantone 2718 C. The logo file’s blue is approx. #1F70C1. The #0f62fe often quoted online is the Carbon interface blue (Blue 60), not the logo.
What do the stripes in the IBM logo mean?
IBM has not published an official meaning. They are usually read as speed and lightness. Rand’s striped logo comes in two stripe weights chosen by the scale of use.
What is the difference between the 8-bar and 13-bar IBM logos?
Both were designed by Rand. The eight-bar is the default. The thirteen-bar version is the finer variant, used for refined applications such as executive stationery, according to Wikipedia’s Paul Rand article.
What did the IBM logo look like before 1972?
From 1956 to 1972 it was the same IBM letters, solid and without stripes. Before that, from 1947 to 1956, “IBM” was set in Beton Bold, and from 1924 to 1946 the logo was an Art Deco globe.
Has IBM ever changed its logo?
Yes. IBM’s history page lists the 1888, 1891, 1911, 1924, 1947, 1956 and 1972 logos. The 1972 striped logo is the current one.
What is the Eye Bee M poster?
A 1981 rebus poster by Rand that replaces the I and B of IBM with an eye and a bee. It is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Conclusion
The IBM logo is Paul Rand’s 1972 eight-bar version of his 1956 City Medium lettering, and as of 2026 IBM has not changed it. The blue is specified as Pantone 2718 C, and the interface blue #0f62fe belongs to the Carbon design system, not to the logo.
Sources
- IBM, The IBM logo – https://www.ibm.com/history/logo
- Wikipedia, Paul Rand – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Rand
- Wikipedia, IBM – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM
- Wallpaper, Anatomy of a logo: IBM by Paul Rand – https://www.wallpaper.com/design-interiors/corporate-design-branding/ibm-logo-design-paul-rand
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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