Evolution of Google's Logo: What Changed From The Late 90s?

The evolution of Google’s logo is a fascinating journey through the growth of one of the most iconic tech companies in history. From its humble beginning in 1997 to the sleek and minimalistic design we recognize today, Google’s logo has undergone many transformations.

Each iteration has mirrored changes in technology, user experience, and Google’s expanding role in the digital age, from a simple search engine to a global powerhouse offering everything from cloud services to AI solutions.

In this article, we’ll dive deeper to learn more about Google’s logo evolution and how it changed drastically from the late 90s.

The interesting “Backrub” debate: 1996

Few people know this, but before Google became popular,. They originally started their project as “Backrub” in 1996. The founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, had a goal of making online information accessible.

It wasn’t until 1998 that Google made a few tweaks and changes to its business name. Considering it had competitors like Yahoo, Google managed to quickly gain popularity online and paved the way for a new generation.

Nowadays, Google is recognized as one of the most popular brands worldwide. The logo itself does still define its original brand values, but has adapted its design over the years to match digital evolution. Therefore, we’ll now dive deeper to learn about the drastic changes it’s made in the past.

Initial logo concept: 1997

Google’s first logo concept, which was initially designed in 1997, was highly different from the color design we know today. It was created by co-founder Sergey Brin, using a free graphics software called GIMP.

For its time, it looked academic with a Baskerville Bold typeface, a shadowed effect, and the fact that it included many different colors. Here’s what’s interesting about the first logo:

1. Font: A clunky Baskerville typeface that lacked polish, reflecting the experiential and DIY nature of Google’s early days.
2. Colors: The original logo was already playing with multiple colors, suggesting the company’s theme of diversity and playfulness. However, the interesting part was that both the wordmark “G” and “L” were highlighted in green, the same goes for “o” and “e” that were highlighted in red, meaning they were the only two colors that represented two letters.

The funny part was that this logo only lasted for a month before it was changed into its first official logo. The design started to get motivation from LEGO colors, and the truth was that Sergey himself was no graphic designer.

The first official logo: 1997-1998

In late 1997, Google debuted its first official logo, which was a unique 90s creation featuring an exclamation point at the end, something you saw on Yahoo’s logo as well. Again, this was created using a free graphics software called GIMP, and now, it had a different order of its colors.

The wordmark “G” color was changed to blue, and “l” was now replaced with green from blue. It featured a bold serif typeface, a shadowed effect, and an exclamation point at the end, which was motivated by the “Yahoo!” Wordmark.

The font was a great representation of what the 90s era was all about, but the colors featured diversity (not the final color scheme), suggesting how playful and diverse the company was.

Even though the first official logo was short-lived, and only lasted a year, it still debated everything and got to show people how serious Google was about making a long-lasting impact.

The classic era: 1999-2010

In 1999, only two years after their start, Google decided to take things to a whole new level and stand out in their design. This is when Google hired a designer, Ruth Kedar, to help them create the colorful Google logo that we know.

This logo period was known as one of the most recognizable eras in the company’s visual identity, a design that became synonymous with the rise of the internet in the early 2000s.

Key features of the logo include:

1. Refined serif font: This version introduced a more polished Catull typeface, a serif font with subtle artistic flourishes, giving the logo a distinctive and slightly classical look.
2. Iconic color scheme: The familiar blue-red-yellow-blue-green-red color sequence was finalized here, representing Google’s commitment to creativity and a non-conformist brand identity.
3. 3D shadow and revealing: The letters had a drop shadow and a slight bevel effect, giving the logo a sense of depth and dimension, very much in line with early 2000s design trends.
4. Both playful and professional: It maintained a sense of fun while appearing more mature and stable than earlier versions.

This logo became globally iconic as Google transitioned from a search engine startup to a household name, expanding into products like Gmail, Google Maps, and YouTube (post-acquisition).

While some may disagree, the truth is that this logo is one of Google’s best of all time, and it remained active for more than a decade.

A new clean look: 2010-2013

In 2010, Google introduced a new startup skin. It had expanded to more than 100 countries and had over 25,000 employees. The truth is that Google needed to show its transition to it being an internet giant.

The 2010-2013 Google logo was a significant update that marked a shift towards a cleaner and more modern aesthetic while still maintaining the brand’s core identity.

Key changes made in 2010-2013 include:

1. Color adjustments: The colors were slightly brightened and softened, making them more vibrant and eye-friendly on both desktop and mobile screens.
2. Cleaner typography: Catull typeface remained, but spacing and kerning were subtly refined to improve readability.
3. Flattened look: The drop shadow that gave the previous version a 3D effect was removed, creating a flatter, simpler design that felt more contemporary and in line with emerging design trends.

Focused on simplicity: 2013-2015

The 2013-2015 Google logo was another step toward simplicity and digital clarity, introducing subtle but impactful refinements that modernized the brand without straying from its recognizable identity.

Key updates in the 2013-2015 logo include:

1. Completely flat design: All remaining beveling, shadows, and gradients were removed, resulting in a fully flat, 2D appearance, perfect for digital interfaces and responsive design.
2. Refined letter spacing: The kerning (spacing between letters) was adjusted to improve balance and legibility across all screen sizes.
3. Same colors and typeface: Google kept the Catull serif font and the familiar color sequence, maintaining brand continuity while adopting a more modern look.

The 2013-2015 logo reflects evolving design trends that shifted to favor minimalism. Let’s not forget that during this period, smartphones were on the rise, so there was a need to adapt.

The modern era: 2015-present

The 2015-present Google logo represents the most significant redesign in the company’s history, marking a bold departure from its traditional serif typeface to a modern, minimalist aesthetic.

Key features of the modern era logo include:

1. Sans-serif typeface: Google introduced a custom, geometric sans-serif typeface called Product Sans, giving the logo a friendlier, more approachable feel.
2. Flatter, cleaner design: The logo is fully flat, with no shadows, gradients, or bevels, perfectly in line with modern digital and mobile-first design principles.
3. Bolder letterforms: The letters are thicker and rounder, enhancing visibility on all screen sizes, from smartwatches to 4K monitors.
4. Same color palette: The iconic blue-red-yellow-blue-green-red color sequence was preserved, keeping brand continuity despite the stylistic shift.
5. Animated dots & G icon: Google also introduced a dynamic four-color “G” icon and animated dots used in voice search and loading animations, adding a layer of motion to the brand’s visual identity.

The 2015 redesign coincided with Google’s reorganization under the Alphabet Inc. umbrella. It reflected a broader, more mature mission– evolving from “just a search engine” into a unified, cross-platform technology ecosystem.

Overall, since its creation up until now, Google has made information accessible to everyone who has an online connection. The logo has made changes, but for nearly 30 years, it has had the same mission, and that is to inform and connect people.

The evolution of Google’s logo tells a good story

The evolution of Google’s logo tells a story of a company that has grown from a scrappy startup to a global tech leader, all while maintaining a playful, user-friendly identity. Each redesign reflects a moment in Google’s journey: from the shadowed serif fonts of the late 90s to the modern sans-serif look of today.

These changes mirrored shifts in technology, branding, and the way users interact with the online world. Google’s logo strikes a balance between simplicity, accessibility, and global recognition, symbolizing its commitment to innovation while it stays true to its core values of clarity and approachability.

As designs continue to change over time, the logo might do so as well, but its colors and purpose will always remain the same!