Unless you’re in the graphic design field, chances are you haven’t spent that much time thinking about the FedEx logo … or indeed, logos of any kind. Yet putting serious thought into professional logo design services before you launch your brand — or even after you’re already in business — definitely pays.
It’s never too late to take inspiration from experts, and the FedEx logo demonstrates a level of expertise from which we could all learn something. In today’s post, we’ll talk about the logo’s design, why it works so well, and what a negative space logo could do for your brand.
Grab your morning coffee and dive in!
History of the FedEx Logo
No explanation of the FedEx logo is complete without first taking a look at this storied company’s history. According to the website, the company’s founder, Frederick W. Smith, first conceived of the postal service alternative in 1965 while at Yale. He wrote a paper about it, totally failing to impress his professor.
Still, the idea stuck with him, and by 1971, he’d founded Federal Express Corporation in Little Rock, Arkansas. The company was up and running two years later, with a shiny new logo that featured the brand colors white, purple, and red … not too different from the shades it still leverages today.
By 1975, the first FedEx drop box went in, and by 1977, the company was in possession of a matched set of Boeing 727s. They were well on their way to becoming a stellar worldwide business, an achievement cemented by their listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 1978.
The rest is history, at least regarding their success.
As for design? Well, the FedEx logo survived another 16 years before the company changed it in 1994. They ditched the red, subbed in orange, and compressed their name to FedEx — both legally and in the trademark stamp, which instantly became a hallmark of good negative space logo design.
The Hidden Arrow: Genius in Negative Space
We won’t leave you hanging: The genius of the FedEx logo is in its clever touch of negative space. If you haven’t already noticed, there is an arrow hidden in the design, right between the capital E and the lowercase X. It points right, away from the front of the logo, indicating movement and energy.
This is an approach you can bring to your own business by employing a negative space logo yourself. Of course, you’re not confined to arrows or other basic symbols. Indeed, you can get quite creative with the use of negative space.
Examples, you say? Other examples of negative space in design include real estate logos, such as using buildings or primary shapes to create a mood of structure and planning. Leaf logos are another great way to incorporate powerful visual elements into negative space, as long as you don’t make the final result too cluttered.
There are other ways to use negative space wrong, too. For instance, in the STIHL logo, the spacing is odd. It’s a bit of a headscratcher, since the mark is otherwise very streamlined and professional. If you take a look at that post, you’ll see how easy it would be to fix the issue — which is why it’s important to work with a professional designer if you want a result as good as the FedEx logo.
Design Elements & Color Psychology
The FedEx logo utilizes powerful color psychology in its white, purple, and orange design.
Its standby purple has connotations of luxury and wealth, for starters. It is also associated with romance, which might at first blush seem out of place. Yet what is more romantic and thrilling than waiting for a package in the mail, wondering what’s inside, whether it’s a surprise or you ordered it yourself? There’s definitely something to that.
Then we have orange, which connotes excitement and energy. The orange makes you feel like you’re really going places, especially since it is combined with the arrow. Importantly, while many colors have negative associations (e.g. red for death and war), neither orange nor purple do.
White, of course, has always carried connotations of goodness and peace.
Better yet, because it only utilizes three colors, the FedEx logo can convey all these ideas in a straightforward, uncomplicated fashion. You’re left feeling good when you see it, both because it’s an attractive design and because it lacks hues that may convey negativity.
FedEx Logo’s Impact on Branding & Marketing
The question becomes, how does that intelligent use of color in a negative space logo help FedEx with its branding and marketing? The answer is, there’s more than one answer.
Primarily, the FedEx logo’s simplicity helps to make it immediately recognizable. Anyone looking out their front window — even a young child — knows that a truck marked with it is delivering a package. The happiness and anticipation we feel get instantly transferred to the logo, the truck, and the brand itself. Pure genius.
Moreover, because the logo is compact and uses simple colors, it is just as powerful on a small scale as it is on a large one. If you head to their website and look at your browser tab, you’ll see their favicon: a tiny version of the exact same logo, no adjustment needed. From a giant warehouse or the side of a Boeing to a business card or a favicon, the logo works equally well.
That’s the power of intentionally using color and negative space in an uncomplicated way.
Speaking of negative space, let’s not forget the clever subliminal messaging that is that arrow. The FedEx logo wants you to feel like it’s going somewhere, a sense of movement reinforced by the fact that its trucks drive up and drive off within a matter of minutes.
Taken together, consumers are left with a sense of reliability, trust, and delight in using the services this company provides. At the end of the day, that’s all any business is really looking for: to convince its customers that they should keep using its services, time after time.
Influence on Logo Design Trends
The FedEx logo does many things well, and those characteristics have trickled down to modern logo design, especially (but not exclusively) the negative space logo. Among the things FedEx has done well are:
- Shortening the name to compress the logo
- Using colors with strong and clear connotations
- Selecting an easy-to-identify rounded typeface, which is simpler than one with serifs
- Plastering the logo everywhere (signs, vehicles, collateral) until it became a part of the American psyche
Can you become the next FedEx? Well, maybe not. But you can definitely use the FedEx logo as inspiration. Make sure to follow best practices such as:
- Choosing powerful, easily recognizable shapes and symbols
- Leaning on clear, visually appealing typography
- Using color wisely
- Avoiding clutter in both color and design
Whether you’re using your logo on branded clothing, business cards, bus stops, or all of the above, these steps will help it stand the test of time.
The FedEx logo is many things, all in one small, tight package. It is instantly recognizable due to its short name. It has highly recognizable colors. The design is uncluttered and to the point. And then, of course, there’s the negative space that works so well. Make no mistake … each of these factors has had a huge influence on modern design.
Naturally, you’re always going to be most concerned with how design impacts your business. Let’s take a look at that now.
Final Thoughts on the FedEx Logo … and Your Own
Although a negative space logo isn’t the only effective kind, it’s a powerful one indeed. For one thing, it allows you to deepen the impact of the design. With the FedEx logo, for example, you not only have the letters front and center, but you have a hidden arrow that signifies movement and efficacy.
For another, it allows you to use what would otherwise be wasted space. Rather than adding additional design elements to the primary design, you can employ that unused real estate instead for additional branding, leading to simplicity and appeal in your logo design.
At the end of the day, it’s pretty simple to use negative space well, but it’s certainly not easy. If you don’t have design skills that will result in a FedEx logo-worthy product, don’t worry: Most people don’t.
There are many ways to secure a logo, though not all of them will net you a trademark image that works as well as the FedEx logo. You can design it yourself, for instance, but unless you’re an expert in the graphic arts, you may miss the mark branding-wise. You can also use an online logo creator, but you’ll likely face the same issue.
The best bet is to use an expert negative space logo designer such as Rabbit. We invite you to reach out to learn more today!
