The bright red Canon logo has been synonymous with 21st century photography, but it hasn’t always looked this way.
In 1933, when Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory was established, the name given to cameras manufactured at the time was “Kwanon”, a nod to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. The logo included an image of “Kwanon with 1,000 Arms” around a circle of flames.
But as the company expanded, it needed a more approachable name that would be accepted by photography enthusiasts worldwide. So in 1935, they renamed it to ‘Canon’ and along with that came a logo redesign. Several versions of that logo were also used, until they released a unified version in 1953.
A few tweaks and 2 years later, the logo we know today was perfected. It has remained as Canon’s logo for more than half a century.
Good branding lasts. #PlummAgency
