In 1981, Sony got fans worldwide to design its next logo. 30K submissions later, it picked its own

[Orange]

In 1981, Sony, then at the height of its Walkman-fueled success, made the surprising decision to crowdsource a redesign of its well-established logo.

 

The contest, open to anyone worldwide, attracted nearly 30,000 entries—a marker of the company’s global reach and the public’s fascination with design.

 

However, the outcome proved less than stellar. While three finalists were chosen and awarded prize money, none of the submissions resonated enough to replace the existing logo, designed in 1956. The iconic wordmark, all clean lines and Futura Bold typeface, remained.

 

This remarkable spot in history was recently highlighted by X/Twitter account ObsoleteSony.

 

 

“Until the time comes in the future that we decide to make a change, the Sony logo will remain the same and continue to represent our commitment to innovative thinking and quality products,” reads the announcement unearthed by the account.

 

And it seems, even over 30 years later, that time hasn’t come yet.

 

What do you personally think? Did Sony make the right call in sticking with its original logo?

 

• https://twitter.com/ObsoleteSony/status/1784840040918507704
• https://www.logobee.com/logo-design-blog/post/the-sony-international-logotype-design-contest-of-1981 
• https://www.feedme.design/sony-design/ 

 

 

 

Image: Aleksei Filatov | Dreamstime.com