It’s the end of an era for pharmaceutical and consumer product behemoth Johnson & Johnson, with the announcement that it will be changing its iconic script logo for the first time in over 135 years.
The company said that the new logo “delivers both a sense of unexpectedness and humanity” while still staying in its signature red color. The color evokes a sense of urgency, the company said, and the need to “respond to health challenges, evolve with the times and set the pace.”
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The original red cursive logo was derived from the handwriting of founder James Wood Johnson, while the new logo will be a bold and simple font that symbolizes the company’s shift to focus on the “inclusive” and “caring” facets of the company’s foray into healthcare innovation.
Johnson & Johnson’s bold new logo (Credit: J&J)
“Our Johnson & Johnson brand identity communicates our bold approach to innovation in healthcare, while staying true to the care we have for our patients around the world,” said Vanessa Broadhurst, executive vice president of global corporate affairs, in a release. “We take immense pride in leading healthcare for more than a century and are seizing on our scientific momentum to profoundly impact health for humanity.”
The new logo is set to roll out as branding for the company’s medical equipment and other healthcare products while consumer-facing products (like baby powder and Band-Aids) will still use the script logo.
The decision to change the logo for the company’s medical device and pharmaceutical sector signifies a clear division between the company’s two facets, as consumer products now live under a separate company called Kenvue.
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J&J said that the new logo will be “modernized for this next chapter” of focus on healthcare.
Last month, J&J was summoned to pay $18.8 million in a lawsuit to a man who claimed that he had developed brain cancer after using the company’s baby powder allegedly containing talc.
The company denied the allegations despite the ruling.
J&J remained relatively flat in a one-year period as of Friday morning at just over -0.6%.
