FedEx Express, the air cargo and express delivery subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, uses the corporate FedEx wordmark as its primary visual identity. The mark is a typographic lockup of the letters “FedEx” in bold, condensed letterforms, with “Fed” rendered in purple and “Ex” in orange. The negative space between the capital “E” and the lowercase “x” forms a white arrow, a detail that has made the logo one of the most discussed examples of negative space in graphic design. FedEx’s own communications describe the brand as visually represented through its “vibrant Purple and Orange colors, and the legendary hidden white arrow between the ‘E’ and the ‘x’.” [1]
Design and History
The current FedEx logo was designed in 1994 by Lindon Leader, who worked as senior design director in the San Francisco office of Landor Associates at the time. [2] The redesign accompanied a broader rebranding effort: Federal Express officially adopted “FedEx” as its brand name in 1994, according to FedEx’s own corporate history timeline. [3] The company had long been known informally as FedEx, and CEO Frederick W. Smith explained the change at the time: “People who use Federal Express call us FedEx. So we decided we’d better do what our customers do.” [4]
Leader has said the arrow was not an initial goal. “Farthest from our minds was the idea of an arrow,” he recalled in an interview. [5] His team developed over 400 versions of the logo before noticing that placing a capital “E” next to a lowercase “x” created the suggestion of an arrow. [5] Leader described the intended effect: “The arrow could connote forward direction, speed and precision, and if it remained hidden, there might be an element of surprise, that aha moment.” [6]
The logo has won over 40 design awards and was named one of the eight best logos of the previous 35 years by Rolling Stone magazine in its 2003 anniversary issue. [2] [6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The hidden arrow between the “E” and the “x” is the logo’s most celebrated element. Leader’s stated intention was that the arrow would suggest forward direction, speed and precision, while remaining subtle enough to reward a second look. [6] The purple and orange color pairing has been part of the FedEx identity since the 1994 redesign. [7]
In 2016, FedEx Corp. announced it would unify its operating companies under the single purple and orange color scheme, retiring the secondary colors that had been used to differentiate units such as FedEx Ground (purple and green) and FedEx Freight (purple and red). [7] The company cited strong global consumer awareness of the purple and orange logo as a reason for the simplification. [7]
Typography and Design
The FedEx wordmark is a custom-drawn blend of Univers 67 (Bold Condensed) and Futura Bold, adjusted to accommodate the hidden arrow. [8] Because the letterforms sit in close proximity, the two colors help differentiate the “D” and the “E,” and the logo requires a keyline to work in monochrome. [8]
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