HARMAN International Industries, the Stamford, Connecticut-based connected technologies company known for audio brands such as AKG, Harman Kardon, JBL, Mark Levinson and Revel, introduced its current corporate logo in July 2015 as part of a broader brand refresh. The company described the new mark as representing its mission to enable “seamless, connected lifestyles for the home, car, stage and enterprise” through audio products, infotainment systems, software and connected services.[1]
Design and History
The 2015 logo launch accompanied a corporate restructuring that renamed Harman’s business divisions. The Infotainment division became Connected Car, Professional became Professional Solutions, Lifestyle became Lifestyle Audio, and a new fourth division, Connected Services, was created from the acquisitions of Symphony Teleca and Redbend.[1] The company also introduced the tagline “Expect Brilliance” alongside the new identity.[1]
Harman’s then-chairman, president and CEO Dinesh C. Paliwal said the logo reinvention “symbolizes the ever-evolving spirit of our Company and our commitment to innovating brilliant solutions that truly integrate our connected lifestyle.”[1] Japanese tech publication AV Watch reported that the new logo design was meant to express the company’s mission of delivering seamless, connected lifestyles across home, automotive and professional environments.[2]
Following Samsung Electronics’ acquisition of Harman, completed in March 2017, the corporate logo was updated to include the words “A SAMSUNG COMPANY” beneath the existing mark. Business Korea reported in June 2017 that the new corporate identity added the Samsung reference to the image Harman had used previously, with the Samsung name displayed in bold to emphasize the company’s new ownership.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
Harman’s official 2015 announcement did not provide a detailed breakdown of the logo’s graphic elements, but the company’s leadership framed the mark as a symbol of the company’s evolution into a connected technologies provider. Paliwal described the brand identity evolution as showcasing “HARMAN as a powerful, proven and progressive technology company at the center of a connected and ever-changing world.”[1]
An earlier corporate identity, reported by Japanese audio publication Phile Web in 2010, used “steel blue” as the image color, with a motif described as “a stamp of forged steel” symbolizing further advancement and growth through strong will.[4] That 2010 refresh also added “by HARMAN” to the logos of subsidiary brands including JBL, Mark Levinson, AKG and Revel Audio to emphasize group cohesion.[4]
Typography and Design
Harman’s official communications do not identify the specific typeface used in the corporate wordmark. The 2015 logo pairs the HARMAN wordmark with a graphic symbol, and the 2017 update added the “A SAMSUNG COMPANY” text below it.[3] No official documentation of the logo’s exact color specifications or typography has been published in the sources reviewed.
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