Cirrus is the brand name for the global Mastercard/Cirrus ATM network, one of the largest ATM networks in the world, representing immediate deposit account access convenience at millions of ATM locations worldwide.[1] The Cirrus brand mark is owned by Mastercard International Incorporated and appears on cards and ATM signage to indicate cash access through the network.[2]
Design and History
Cirrus was founded in 1982 as an ATM network, originally owned by a group of banks including Bank of Montreal, BayBanks Inc., First Interstate Bancorp, Mellon Bank, NBD Bancorp Inc. and Norwest Corp.[3] Mastercard acquired Cirrus in 1987, and the network became a wholly owned subsidiary of MasterCard International in 1988.[4]
The first Cirrus logo, advertised from 1982 until 1992, was later changed to match the logos representing the other Mastercard subsidiaries, with the only exception being the colour pattern change.[3] The current mark follows the same interlocking-circle format used across the Mastercard family of brands.
In 2016, Mastercard unveiled a new logo and brand identity created by design firm Pentagram, led by partner Michael Bierut and his team.[5] The rebranding affected the entire Mastercard family, and the logos of Mastercard, Maestro and Cirrus were all equally modified at that time.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Cirrus brand mark consists of a dark blue circle on the left and a light blue circle on the right that interlock to create another shade of blue, with the word “cirrus” in black appearing under the circles.[6] The mark is designated with two blue circles and the inscription “Cirrus” placed below.[7]
Mastercard’s official branding guidelines state that the Cirrus Brand Mark must always include the word “cirrus”; there is no symbol-only version of the mark.[2] The trademark attribution notice required by Mastercard identifies “Cirrus and the circles design” as registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated or its affiliates.[2]
Typography and Design
The Cirrus brand mark is available in both vertical and horizontal configurations, with full-color, grayscale and solid versions for use on light and dark backgrounds.[2] The mark includes a trademark symbol (™) next to the blue circle and a registered trademark symbol (®) to the right of the word “cirrus”.[2]
Mastercard publishes official color specifications for the Cirrus brand mark. The three blues are defined as: Cirrus Dark Blue (RGB 0/102/186, HEX 006656, PANTONE 2144 C), Cirrus Medium Blue (RGB 0/122/208, HEX 007AD0, PANTONE 2172 C) and Cirrus Light Blue (RGB 0/162/229, HEX 00A2E5, PANTONE 299 C).[2] On physical cards, the Cirrus Brand Mark must be printed in full-color match PANTONE only.[2]
Mastercard’s branding rules require that the Cirrus name appear in English only and must not be translated into other languages, except for specific authorized versions in Chinese, Arabic, Korean and Georgian.[2]
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