Korg Inc. is a Japanese electronic musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1962 by Tsutomu Katoh and Tadashi Osanai, originally operating as Keio Gijutsu Kenkyujo Ltd. (Keio Electronic Laboratories).[1] The company’s first product, the DoncaMatic DA-20 drum machine, appeared in 1963.[1] The KORG brand name itself derives from the first letters of the founders’ surnames, Katoh and Osanai, combined with “RG” from the word “organ.”[1]
Design and History
The KORG logo first appeared in 1967, when engineer Fumio Mieda joined the company and developed a programmable organ that became the first product officially sold under the KORG trademark.[1] The wordmark has remained the core of the identity throughout the company’s history.
In 2013, Korg introduced a special 50th anniversary logo to mark its 50th year in business, announced via a video on the company’s YouTube channel.[2] The anniversary mark incorporated an electronic keyboard motif into the design.[3]
Over the years, the main KORG logo has undergone only subtle changes. One notable modification was the removal of a small lip on the end of the “G” in the wordmark, a change that occurred relatively recently.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The KORG name itself carries the brand’s founding meaning: it combines the initials of founders Tsutomu Katoh and Tadashi Osanai with “RG” from “organ,” reflecting the company’s early focus on keyboard instruments.[1] The 50th anniversary logo added a visual reference to electronic keyboards, directly tying the mark to the company’s core product category.[3]
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