OnePlus Technology Co., the Chinese smartphone manufacturer founded in December 2013, uses a logo built around its name: a numeral “1” paired with a plus sign, rendered in the brand’s signature red. The company’s official brand page explains the meaning behind the name: “One” represents the current state of things, while “Plus” expresses the desire to go beyond that state.[1]
Design and History
OnePlus introduced its current logo on March 18, 2020, as part of a global visual identity refresh that the company described as the most significant change to the brand since its founding.[2][3] According to OnePlus’s official brand page, the redesign increased the logo’s thickness, simplified the number, and made the plus sign a more connected part of the logo to create a more modern, concise and recognizable image.[4]
The 2020 update introduced a new curvilinear “1” that is easier to read, while adjusting the weight of the logotype for better overall balance. The company name in the logo was changed to all caps, which OnePlus’s global creative director Mats Hakansson said brings “excitement and balance” to the visual identity.[2] The enlarged plus sign in the surrounding box was described as a nod to the OnePlus community, which has been a key contributor to the company’s success.[3]
This was not the first change to the OnePlus logo. According to Chinese tech outlet CNMO, the original logo was adjusted in 2014, making the letterforms thicker and increasing the purity of the red color, while retaining the minimalist square structure and the red “1+” icon.[5]
The 2020 refresh was developed over nearly seven months by a joint team of OnePlus in-house creatives and an external agency. Hakansson stated that the team started from thousands of user data points to arrive at a new holistic visual language inspired by OnePlus’s “burdenless” philosophy.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
OnePlus’s official brand page states that the logo represents the company’s philosophy of constantly challenging limits and never stopping in the pursuit of self-improvement. The “1” represents the current state of things, and the “+” represents the desire to surpass that state.[1] This aligns with the company’s “Never Settle” mantra, which Hakansson referenced when announcing the 2020 redesign: “OnePlus is not changing who we are, but reinforcing what we stand for, the true spirit of Never Settle.”[2]
CNMO also reports that OnePlus officially describes its logo as representing strength, passion, rigor and openness, and as a concentrated interpretation of the company’s “Never Settle” quality and philosophy.[5]
Typography and Design
The 2020 redesign changed the OnePlus wordmark from mixed case to all caps and introduced a new font that improves legibility.[2][3] The official OnePlus brand page states that the logo’s thickness was increased and the number was simplified as part of the update.[4]
The visual identity refresh also introduced a new color palette centered on OnePlus’s iconic red, with an updated secondary palette of cyan, green, magenta, indigo and yellow to make the company’s design and assets more vibrant and lively.[3] The brand’s red color is documented as hex code #F50514.[6]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
