Duke Energy is an American electric power holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, serving customers across the Southeast and Midwest. Its current corporate logo, introduced in 2012 and rolled out to customers beginning in March 2013, replaced the company’s previous red-and-black identity with a blue, turquoise and green mark developed internally following the company’s merger with Progress Energy in July 2012.[1]
Design and History
The current Duke Energy logo was unveiled on September 17, 2012, as a new identity for the combined company created by the Duke Energy and Progress Energy merger. The logo was developed internally by Duke Energy and was designed to draw on elements from both legacy companies’ logos: Progress Energy’s “star” and the “swoosh” in Duke Energy’s “D.”[2]
The mark consists of four three-dimensional arcuate segments arranged in an intersecting relationship that suggests concentric circular orbital paths. The left segment is turquoise, the right segment is green, and the two middle segments are blue, with blue, turquoise and green claimed as features of the trademark.[3] The logo appears with the company name in all capital letters.[4]
The rollout began in March 2013 in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, as well as legacy Duke Energy territories in North Carolina and South Carolina. In April 2013, the logo was introduced in Florida and in former Progress Energy territories. During that same period, Progress Energy Florida adopted the Duke Energy name, and Progress Energy Carolinas became Duke Energy Progress, with the latter using a modified version of the new logo that includes the word “Progress” to differentiate it from Duke Energy Carolinas.[1]
Prior to this redesign, Duke Energy’s logo featured a red and black palette. The company’s earlier identity included a large red “D” with a white swoosh, which was replaced in 2013 as part of the rebranding after the merger.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
Duke Energy’s chief communications officer, Ginny Mackin, described the new logo as depicting “forward motion, representing energy for the future.”[2] The colors of the new logo were chosen to reflect Duke Energy’s commitment to sustainability, technology and energy efficiency.[1] The company’s brand standards identify the icon as the “Duke Energy star,” which serves as the unique icon used to represent the company.[6]
Typography and Design
Duke Energy’s brand standards specify that the logo is comprised of two parts: the Duke Energy star icon and the company name in a dark blue logotype. The full-color star with dark blue logotype is the preferred version for use on white backgrounds.[6] The brand standards also note that the star should not be used as a stand-alone graphic element except for approved applications created by Corporate Communications.[6]
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