The London Electricity Board (LEB) was the public sector utility responsible for electricity supply and distribution in London before its privatisation in 1990. The board’s identity was built around a three-letter logotype, LEB, which appeared in green and blue.[1]
Design and History
The LEB logotype and identity were created by British designer FHK Henrion, whose firm Henrion Design Associates (founded 1951, later HDA International) handled the project.[2] The Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI), of which Henrion was a member, dates the London Electricity Board identity to 1970.[2]
Henrion’s work for LEB extended well beyond the logo itself. He described the process in an interview: “We began by designing a unified fascia for their 70 shops in the London area, their stationery,” and the programme grew to cover signage, shop fascias, vehicle livery, staff uniforms, leaflets, paper bags and a design manual dated 1972.[2] During the 1970s and 1980s the logotype became one of the capital’s most conspicuous commercial landmarks.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The LEB logotype was noted for its “adroit evocation of a bolt of electricity,” a concise and vivid graphic expression of the utility’s business.[2] The mark was a monogram of the three initials, and the “London” association was considered essential: omitting the “B” from “LEB” would have been negative, so all three letters were retained in the anagram.[2]
Typography and Design
The identity was a logotype, a word-based mark built from the three letters L, E and B, rather than a pictorial symbol.[2] The letters were rendered in green and blue.[1] The design was applied across a coordinated programme of fascias, stationery, livery and uniforms, all governed by a design manual.[2]
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