Northern States Power Company (NSP) was a Minneapolis-based electric and natural gas utility serving Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. The company was incorporated in 1909 and adopted the Northern States Power name in 1916.[1] In August 2000, NSP merged with New Century Energies and was renamed Xcel Energy, Inc.[2]
Design and History
Northern States Power used the “NSP” monogram as its corporate identity for decades. A sign at the company’s Red Wing, Minnesota facility displayed the NSP mark, which was described as the corporate identity for Northern States Power Company.[3]
The company registered several word marks and logos with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A logo mark was filed on October 30, 1989, with a first use date of October 31, 1984, and was registered under Registration No. 1606770.[4] Another logo mark, filed the same day, was registered under Registration No. 1626314.[5] The word mark “NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY” was filed on October 6, 1989, with first use dating to 1916 for communication services and 1910 for transportation and storage services.[6]
In the late 1990s, NSP revived the Reddy Kilowatt cartoon figure, a utility mascot originally created in 1926 by Ashton B. Collins, Sr., and introduced a companion character called Reddy Flame to promote its gas service. After the company changed its name to Xcel Energy, both characters were retired.[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
Documented symbolism for the NSP logo is limited. The company’s slogan, “The Energy to Make Things Better,” appeared in its trademark filings and was used in an illustrated company history published in 1999.[8][9]
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