Ontario Hydro was the provincial electric utility of Ontario, Canada, for much of the 20th century. Its most recognizable visual identity, a bold orange mark combining the letters “O” and “H” into a plug-like symbol, was created by Canadian graphic designer Allan Robb Fleming and launched in 1965.
Design and History
Allan Robb Fleming, one of Canada’s most influential graphic designers, was responsible for the well-known Ontario Hydro logo, along with his iconic Canadian National Railway mark and other institutional identities including Trent University (1964) and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (1965).[1] The Ontario Hydro symbol was introduced in 1965, with Fleming producing explanatory leaflets and drawings of its corporate applications to launch the identity.[2][3]
The mark was developed while Fleming worked at the Toronto design studio Hathaway-Templeton, which also handled the vehicle colour design for the utility.[3][4] The Canada Modern archive dates the trademark to 1962, the year of its design, with the public launch following in 1965.[5][2]
Ontario Hydro was broken up in 1999, and its transmission and distribution operations were transferred to a new company called Hydro One, which adopted a new identity.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Ontario Hydro mark is widely described as a plug or connector symbol, formed by combining the letters “O” and “H” for Ontario Hydro.[6] The 45-degree angle of the mark adds a sense of movement, evoking a bolt of electricity, fitting for a power company.[6] The design has been described in the design journal The Devil’s Artisan as “dignified and distinctive, yet dynamic,” and praised as an excellent example of the integration of corporate identity and design.[7]
Typography and Design
The Ontario Hydro wordmark was set in the typeface Standard, angled to match the mark itself, reinforcing the sense of connection.[6] The corporate colour scheme used red, orange and black, as seen in printed materials produced at the time of the identity’s launch.[4]
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