The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations concerned with international public health. Its visual identity is built around a formal emblem, adopted in 1948, and a separate logo that combines that emblem with the organization’s name.
Design and History
WHO’s emblem was chosen by the First World Health Assembly in 1948. The emblem consists of the United Nations symbol surmounted by a staff with a snake coiling round it. The WHO logo consists of the WHO emblem and the words “World Health Organization” or “WHO”.[1]
The adoption of the emblem was formalized through a resolution of the First World Health Assembly, which adopted the symbol of the United Nations surmounted by an Aesculapian staff and serpent in gold as the official seal of the Organization.[2] The same assembly passed a separate resolution (WHA1.133) governing the use of the emblem, official seal, and name, stating that appropriate measures should be taken to prevent unauthorized use, particularly for commercial purposes through trademarks or commercial labels.[1]
While the emblem’s core elements have remained consistent since 1948, the logo has been modified over the decades, though its basic components have stayed the same.[3] The current logo is rendered in UN blue, a color associated with the United Nations system.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The staff with the snake has long been a symbol of medicine and the medical profession. It originates from the story of Asclepius, who was revered by the ancient Greeks as a god of healing and whose cult involved the use of snakes.[1] The emblem’s placement of the Aesculapian staff and serpent over the United Nations symbol links the medical profession directly to the international scope of the Organization.
Typography and Design
The logotype used in the WHO logo has been attributed to the typeface designer Adrian Frutiger.[4] The wordmark has been described as using Frutiger Bold Condensed.[3] Since 2006, the World Health Organization has used the Frutiger typeface in its logotype.[5]
The logo uses UN blue as its primary color, rendered as RGB 000 158 219 in digital applications.[4] WHO maintains visual identity guidelines that detail how the logo should be applied across various media, and the organization restricts use of its logo to institutions with official collaborating status.[1]
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.
