DreamHost is a Los Angeles-based web hosting provider and domain registrar originally founded in 1997 as the New Dream Network by undergraduates at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California. The company name later changed to DreamHost.[1] Throughout its history, the crescent moon icon has served as the visual anchor of the DreamHost identity across every logo version.[2]
Design and History
DreamHost has undergone three notable logo redesigns since 1997, with the last prior update introduced in 2006. In all of these versions, the moon mark remained the visual anchor of the identity.[2]
The fourth redesign, introduced in 2014, was driven by the company’s growth since the previous update and a desire for a fresh identity to accompany a new website design. The design team developed concepts that incorporated the classic DreamHost look and feel, as well as concepts that pushed for more significant change, and presented them to a redesign committee consisting of the founders, the CEO, the VP of Marketing and Communication, and other associates.[2]
Three concepts were chosen for further development, including one that introduced a dreamcatcher icon in place of the moon. While the dreamcatcher concept received praise for its story, the group felt it moved too far away from the identity’s anchor, and the moon-based concepts were favored. A company-wide vote was held, and the concept that resembled the existing logo while giving it a sharper, more sophisticated look pulled ahead as the winner.[2]
The 2014 redesign kept the moon icon where much of the brand equity resided, turning it around and setting it in an upward, more positive direction. The camelcase spelling was retained while the typeface was updated to a fuller, rounder Futura case, giving it more confidence. The old tech color blues were replaced with warmer, more inviting blues.[3]
A trademark filing for the DreamHost logo, first used in commerce on August 6, 2014, describes the mark as consisting of “a crescent moon shape with pointed ovoid shape in the cradle of the crescent generally representing the remainder of the moon.”[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The moon icon has been part of DreamHost’s identity since the beginning. The company has described the icon as being “in our DNA” and in front of millions of web users for nearly two decades.[2]
In the 2014 redesign, the refined moon icon was turned to face forward, a change the company explicitly noted as carrying symbolism. The new logo was described as carrying “that old school swagger” with the freshly refined moon icon now facing forward, paired with an easy-to-digest typeface that sits bold and confident.[2]
Typography and Design
The 2014 redesign updated the DreamHost wordmark to a fuller, rounder Futura typeface, keeping the camelcase spelling of the brand name. The design team noted that the updated typeface gave the logo more confidence compared to the previous version.[3]
DreamHost’s official design system identifies its primary color palette as comprised of purple, white, and blue, used in logical ways throughout product and marketing to guide the eye and highlight important elements. The secondary palette consists of red, green, orange, and yellow, used across web applications.[5]
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