Drupal is an open-source content management framework whose visual identity has evolved through several distinct phases, from a community-created mascot to a professionally designed evergreen brand. The current identity centers on a droplet-shaped mark, a form that traces back to the platform’s Dutch-language origins.
Design and History
Drupal’s name and visual identity both derive from a typo. In 2000, University of Antwerp students Dries Buytaert and Hans Snijder built a wireless bridge to share an internet connection, and Buytaert created an online forum for their dorm. He wanted to call it “Dorp,” the Dutch word for village, but mistyped the domain as “Drop.org.” The name stuck, and when Buytaert released the software publicly in January 2001, he named it Drupal, a variation of “druppel,” the Dutch word for drop.[1]
The earliest drop-themed logo for Drop.org was created in May 2000 by Jeroen Bensch, Buytaert’s nephew, who drew it pixel by pixel in Gimp. A 3D drop version followed in March 2001, credited to Steven Wittens. The first version of the Druplicon, the character mascot, appeared in September 2001. The concept came from Kristjan Jansen, who placed two sideways drops together to form an infinity symbol; inside a filled circle, the shape resembled a face. Wittens refined it into a stylised drop with infinity eyes, a round nose and a smile.[2]
In August 2008, designer Mark Boulton created a Drupal wordmark as part of a Drupal.org redesign project.[2] Around the same period, a question on Drupal.org about the logo’s font drew a response noting that the wordmark was not a specific typeface but was custom-crafted by the designer.[3]
When Drupal 8 was released, it used a dedicated drop logo featuring an oblique number “8” inside a forward-tilting drop. The design was created by the agency Mogdesign and unveiled by Buytaert during his keynote at DrupalCon Prague in September 2013.[4]
In May 2020, ahead of the Drupal 9 launch, the Drupal Association introduced a new “evergreen” brand designed to represent all future versions of the software rather than a single release. The Drupal Association selected the Italian firm SixEleven, which had previously designed the DrupalCon brand. The new logo uses an inner drop design inspired by the earlier DrupalCon logo, stripped of its hexagonal treatment and shown in a light Drupal blue.[5][6] The new brand was intended to represent the fluidity and modularity of Drupal and the community value of coming together to create a greater whole.[5]
The Druplicon mascot was not replaced by the 2020 rebrand. It remains an emblem of the Drupal community, available to be remixed and reused by local community organizations.[5][7]
A further brand evolution was announced by Buytaert at DrupalCon Portland in May 2024. The update was described as subtle, with the “cut” or “stripes” of the mark slightly longer and a little thinner.[8]
Meaning and Symbolism
The droplet form of the Drupal mark references “druppel,” the Dutch word for drop that inspired the platform’s name.[1] The 2020 evergreen logo was chosen for its ability to represent Drupal not at a single moment in time but onward into the future, with continuity as the central element of the design.[5]
The Drupal Association brand was also updated in 2020 to use the new inner drop surrounded by a simple blue circle, representing the ways the Association surrounds and supports the Drupal project. The DrupalCon brand continued to use the drop on a colorful field of triangles, representing the diverse voices and communities brought together by the event.[5]
Typography and Design
The Drupal brand book identifies “Drupal Spot Blue” as the primary logo color, specified as HEX #009CDE. The brand book also specifies that this spot blue must be used for the logo only in its primary positive version and cannot be used to create graphic elements.[9]
For marketing use, the Drupal brand book specifies Ubuntu as the title font, described as a nod to the digital brand and the font of the Drupal logo, with Helvetica Neue used for subtitle and body text.[9]
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.
