InfoSpace, Inc. was an American company founded in March 1996 that offered private label search engines, online directory services, and metadata feeds. Rather than building a consumer destination, the company embedded its search features and content into partner sites such as Lycos, Excite, and Playboy, which displayed an InfoSpace icon alongside the integrated services.[1]
Design and History
InfoSpace registered several trademarks during its operating years, reflecting an evolving visual identity. The earliest registration, for the word mark “INFO SPACE,” was filed in June 1998 and registered in September 2000. The mark covered computer services including online directory services in the fields of yellow pages, white pages, personal information, classifieds, electronic shopping, and public records.[2]
A separate trademark for “INFOSPACE” was filed in May 1999 and registered in February 2001, covering search engine services for obtaining data on a global computer network.[3] An image trademark filed in October 2003 and registered in November 2004 described the mark as “a circular design made up of three overlapping crescent shapes.”[4]
In June 2012, InfoSpace rebranded itself as Blucora, a “coined name” meant to signify the company’s evolution beyond search and to clarify its business model following its acquisition of TaxACT. The NASDAQ ticker symbol changed to BCOR on June 7, 2012.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The circular design of three overlapping crescent shapes, registered as a trademark in 2004, is the most concretely documented visual element of InfoSpace’s identity. The company’s services were delivered with partner branding, with InfoSpace’s own mark appearing as an icon on partner sites.[1]
Typography and Design
Archived pages from InfoSpace’s own website in 2001 reference “InfoSpace, the InfoSpace Logo, and related marks” as trademarks of InfoSpace, Inc., confirming the logo was an established part of the corporate identity during that period.[6]
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.
