Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is a Cleveland, Ohio-based steel producer and the largest producer of iron ore pellets in North America, founded in 1847.[1][2] The company’s corporate logo consists of two integrated elements: a symbol and the wordmark “Cliffs.”[3]
Design and History
In October 2008, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. changed its name to Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. and introduced a new visual identity, including a new corporate logo.[4] The new blue and green logo was described by the company as “suggestive of a cliff and its reflection in water, as well as the Company’s core mining business, which operates above ground and below.”[4] The company also stated the logo served as a reminder of its commitment to sustainable development.[5]
This 2008 mark replaced an older logo that included a maritime flag, a reference to the era when the company owned a fleet of Great Lakes shipping vessels.[6]
In August 2017, Cliffs Natural Resources renamed itself back to its historical name, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., as part of the celebration of the company’s 170th anniversary.[2] The current symbol was introduced in 2017 as part of that anniversary celebration.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The current logo’s design element, positioned to the left of the wordmark, comprises an upright stylized mountain overlying an inverted stylized mountain. The inverted mountain is spaced below the upright one, with its apex slightly offset to the left of the upright mountain’s apex.[7] The brand manual describes this symbol as the “Mining” mark, tying it to Cliffs’ historical past.[3]
The earlier 2008 trademark registration described the mark as using blue for the word “CLIFFS,” green for the mountain design to the left, and blue for the mountain below the green mountain.[8] The current trademark application for the CLIFFS wordmark and mountain design does not claim color as a feature of the mark.[9]
Typography and Design
The corporate logo is built from two integrated elements, the symbol and the wordmark “Cliffs,” which were designed to work as one unit to maintain and build a strong identity.[3] The Cleveland-Cliffs Brand Identity Standards manual includes guidelines for the logo, letterhead, and allowed font types.[10]
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