Midea, the Chinese home appliance manufacturer founded in 1968 in Shunde, Guangdong, has used its current wordmark-style logo since 2006, with a subtle refinement in 2017. The logo consists of the Latin letters “Midea” in blue, with the first letter “M” connected to a rotating circular arc that evokes the Chinese concept of Taiji (太极).
Design and History
Midea’s visual identity system was established in 1999, when the company introduced a logo built around the English name “Midea.” The name was chosen from five CI proposals and replaced the earlier Chinese pinyin abbreviation “MD.” The mark featured a rotating circle connected to the letter “M,” expressing the company’s commitment to innovation and harmonious living. The 1999 logo combined purple, red, arc shapes, Chinese characters and gradients, a structure that proved complex and prone to color shifting in print, creating inconsistent results at retail points of sale.[1]
In 2006, Midea undertook its third strategic brand adjustment. The company simplified the “Midea” lettering from red and purple to a single blue, removed the gradient, and thickened the English letters for stronger visual impact. The change was driven by a need for a cleaner, more international image as the company pursued global expansion.[1]
In late 2017, Midea made a minor adjustment to the logo, removing the Chinese characters “美的” and keeping only the “Midea” wordmark. The English lettering was further thickened for clarity. The 2017 update was handled by Dongdao Brand Creative Group (东道品牌创意集团), which described the change as an evolution rather than a disruption, aimed at strengthening brand recognition and supporting Midea’s international strategy.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The name “Midea” is pronounced similarly to “My Dear” in English, reflecting the brand’s user-centered philosophy. In Chinese, the pronunciation of “Midea” coincides with the characters for “aesthetics” and “beauty,” representing the company’s vision of improving people’s lives.[3]
According to Midea’s brand guidelines, the English wordmark “Midea” conveys innovation and dreams with an international outlook, and its design incorporates Chinese philosophical concepts.[4] The rotating circle connected to the letter “M” resembles Taiji, referring to the primordial state of order from which all things in the universe form, expressing the concepts of innovation and harmony.[5]
Typography and Design
Midea’s brand guidelines specify the official typography for the identity system. Chinese text uses the FZXiaoBiaoSong (方正兰亭) series of sans-serif typefaces, while English text uses the Gotham typeface family, with different weights selected according to application.[4]
The brand’s primary color is designated “Midea Blue,” which represents technology, intelligence and the future. Supporting colors include white, black, warm orange, healthy green and technology purple, applied flexibly depending on product type.[4] The 2016 Midea International Business Brand Guidelines specify Midea Blue with CMYK values of C90, M20, Y0, K0 and RGB values of R31, G148, B210.[6]
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