Getty Images, Inc. is a global visual content creator and marketplace founded in 1995 by Mark Getty and Jonathan Klein to bring the fragmented stock photography business into the digital age.[1] The company’s wordmark is a black serif lockup reading “Getty Images,” with the first lowercase “g” rendered in a slightly different style from the rest of the letterforms.[2]
Design and History
Getty Images was formed in September 1997 when Getty Communications, as the company was then called, merged with PhotoDisc, Inc. to create Getty Images.[3] The company adopted and commenced use of the GETTY IMAGES trademark at least as early as December 1997.[4]The Getty Images wordmark is distinct from the logo of the J. Paul Getty Trust, the art and cultural institution founded by J. Paul Getty. The Trust’s visual identity has a well-documented history that predates Getty Images by more than a decade. In 1983, the J. Paul Getty Trust hired Los Angeles-based Saul Bass/Herb Yeager & Associates to conduct a branding study, and typographer Larry Brady was brought in to develop the new look. Brady’s explorations took place over about seven months between 1983 and 1984, with all letterforms hand-drawn in pencil and ink. In 1984, the Trust approved a logo from Brady composed of stacked words made from a custom typeface Brady also created.[5]In 1992, Saul Bass/Herb Yeager & Associates were brought back to update the Trust’s visual identity for the opening of the Getty Center. Bass broke the Brady logo apart and rearranged the letters into a square form. When the resulting logo debuted in 1995, Harold M. Williams, the Trust’s founding president, said the letters stood independently but referred to each other: “The letters bleed out of the box, making reference to the relationship of the programs to its audiences and constituencies, welcoming interplay with outside areas.” The logo was paired with the titles of the eight Getty programs at the time, which used Brady’s letterforms. Getty also received its first corporate color, Pantone 542C, a powdery sky blue. The lockup was used in signage and marketing materials when the Getty Center opened to the public on December 16, 1997.[5]The Trust’s logo received a light refresh in 2002, and another new design was created by Laura Scott of San Francisco’s Studio Scott in 2019. This design was created to unify all the Getty programs and initiatives, with echoes of the original Brady typeface, including similarly weighted letters and a strikingly related G.[5]In 2025, the J. Paul Getty Trust hired New York City-based Fred & Farid to create a new logo and tagline. The resulting new “G” forms a square block inspired by the travertine blocks of the Getty Center, while its four mosaic-like pieces, drawn from artworks at the Getty Villa, also represent Getty’s four core programs: the Museum, Foundation, Conservation Institute and Research Institute. The tagline “ALL FOR ART” anchors the new brand identity.[6]Meaning and Symbolism
For the J. Paul Getty Trust’s 2025 identity, Laurent Leccia, creative director at Fred & Farid, said the new deconstructed G draws from the bold, geometric forms woven throughout Getty’s brand story: Bass’s logo, the grid system, and the monumental travertine architecture. The ability to have art come through the logo symbolizes Getty’s commitment to make art accessible to all, or as Leccia describes it, “an invitation into the world of Getty; a passage between art and audience.”[5]The flexibility of the new “G” allows a wide range of imagery, from collection objects to archival materials, architectural details and contemporary visuals, to become a part of the design. The “G” can be blown up, rearranged and reinterpreted, unlocking endless iterations that reflect the open access to art that Getty offers its audiences.[6]Typography and Design
The Getty Images wordmark uses a serif typeface, and the first “g” has a slightly different style from the other letters in the lockup.[2] No official documentation has been published identifying the specific typeface used in the Getty Images wordmark or its designer.For the J. Paul Getty Trust, typographer Larry Brady created a custom typeface in 1984 that can still be seen on Getty signage today.[5] The Trust’s 2025 rebrand by Fred & Farid introduced a refreshed color palette anchored by Getty’s signature blue and complemented by vibrant accents inspired by its collections, architecture and gardens.[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.
