The second incarnation of Viacom Inc. was established on December 31, 2005, after the original Viacom was split into two companies, with the new entity retaining the Viacom name and the other becoming CBS Corporation.[1] This new Viacom operated Paramount Pictures, MTV, Comedy Central, Logo TV and other networks.[2]
Design and History
The logo used by this second incarnation of Viacom from 2006 onward was designed by Cathy Schaefer of Splice Design Group.[2] Schaefer, a partner and creative director at Splice Design Group, was responsible for corporate identity projects including Viacom during her time as senior design director.[3]
The mark featured a blue geometric symbol paired with the Viacom wordmark. The blue color used in the logo has been described as Picton blue.[4] The original Viacom logo, used from 1990 to 2005, was recycled for the new company until the new identity was introduced.[5]
On December 4, 2019, Viacom and CBS remerged to become ViacomCBS.[1] The new ViacomCBS logo featured the combined company name in an all-caps, bold version of the Gotham typeface, set in two shades of blue, with the blue used for “Viacom” similar to the shade used in the previous Viacom identity.[6] On February 16, 2022, ViacomCBS was rebranded as Paramount Global, officially retiring the Viacom name.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
The blue Picton color reference appears in logo documentation,[4] and the geometric symbol was part of an identity designed to represent the newly separated media company following the 2005 corporate split.[2] No official source documenting specific symbolic meaning behind the geometric form has been located.
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