The American Heart Association (AHA), founded in 1924 in New York City, is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke.[1] Its visual identity centers on a heart-and-torch symbol that has been part of the organization’s branding for a century.
Design and History
The AHA’s trademark torch was designed in 1924 by the wife of John Wyckoff, an association board member.[2] The Smithsonian Institution, which holds a medal design by Joseph Renier featuring the torch, confirms that this symbol is still used by the AHA today.[2]
On July 31, 2018, the association introduced a new logo design. The update broke the previous icon’s symmetry, presenting the burning torch inside the red heart at an angled, more dimensional tilt. The torch was also enlarged and made more prominent, an approach that was noted to work particularly well in social media applications.[3][4]
The 2018 refresh followed an earlier identity project by the agency CP+B, whose creative director Jason Van Pierce documented work on the AHA account. That project involved simplifying a logo that had become crowded and cumbersome due to inconsistent usage across the organization’s many sub-brands, and developing a custom font intended to feel friendly and uplifting.[5]
In 2024, the AHA celebrated its centennial. A special “Bold Hearts” logo was created for the Centennial Celebration, pairing the standard Heart and Torch mark with “100 years” and “Bold Hearts” text.[6] An AHA regional blog post marking the occasion noted that while the style of the logo has evolved over the last 100 years, the heart and torch remain representative of the organization’s purpose and progress.[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
According to the health organization, the torch in the logo symbolizes life and knowledge. The flame represents life and optimism, while the torch represents knowledge shared across generations and the information needed to live a healthier, longer life.[8]
The AHA’s official branding guidelines refer to the mark as the “Heart and Torch” symbol, and the organization’s service marks, including the stylized name and heart-and-torch logo, are registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office.[9]
Typography and Design
CP+B’s work on the AHA identity included development of a custom font designed to serve the organization’s internal needs while giving the brand an uplifting, friendly character.[5] The AHA’s branding guidelines specify that the relationship between the wordmark type and the Heart and Torch icon is fixed and should never change, and that the Heart and Torch can never be represented in black.[10]
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