Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is a nonprofit organization that provides sexual and reproductive health care, education, and advocacy across the United States. Its visual identity centers on a distinctive mark of two overlapping letter “P”s, which the organization itself describes as its logo of “nested Ps.”
Design and History
Planned Parenthood’s origins trace to 1916, when Margaret Sanger opened the country’s first birth control clinic in Brownsville, Brooklyn. The organization that became Planned Parenthood Federation of America emerged from the merger of Sanger’s American Birth Control League and the Birth Control Clinical Research Bureau.[1]
The current logo, featuring two overlapping stylized letter “P”s, was introduced in November 2012 alongside the tagline “Care. No matter what.” The refreshed identity went live on Planned Parenthood’s websites and social media properties on November 7, 2012.[2] The organization described the new logo and tagline as part of its ongoing effort to reach more patients with quality, affordable, confidential health care.[2]
Prior to the 2012 refresh, the mark was known as the “nested Ps,” with one “P” inside another. The updated version separated the letters, positioning a taller “P” behind a lower, shorter “P.”[3] The redesigned mark was registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under registration number 4428000, with the official description noting “a stylized letter ‘P’ above, behind and to the left of another overlapping letter ‘P’.”[4]
Planned Parenthood’s terms of use confirm that “Planned Parenthood® and its logo of nested ‘Ps’ are registered service marks of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.”[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The two overlapping “P”s in the logo correspond to the initials of the organization’s name, “Planned Parenthood.” The organization itself does not publish an official interpretation of additional symbolism in the mark. The 2012 refresh was presented as a way to underscore Planned Parenthood’s commitment to helping women, men, and young people lead healthy lives, with the tagline “Care. No matter what.” serving as a stated promise of care.[2]
Typography and Design
In a later brand guide project, the design studio Firebelly worked with Planned Parenthood’s creative team to develop a comprehensive brand book. Firebelly identified Avenir Next as the primary typeface already in use and standardized it across the system, noting it was chosen for being modern and approachable while offering a range of weights for different communication contexts.[6]
Firebelly also documented the organization’s palette, referring to an “iconic Action Pink” used in the brand. The studio adjusted the CMYK value slightly to optimize digital appeal and elevated the use of deep navy for added sophistication. The brand guide established rules for type, color, and imagery to differentiate health care communications from advocacy materials.[6]
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