Zoho Corporation, the Indian technology company known for its cloud-based business software suite, uses a logo built around four colored blocks. The current mark, introduced in 2023, features four interlocking, rounded squares arranged in a chain-like pattern, with the word “ZOHO” written in capital letters beneath them using the company’s custom Zoho Puvi typeface. The first three squares are tilted at specific angles to add a dynamic element to the design [1].
Design and History
Zoho’s visual identity has undergone several distinct phases. The company was originally founded as AdventNet, Inc. in 1996, and its first logo was designed by co-founder Sridhar Vembu himself in 1997 using Microsoft Paint. Vembu later shared that this rudimentary design “served as our logo all the way till 2009” [2].
The company adopted the Zoho name in 2009, after its online office suite [3]. A subsequent logo iteration, registered as a trademark, consisted of four cubes arranged horizontally at different angles, casting shadows on the background and on each other. The cubes were colored red, green, blue, and yellow from left to right, with the letters “Z,” “O,” “H,” and “O” in capitals [4].
In 2023, Zoho introduced its current logo, which retains the equity of the colored blocks but presents them as interlocking, rounded squares rather than three-dimensional cubes [5]. The refreshed identity was crafted by Zoho’s in-house team [5].
Meaning and Symbolism
Zoho’s official brand guidelines describe the logo as “simple, straightforward, and vibrant” [6]. The company’s design language, which it calls “Logolinism,” embraces simple, linear shapes to create easily recognizable product metaphors. Zoho has stated that the minimal, understated nature of this design approach “truly reflects the Zoho brand itself” and provides flexibility to adapt logos across multiple platforms, media, and color palettes [7].
Typography and Design
Zoho’s official primary colors are Red (#E42527), Green (#089949), Blue (#226DB4), and Yellow (#F9B21D), with black, dark grey, light grey, and white as secondary colors [6].
The company developed its own custom typeface, Zoho Puvi, which is used across its branding and products. The font’s name means “Earth” in Tamil, the native language of the state of Tamil Nadu in South India where Zoho was founded. The typeface features an angular cut inspired by Earth’s axial tilt of 23.5 degrees, which the company says reflects its desire for the font to “empower Zoho’s brand” [8].
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