Bell Canada, the Canadian telecommunications company headquartered in Montreal, has used a series of distinct visual identities since separating from the U.S. Bell System in the 1970s. Its current logo, introduced in 2008, is a blue wordmark that replaced a yellow pictorial symbol used since 1994.
Design and History
Bell Canada’s identity history is closely tied to its corporate relationship with AT&T and the Bell System. After Bell Canada separated from AT&T in 1975, the company moved away from the standardized corporate image it had shared with the U.S. Bell System. In 1977, the traditional bell symbol was dropped in favor of a blue “BELL” wordmark, designed by Don Black.[1] This wordmark remained in use until December 7, 1994.[2]
In December 1994, Bell launched a new corporate logo as part of a business transformation. The design replaced the old bell-in-a-box logo with a stylized human profile encircled by two open rings, rendered in blue and yellow.[3] The ideas of Montreal designer Gilles Brault and Bell’s in-house group were combined to produce the mark, which was described as Bell’s first visual revamp since 1976.[4]
On August 8, 2008, Bell launched a new logo, tagline and advertising campaign to underline its move forward. The company described the new logo as “a strong and clear representation of the company that proudly wears the traditional Blue.”[5] The rebranding work was done by Zulu Alpha Kilo of Toronto, with additional support from Leo Burnett, Lg2 and Cossette Communication Group.[6] The 1994 yellow pictorial mark was dropped entirely, and the wordmark was reset in a style that recalled the 1977 logo.[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The 1994 logo’s human profile within two open rings was described by Bell as symbolizing “the dynamic future of telecommunications.”[8] The 2008 redesign shifted away from pictorial symbolism entirely, adopting a typographic approach. Bell’s brand platform also introduced “Bell-ements,” portions of the logo used as a visual foundation across advertising, with television ads taking place on a gigantic Bell logo.[9]
Typography and Design
The 2008 Bell identity includes a custom typeface called Bell Slim, created by Canadian typographer Ian Brignell.[10] The wordmark features tight kerning in a sans serif style, with the three first letters connected and a circular lowercase “e.”[1] The brand consistently uses a blue color throughout materials to unify the identity.[10]
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