CommScope is a global network infrastructure provider headquartered in Hickory, North Carolina. The company’s visual identity has undergone two significant transformations since the mid-1990s, most notably a 2011 rebrand that introduced the current wordmark and a 2017 brand refresh that kept the logo intact while updating surrounding visual elements.
Design and History
CommScope’s first brand makeover since the mid-1990s was announced in March 2011, following the company’s acquisitions of Avaya’s Connectivity Solutions division in 2003 and Andrew Corporation in 2007. The new identity was designed to reflect a company that had grown beyond its origins as a cabling provider into a multi-market infrastructure leader serving telecom carrier, cable television, business enterprise and government markets.[1]
The 2011 logo introduced a stylistic logotype in all capital letters with an embedded and redesigned corporate icon that moved away from the previous “cable” icon. The corporate color changed from teal green to cyan blue.[1] The new brand initiative also formalized “At Home,” “At Work” and “On the Go” as terms representing the company’s three primary market segments: broadband (cable TV), enterprise and wireless. The “On the Go” icon incorporated the well-known “Andrew flash” that had served as Andrew Corporation’s logo for decades.[1]
In October 2017, CommScope launched a new brand identity with the tagline “now meets next.” According to Danah Ditzig, VP of Marketing Brand at CommScope, the refresh reflected the company’s evolution following its acquisition of TE Connectivity’s Broadband Network Solutions business two years earlier.[2] Importantly, the name and design of the logo remained the same; only the messages and visual elements around it changed to create a bolder image.[3]
The 2017 brand rollout was managed by the agency MBLM, which described the effort as “a symbol of change, not a change of symbol,” noting that the logo was the only part of the brand that was not changing. The agency’s work focused on introducing the new brand strategy to CommScope’s more than 20,000 employees through a mobile-first launch campaign.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The current CommScope logo consists of the word “COMMSCOPE” in stylized capital letters, with the final “O” represented by a stylized sphere containing a curved bar and partially faded oval, with stippling below that represents shadowing. This description is documented in the company’s U.S. trademark registration.[5]
CommScope’s 2017 brand refresh introduced a ribbon element into the broader visual design system. According to Ditzig, “The ribbon in our design is by design. It moves forward. It’s agile. Like the networks our products are a part of, it’s pervasive like light and energy.”[2]
The tagline “now meets next” was described by the company as declaring “our passion for progress and celebrates our ingenuity,” speaking to the company’s hardworking nature and commitment to excellence.[2]
Typography and Design
The 2011 logo redesign introduced a stylistic logotype in all capital letters with an embedded corporate icon.[1] The trademark registration for the current logo describes the mark as the word “COMMSCOPE” in stylized font, with the last letter “O” replaced by a stylized sphere containing a curved bar and partially faded oval.[5]
CommScope and the CommScope logo are registered trademarks of CommScope and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries.[6]
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