Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd., commonly known as OKI, is a Japanese electronics and telecommunications manufacturer founded in 1881 by Kibataro Oki as Japan’s first electronic telecommunications device manufacturer.[1] The company’s corporate identity centers on the stylized wordmark “OKI,” a registered trademark of Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.[2]
Design and History
The OKI logo is a typographic wordmark consisting of the letters “OKI” in stylized uppercase lettering.[3] The mark has been documented in corporate materials since at least the 2007 annual report, where it appears as a standalone wordmark.[4]
In October 2000, OKI Europe announced a change to its logo across all 28 countries where it had official representation. The previous tagline “OKI, People to People Technology” was replaced with “OKI, Network Solutions for a Global Society,” reflecting the company’s shift toward network solutions. The new logo was applied to all company products beginning October 31 of that year.[5]
In 2005, OKI’s printer division adopted a new brand identity, “OKI Printing Solutions,” as part of a global effort to position the printing business as a leading brand in the color printer market.[6]
In July 2009, OKI announced that its page printer series would adopt a new “LED” identity mark layered on top of the existing OKI brand logo, signaling the company’s continued commitment to LED printing technology.[7]
In 2011, OKI marked its 130th anniversary with a commemorative logo, positioning the milestone as a “second founding” for the company.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
OKI’s brand statement, “Open up your dreams,” expresses the value the company offers to customers and stakeholders. According to OKI, the statement represents “the opening of a door to a society, where people around the world can lead more lives that are enriched, safe and secure.”[8]
The company’s name derives from founder Kibataro Oki, who established the firm in 1881 as Meikosha, a telegraph equipment repair shop that later became Oki Electric Industry.[9]
Typography and Design
The OKI wordmark uses stylized uppercase letterforms, as described in the company’s trademark registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which notes “the mark consists of the word ‘OKI’ in stylized letters.”[3] The trademark registration does not claim color as a feature of the mark.[3]
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