The Logos of Web 2.0
There is no offiÂcial stanÂdard for what makes someÂthing “Web 2.0”, but there cerÂtainly are a few tell-​tale signs. These new sites usuÂally feaÂture modern web techÂnoloÂgies like Ajax and often have someÂthing to do with buildÂing online comÂmuÂniÂties. But even more charÂacÂterÂisÂtic among these brands is their appearÂance. Web 2.0 sites nearly always feel open and friendly and often use small chunks of large type. The colors are bright and cheery — lots of blue, orange, and what we jokÂingly call the OffiÂcial Color of Web 2.0: lime green.
You can see some of these strikÂing comÂmonÂalÂiÂties in Ludwig Gatzke’s comÂpiÂlaÂtion of nearly 400 Web 2.0 logos. Read on for a breakÂdown of the fonts used in a few of our favorite brands.
The Softies
A clear trend in new idenÂtiÂties is the use of soft, rounded typeÂfaces domÂiÂnated by VAG Rounded (AKA RundÂschrift), but also includÂing HelÂvetica Rounded, Arial Rounded, Bryant, and FF Cocon. All of these lend a modern friendÂliÂness to what might othÂerÂwise be a cold trademark.
Oct. 2008 Update — New and underÂused fonts in this catÂeÂgory: Foco, Tondo, FF Netto, Estilo Text, and FF Unit Rounded.
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ClipÂShack — video sharÂing Font: VAG Rounded and Light obliqued |
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Zimbra — colÂlabÂoÂraÂtive calÂenÂdar Font: VAG Rounded Light |
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WayÂfarÂing — custom Google Maps Font: VAG Rounded (fatÂtened with added stroke) |
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Kajeet — mobile phone serÂvice Font: VAG Rounded (custom ‘j’) |
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Zopa — lendÂing exchange Font: simÂiÂlar to FrankÂfurter Medium or Bryant Bold Alt |
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Pando — file sharÂing Font: simÂiÂlar to Bryant Medium Alt |
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MySpace — social netÂworkÂing Font: Arial Rounded Bold and Bell Gothic Black |
| TrackÂsLife — perÂsonal dataÂbase Font: Arial Rounded Bold |
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EventÂful — colÂlabÂoÂraÂtive calÂenÂdar Font: Arial Rounded Bold (slightly smooshed) |
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SpongeÂcell — colÂlabÂoÂraÂtive calÂenÂdar Font: Arial Rounded Extra Bold |
| Skype — interÂnet teleÂphony Font: HelÂvetica Rounded Bold |
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ShoZu — photo sharÂing Font: FF Cocon Bold |
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Tabblo and TabÂblog — photo sharÂing Font: FF Cocon Bold |
The Futurists
Some sites are reflectÂing the techÂnoÂlogÂiÂcal breakÂthroughs of Web 2.0 with a look that says “tomorrow’s techno”. Pixel faces, hard edges, and ultra simÂpliÂfied forms are not as common as the cozy shapes from the group above, but they repÂreÂsent a good porÂtion of the latest interÂnet startups.
Oct. 2008 Update — New and underÂused fonts in this catÂeÂgory: FS SinÂclair, FS Alvar, FF Cube, FF Netto, Sys, Notes Style, Purista, StraÂtum, NeuÂtraliser, ITC Tetra, StainÂless, Atrament
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Last.fm — musiÂcal social netÂwork Font: ITC Ronda (cusÂtomized) AlterÂnate: AverÂnus |
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PhoÂtoÂbucket — photo hostÂing Font: DigÂiÂtal Sans Medium |
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Plazes — geoÂgraphÂiÂcal netÂworkÂing Font: Base 9 RegÂuÂlar SC |
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NewsÂGaÂtor — RSS aggreÂgaÂtor Font: ITC Bauhaus Medium |
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ReminderÂFeed — reminders via RSS Font: FF Dot Matrix Two RegÂuÂlar |
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TechÂnoÂrati — weblog search tool Font: Neo Sans Medium |
| TagÂWorld — social netÂworkÂing Font: Handel Gothic Bold |
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Shoutwire — news sharÂing Font: Agency Bold |
The Classics
Safe standÂbys like Trade and News Gothic, Frutiger, Avenir, InterÂstate, FF Meta, FF DIN, and the always ubiqÂuiÂtous HelÂvetica conÂtinue to see use in new web logos.
Oct. 2008 Update — Using uncomÂmon alterÂnaÂtives to clasÂsic typeÂfaces can ensure a logo is unique. Here are a few new or underÂused alts to the stanÂdards:
- Trade Gothic → Spiegel, Benton Sans, Brown Gothic
- Frutiger → LocaÂtor, FF TranÂsit, Vialog
- Futura → FF Super Grotesk, Neuzeit Grotesk, Nobel
- FF DIN → Malmö Sans, Magion, Sophisto, AntagoÂmetÂrica, FFÂ Good
- HelÂvetica → see AlterÂnaÂtives to Helvetica
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Xanga — weblog comÂmuÂnity Font: Trade Gothic No. 2 Bold and Light |
| FeedÂBurner — RSS optiÂmizaÂtion and trackÂing Font: Trade Gothic Bold |
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Newsvine — news sharÂing Font: FF Meta Bold and Book |
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StandÂPoint — belief sharÂing Font: FF DIN Medium |
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DropSend — file sharÂing Font: Frutiger Bold |
| Flickr — photo sharÂing Font: Frutiger Black |
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PureVÂolÂume — music proÂmoÂtion Font: Avenir Book and Medium |
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ShutÂterÂfly — photo serÂvice Font: Avenir Heavy (cusÂtomized) |
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9rules — web design netÂwork Font: HelÂvetica Bold |
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PODZINGER — podÂcast search Font: InterÂstate Black |
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CampÂfire — group chat Font: InterÂstate RegÂuÂlar |
| YouTube — video sharÂing Font: AlterÂnate Gothic No. Two |
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BlogÂlines — news aggreÂgaÂtor Font: ITC OfficÂina Bold |
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Weblogs, Inc. — blog netÂwork Font: Syntax Bold |
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Wikipedia — colÂlabÂoÂraÂtive refÂerÂence Font: HoeÂfler Text |
New Classics
Just as there will always be trends, there will also be those designÂers who break from them. The folÂlowÂing logoÂtypes eschew the popÂuÂlar styles menÂtioned above and use new typeÂfaces that have the potenÂtial to become timeÂless clasÂsics. The typeÂface is then used throughÂout the site in headÂers and graphÂics. It’s a great way to reinÂforce a brand and set it apart:
| SocialÂtext — enterÂprise wiki Font: Lisboa Sans |
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| FaceÂbook — social netÂworkÂing Font: Klavika (cusÂtomized) Also: cards with Vista Sans |
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Joyent — small busiÂness server Font: ProxÂima Nova (alt ‘a’) Not a logo, but we love Joyent’s use of ProxÂima — a new face that feels familÂiar but has its own charÂacÂter. |
Update - March 22, 2006: Today’s email newsletÂter sugÂgests some alterÂnaÂtives to the typeÂfaces used in these trends. If you’re not subÂscribed to FontShop News, you’re missÂing out on that good stuff, plus the monthly calÂenÂdar and free font. RegÂisÂter for a FontShop.com account or check your subÂscripÂtion setÂtings to get on board.
See also:
- An annoÂtated list of all the comÂpaÂnies repÂreÂsented in Gatzke’s compilation.
- Ben Hunt sums up “curÂrent web style”.
- ChristoÂpher Fahey rounds up a list of other sites that catÂeÂgoÂrize design style.
- Web2Logo catÂaÂlogs the sites and hosts forum disÂcusÂsions for each.
35 Comments:
How about Cog​head.com? I think that would fit in the 2.0 family.
Digg’s logo is most likely custom letÂterÂing, but there are a few simÂiÂlar typeÂfaces, includÂing ITC Tetra, ShiÂmano Square, Neeskens, and Poca.
I’d put CogÂhead in the ClasÂsics catÂeÂgory since it is set in Myriad, a modern verÂsion of the clasÂsic Frutiger.
This artiÂcle is still one of our most popÂuÂlar despite its age, so I just updated each catÂeÂgory with some new and underÂused fonts that offer an alterÂnaÂtive to the stuff that may have seen too much play on the web.
It is nice to see the web 2.0 look spread to TeleÂviÂsion… not really logo work, but I’ve seen some nice font work with NBC promos. I think they use ReykÂjavik.
I haven’t seen the newer promos you may be refÂerÂencÂing, but Klavika has been NBC’s house typeÂface for the last couple of years.
great colÂlecÂtion of logos. also great resources to browse useful online resources for sharÂing and comÂmuÂniÂcatÂing online. thanks for pointÂing out what fonts were used.
— great comÂpiÂlaÂtion. thanks.
Hey mate can you add to this list, the font of twit​ter.com?
I really need it!
Thanks :)
I doubt the TwitÂter logo is a font; I’m pretty sure it is custom designed. You might like SoftÂmaÂchine though.
Hello
As a fresh font​feed.com user i just wanted to say hi to everyÂone else who uses this bbs :-)
great post! thanks for the aweÂsome inforÂmaÂtion….
May be you should conÂsider updatÂing this post with the new “Pepsi” idenÂtity. i guess Pepsi will fit in The FuturÂists catÂeÂgory
Great artiÂcle thanks !
nice!! very useful info, thanks
avn.rocky
What is the font used for ‘The MedÂiÂcine Shoppe’?
great fonts here. Cool creÂatives at work
ExcelÂlent post! very useful. Thanx!
also check out: http://​www.​go2web20.net/
BrilÂliant! thanks for doing this font research, it will save me a lot of time. Well done Stephen
SAHÂweet!! The “SoftÂies” are still my favorite.
InterÂestÂing. BUT, why do most logos look like they are made for an appliÂcaÂtion of apple’s i-phone? To me there are clear simÂiÂlarÂiÂties to the increasÂing wash of today’s modern webÂpages. Most look like an interÂnet blogg, but not like a unique repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtions of the perÂsonÂalÂity that it is supÂposed to be for.
Common designÂers, say your mesÂsage clear and simple, but GET CREÂATIVE!
@ardh77: Well, it is quite reasÂsurÂing that very little of that bevÂelled, highÂlighted, shadÂowed nonÂsense was seen amongst the Wolda winÂners.
@ JenÂnifer: The logo for The MedÂiÂcine Shoppe is set in BookÂman Swash (the origÂiÂnal). There’s also ITC BookÂman Swash, the updated design.
And don’t forget the OpenÂType verÂsion of ITC BookÂman with the swashes built-​in.
What a nice inforÂmaÂtion you have here.
Stephen, I always wonder what font used for “POMERÂLEAU” - http://​www.​pomer​leau.ca
Thanks.
Hmm, I’m not cerÂtain. It’s posÂsiÂble they could have modÂiÂfied the wonÂderÂful ArmÂchair Modern.
Thanks for taking the time to gather these samÂples and idenÂtify the fonts.
Thank you for sharÂing this.
great collection……nice logos
Great info! What about the font for Polyvore.com?
Great colÂlecÂtion of logos. I still like Skype’s.
Great … some more …. Web 2.0 … “things” …
When do we get to see Art 2.0 ?
Bad things will stay bad and not get better with some shiny polish @ stupid head-​offs (plate shinÂing for the win!).
People believÂing in such nonÂsense live in < 1000 bc.
Cool colÂlecÂtion of fonts. We used some simÂiÂlar conÂcepts in develÂopÂing the logo for Answerly.com
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ExcelÂlent selecÂtion. What about digg http://​www.​digg.com?