The History of and Story Behind the Fitbit Logo
When Fitbit technology was first introduced to the world it was seen as one of the most innovative health and fitness aids of the decade. Now that this wearable technology has been around for a while it’s become a lifestyle accessory. As we become accustomed to the conveniences of this type of technology it’s hard to remember a time when it wasn’t a part of our lives. We can now track our every step, monitor our heart rates, and keep track of our total calorie intakes and expenditures, and much more. The company that manufactures Fitbit was challenged with finding a suitable logo to represent the brand. To fully understand the image and what it represents we must know the history and dissect the symbolism. Here is the story behind and the history of the Fitbit logo.
The history of the Fitbit logo
Fitbit is still a fairly young company. It’ hasn’t been around for that long. According to Medium, The startup was founded in 2007. That same year, the founders set up the visual identity for the brand. The first logo was a little different than the current version. The original logo for Fitbit was designed by one of the co-founders of the company, Mr. James Park. He also serves as the CEO of the Fitbit company.
The first Fitbit Logo featured a light and rounded sans-serif typeface that was printed in all lowercase letters. It spelled out the name of the company. The logo was extremely clean and simple. It comprised of the wordmark in all dark gray letters against a white background. The dots that were placed above the lowercase letter I were turquoise colored. The emblem that was designed for the logo featured s series of twelve solid dots in turquoise color and black dots that were closed to form the shape of an arrow that pointed to the right. The emblem was created in the shape of a rhombus. The staggering of the black and turquoise dots gave the image an interesting contrast that drew the eyes to the wordmark. It got attention which was the main point of using the two colors in this pattern, according to 1000 Logos.
The second Fitbit logo
In 2016, the Fitbit logo underwent several significant changes. Although it maintained the same shape and most of the same elements some notable differences gave the image a sharper and cleaner look. The writer for Medium just happened to have worked in the design area for Fitbit a few years back. He continued with his assessment of the new logo and its effectiveness. We learned that the Fitbit design team is responsible for the changes made to the second Fitbit logo. No one person has been given credit for the updates to James Park’s original logo.
Color changes
Although it’s not readily apparent to some viewers, the color has been changed. The old logotype which was once a dark gray is now an extremely dark blue color. The slight color variations actually allow the logo to work in a larger variety of color environments for display and marketing. The typeface also received an update. The strokes are now thicker and they give the wordmark a stronger character. The diamond has also been enlarged to create a better balance with the larger wordmark. It’s easier to see than the previous logo and it stands out and gets more attention.
The Symbol of the logo
The size of the dots in the new logo has also been enlarged. They come across as being more vibrant. The one element that is missing in the new logo is the dark arrow formed of darker dots. All of the dots are now the same color. Some question the wisdom of removing the dots, but it’s a choice that the designers made to simplify the logo and give it a cleaner aesthetic. The typeface has also changed. The fonts lose their rounded ends and this serves to give the wordmark a look of greater maturity. It’s slightly more sophisticated than the original logo. Although the company has only been around for 13 years, the redesign of the logo shows that Fitbit is growing and maturing into an adult company and it’s left behind its status as a new startup. Since Fitbit is competing with some of the largest wearable technology companies in the world, it makes sense that they would choose a symbol that shows forward progression and that a more sophisticated aesthetic would be put in place to represent the positive changes and growth of the Fitbit company.
Final thoughts
The Fitbit logo does a good job of representing the brand. It’s a technology company that provides useful yet attractive wearable technology for its clientele. The original logo was more fun and whimsical, and it was entirely appropriate for the new company that was introducing a new product for the public to use and review. Now that they’ve been around for a while, it was time for Fitbit to make a few changes and to tell the world about it. This logo, like most others, is designed to send a message to the world about the goods and services that the brand has to offer. The color turquoise is in the blue and green families and they represent calmness, good health, and renewal. The Fitbit wearable fitness trackers are designed to let you know how you’re doing in your daily health and fitness regimens. This knowledge lets you know what you need to alter to achieve better health. This in turn gives you peace of mind. The subtle nuances of the color scheme and symbols are a simple way to say that Fitbit represents good health and confidence.
