The healthcare conglomerate Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced on Thursday it will be updating its iconic signature-script logo for the first time in 136 years.
According to CNBC, the new logo was designed to encapsulate the corporation's renewed emphasis on the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors.
The original script logo, used by the company since 1887, was derived from the distinctive signature of co-founder James Wood Johnson. For the time being, the logo will continue to be used on consumer products such as Kenvue's baby shampoo. A new company, Kenvue was recently spun off from J&J.
The recently unveiled logo, which features a distinctive shade of red, serves as a symbolic testament to Johnson & Johnson's strategic evolution into a "pure play healthcare company," according to insights provided by Vanessa Broadhurst, executive vice president of J&J's Global Corporate Affairs
Johnson & Johnson acknowledged that its signature logo had held a remarkable place as "one of the longest-used company emblems in the world." Nevertheless, in an age dominated by text messaging and emojis, the classic emblem began to look outdated.
Laura Ries, a marketing consultant, pointed out that contemporary education curricula no longer prioritize cursive handwriting, resulting in a populace less attuned to reading script-style writing. While people may still recognize the signature, they may not read it. In contrast, the new logo has been designed for enhanced visual comprehension in the modern era. "Because it's easier, it almost even draws your attention to it," she said.
She also observed that individuals commonly associated the script logo with the Kenvue products prominently displayed on drugstore shelves, including well-known brands including Band-Aid, Listerine, and Tylenol.
Ries added, "Everyone washed their baby with Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo."
A Kenvue spokesperson has indicated that the Johnson & Johnson branding on products such as Band-Aid will be phased out gradually.
The iconic signature logo was also prominently featured on containers of the company's previously discontinued talcum-based baby powder. This product became entangled in legal disputes with allegations of cancer-causing properties. Johnson & Johnson has maintained the safety of the powder amid these lawsuits.
The consumer goods sector had played a pivotal role in propelling Johnson & Johnson to the pinnacle of the global healthcare products industry, boasting annual sales exceeding $90 billion.
However, as of late 2021, the pharmaceutical and medical device divisions emerged as the company's dominant sectors, ultimately surpassing the consumer business in size and significance.
Johnson & Johnson, headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, will undergo significant nomenclature alterations within its corporate structure. The Janssen pharmaceutical division is slated for a renaming, transitioning into Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. Simultaneously, the medical device and technology sector will be rebranded as MedTech.