The Story and Why It Works (2022)
You are welcome Behind the logo, a series that reveals the history and design solutions of some of the world’s most famous logos. Once you learn something, use Shopify free logo maker to create something unique.
TikTok* boasts one billion users, which proves how popular the short-form video program has become in just a few years. TikTok, launched in 2016, is one of the the fastest growing social networks, and its colorful note-shaped logo is instantly recognizable around the world. This iconic logo has remained largely unchanged since its inception, with only a few tweaks. Let’s take a look at the history and meaning of the TikTok logo, and why it works so well for the brand.
The history of the TikTok logo
The story of TikTok began in 2016, when the Chinese company ByteDance launched an application called A.me, which allowed users to create and share short videos. It was renamed Douyin (抖音) three months later. In 2017, ByteDance began expanding Douyin outside of China under the name TikTok. Later that year, ByteDance acquired Musical.ly, a similar short-form video app based in Shanghai with a US office in Santa Monica, California. Musical.ly allows users to record lip sync videos and has built a user base in the United States. ByteDace merged some of Musical.ly’s features into TikTok and used the acquisition to expand the app’s reach in the US.
During this time, the Douyin logo remained virtually unchanged. Created by an unnamed designer, it began as a simple “d” shape that resembled a musical note.
Depending on the context, the logo was either black on a white background or white on a black background, with accent colors of blue and fuchsia adding the illusion of movement.
In 2017, when ByteDance launched TikTok worldwide, the company decided to add the app’s name to its logo. Originally, the name of the program consisted of two separate words: Tik Tok.
Originally, the font used for the program’s title was a simple sans-serif with rounded corners. In 2018, the brand revised the typeface and created the TikTok logo that is still in use today. This version of the wordmark is more aesthetically related to the glyph, with a similar effect of blue and fuchsia on the ‘o’.
Many big companies go through relatively big rebrands when they find initial success (consider the evolution of the Instagram logo), but the designers behind the TikTok logo understand that they don’t need to fix what isn’t broken – the logo has been working well for them since the beginning .
Exploring the meaning of the TikTok logo
Many social media companies use well-known design agencies to develop their brands, but ByteDance had other plans for their app. The genius behind the TikTok logo is actually an unnamed designer. TikTok shared that a young man who loves concerts and rock music created a logo in honor of the virtual stage that the platform provides for its creators.
The designer was inspired by the contrast between the darkness of the arena and the lights on the stage — hence the black core and bright color palettes around the central musical note. Also, “Douyin” translates to “shaking sound” or “shaking music”, which is visually shown in the logo design. The musical note was also made to look like a lowercase “d” to resemble the program’s romanized name.
Why the TikTok logo works
What is it about the TikTok logo that works so well? And how did an amateur designer create something that helped a brand grow its reach exponentially? Let’s talk color theory. The TikTok logo embraces a stark contrast of black and white, using blue and fuchsia as accents. These eye-catching colors around the logo’s periphery create a sense of dynamism, and they offer depth by evoking anaglyphic 3D images (although the logo itself is not intended to be viewed with 3D glasses). The TikTok logo is distinctive and intriguing: its shape resembles a musical note, its color scheme suggests a concert stage, and its clean edges and crisp font create a sense of immediacy.
Having a logo that people want to talk about does wonders for brand awareness and reach. This is the part building a lasting brand which helps to raise the company and reach even more users or customers.
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*NOTE: Behind the logo is an independent educational publication produced by Shopify Inc. on the world’s most famous logos. The post is not sponsored by or otherwise associated with the owners of the featured logos, and the featured logos were not developed in association with Shopify.
The TikTok name and logo featured here are trademarks owned by TikTok Inc. and/or its affiliates. For more information, please visit www.tiktok.com
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about selling photos online
What is the TikTok logo based on?
TikTok is known as Douyin in China, and the logo is meant to resemble both a musical note and the lowercase letter D. The bright color palettes around the logo resemble arena lights focused on an object on stage, and also reflect the digital stage the platform offers its creators.
Who made the TikTok logo?
The TikTok logo design has been created unnamed designer which TikTok says was inspired by a concert he attended before he was brought in to design the logo.
When did the TikTok logo first appear?
The TikTok logo first appeared in 2016. TikTok’s logo design is a shape of a musical note, as the app allows users to create short, entertaining videos. After its emergence in 2016 year, the logo has only undergone a few minor design tweaks here and there. The emblem remained the same, some changes were made to the text.
What is the TikTok font?
TikTok uses two fonts; Sofia Pro (which is bolder and used in headings) and Proxima Nova (which is used for longer paragraphs).
https://www.shopify.com/blog/tiktok-logo The Story and Why It Works (2022)
