Humana logo history and meaning: Delivering the human touch
Throughout the world, the Humana logo has become a highly recognizable symbol in the healthcare industry. Consistently based on the name of the Humana brand, the company’s logo has evolved over the years as the organization has updated and transformed its branding. Here’s your complete guide to Humana logo history, and the evolution of the brand.
Ranked among the better-known and most profitable healthcare and medical companies in the world, Humana has earned a powerful reputation over the decades. Known for serving customers throughout the United States, Humana is one of the largest health insurance providers in the nation.
If you’ve ever wondered about the history of this company, and why it chose to change not just its logo, but its name and overall branding strategy, you’re in the right place. Today, we’re going to share everything you need to know about the Humana logo.
What is Humana known for? An introduction
Before we start examining the different emblems created throughout Humana logo history, let’s start with an introduction to the company. Humana Inc is an American health insurance business, based in Kentucky (Louisville).
The organization first launched as “Extendicare Inc” in 1961, and has been growing ever since. When the institution was first developed it was a nursing home company.
Wendell Cherry and David A. Jones quickly transformed their company into the largest nursing home business in the United States. However, by 1972, the founders decided to switch their focus, selling their nursing home assets to purchase hospitals instead.
In 1974, the name of the company was updated to “Humana Inc”. The new moniker was intended to change public perception towards the brand.
At the time, the founders believed their existing name was too corporate and indifferent. They wanted a name that demonstrated compassion, and a commitment to serving humanity.
Today, Humana is one of the biggest healthcare insurance companies in the world, ranked number 41 on the Fortune 500 list for 2021. It’s also the highest-ranked company in this list based on revenue in the Fortune 500 list.
What was Humana’s original name?
When Humana was originally founded, it was with the name “Extendicare Incorporated”. This name was eventually changed with the business leaders decided to change the focus of the company from nursing home management to healthcare and health insurance.
The new name was chosen to demonstrate the human-focused nature of the organization.
Humana logo history: Through the years
Since its inception, Humana has always used a wordmark or combination mark for its logo, drawing attention to the moniker it believes conveys its core values as a business.
Since the name of the organization has evolved over time, the logo design used by Humana has transformed too. Here’s your behind-the-scenes guide to Humana logo history.
1961
The first logo created by the Humana brand focused on showcasing the company’s original name.
The Extendicare brand mark featured a black and white color palette, intended to show sophistication and professionalism. The most interesting part of this badge was the icon on the left-hand side, which used a curved line to create the lowercase letter “e” in black.
Within the white space, we can also see a “C” character, which stands for “care”. A tagline “skilled nursing centers” was included underneath the main wordmark.
1974
When Humana chose to update its name in 1974, it introduced a new logo, based on the same color palette of the previous design. The “H” element of the wordmark was stylized, to look as though it had been combined with a cross – one of the core symbols of the healthcare industry.
The modern design featured bold, sans-serif letters, in sentence case, intended to showcase the confidence and stability, as well as the trustworthiness of the company.
Committed to creating a more human-focused brand identity, Humana updated its logo again in 1997, introducing new, eye-catching elements. The name of the company remained a core part of the emblem, with lettering now set in all capital letters, utilizing a traditional serif font.
The unique emblem on the left-hand side of the logo was intended to represent a man running, demonstrating ideas of vitality and achievement.
2004
During the early 2000s, Humana decided to simplify its logo, removing the design of the man from the left-hand side of the emblem, and focusing exclusively on the serif-style wordmark. This simplistic logo was crisp, professional, and modern.
Though it lacked any significant defining elements, this logo was effective in its time. It highlighted the expertise and confidence of the company, with color and typography.
2012
The most recent update to the Humana logo took place in 2012. The brand decided to switch its familiar white and blue color palette, to a green and white alternative.
The color green in color psychology is often associated with nature and growth, showcasing the company’s commitment to supporting human life and developing innovative products.
The typeface of the emblem was also altered, switching from a traditional serif-style inscription to a more contemporary sans-serif font. The design looks wonderfully balanced and simple, and gives the company a friendly, compassionate appearance.
The Humana logo: Fonts and colors
Though the Humana logo might seem simplistic at a glance, it’s an evocative and powerful emblem. The design conveys the strength and confidence of the Humana company, as well as core values related to vitality, growth, and nourishment.
This powerful logo features no complicated elements, but it still differentiates Humana from the competitors in its space. The use of an interesting typeface, with plenty of soft curves, and a unique green color palette ensures the company can connect with its target audience.
If you want to take a closer look at the Humana logo you can find some great examples of the emblem here:
What color is the Humana logo?
The Humana logo colors have changed a few times throughout the company’s history. Initially, the brand leveraged a relatively simple black-and-white color palette. After that, the team decided to adopt the color blue – a shade commonly associated with credibility and trustworthiness.
The Humana logo color palette today features a unique shade of green, typically presented on a white background. The calming green color conveys ideas of unity, wellbeing, and success. It also reflects the company’s commitment to serving customers with progressive solutions.
Hex color: #4e8416
RGB:78 132 22
CMYK:41 0 83 48
Pantone: PMS 362 C
What font does the Humana logo use?
Throughout Humana logo history, font choice has always been an important consideration for the company. The Humana logo font has gone through a number of changes over the years, as the team experimented with different traditional serif and sans-serif options.
Today, the Humana logo font is a bubbly, sans-serif typeface, which is similar in style to commercial fonts like Bunday Clean Semi Bold, Adobe Kepler Standard, and Neo Tech Std Medium.
The typeface features clean lines, soft curves, and a heavy weight, intended to symbolize confidence and strength. The design is beautifully streamlined and balanced.
The compassionate Humana emblem
While the Humana logo might be simplistic, it still serves an important purpose for the brand. The unique wordmark helps to separate Humana from the competitors in its field, showcasing its commitment to wellbeing, innovation, and integrity.
Over the years, the evolving Humana logo has offered an insight into the evolving values and focus of the brand, as it became increasingly more human centric. Today, this powerful logo defines Humana as a clear leader in its field, and a company focused on putting the needs of its customers first.
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