The story behind the HubSpot logo: A case study in branding
If you’re familiar with the sales, service, and marketing software landscape, you’re probably aware of the HubSpot logo. But, how much do you know about HubSpot logo history? Though there haven’t been many changes to the design over the years, HubSpot has certainly refined its logo.
Like many software and technology companies, HubSpot understands the value of building a highly evocative and engaging logo to separate itself from the competition. The brand’s unique color palette, as well as it’s interesting use of iconography, has given it an edge in the SaaS space.
Today, HubSpot’s logo is one of the most recognizable emblems in the digital world, and one of the easiest to identify. The question is, how did HubSpot discover this unique brand identity?
Let’s take a closer look at the HubSpot brand, and the evolution of the company’s compelling logo over the years.
The HubSpot symbol: Introducing HubSpot
Before we dive into HubSpot logo history, let’s take a moment to identify the brand. HubSpot is one of the world’s leading developers of software products for sales, customer service, and marketing. It was originally founded in 2006 by Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan.
Introduced at a time when demand for digital marketing, customer relationship management, and sales tools was growing rapidly, HubSpot quickly discovered success. By 2010, the brand was already earning $15.6 million in revenue.
Later in the same year, the HubSpot team acquired Oneforty, the app store for Twitter created by Laura Fitton. They also started introducing new software that would allow companies to personalize website experiences for every visitor.
Though HubSpot started life focusing on the small business landscape, it quickly expanded its target audience, working with larger, enterprise businesses. Today, HubSpot is one of the biggest SaaS vendors in the world, offering a range of services for all use cases.
HubSpot software covers everything from customer management to social media marketing, search engine optimization, lead generation, and live chat.
HubSpot logo history: The simple evolution
Despite spending almost 20 years in the SaaS industry at the time of writing, HubSpot hasn’t made many significant changes to its logo. Perhaps the core reason for this is the company’s visual identity has always been extremely sleek, modern, and future-focused.
The original HubSpot design was only refined once between 2016 and 2023, and many of the elements of the first design were retained. Let’s take a closer look at HubSpot logo history.
2006
HubSpot introduced its first logo in 2006. The design was already highly evocative and extremely modern, consisting of a simple sans-serif wordmark in grey, with a unique “O” design. The short lines and refined curves of the typeface blended perfectly with HubSpot’s unique icon.
The “O” symbol was referred to as the “Sprocket”, an orange ring, with three straight lines extending from various sides. Each line featured a small sphere on the end, with a white stroke in each to give the design more volume.
2016
In 2016, HubSpot made the first (and currently only) change to its logo. Most of the components of the design remained very similar. The HubSpot typeface was virtually unchanged, although the coloring of the letters darkened slightly, giving the image a greater level of contrast.
The Sprocket design was also still included in place of the “O” in the wordmark. However, the bright orange coloring was changed to a smoother, coral shade. The Sprocket also now featured an entirely flat design, matching the trends of the technology industry at the time.
The positioning of the lines extending from the Sprocket was also refined, making it seem as though the components on the left side curve perfectly around the letter “P”.
What does the HubSpot logo mean?
At a glance, the HubSpot logo might seem like a simple wordmark with a few creative elements thrown into the mix. However, the image does hold a deeper meaning. The stylized “O” is certainly the most compelling part of the logo.
The Sprocket looks almost like part of a circuit, helping to connect HubSpot to the technology and software industry, and give the brand a futuristic appearance. The circles in the design, combined with the rounded components of HubSpot’s wordmark, symbolize connectivity and community.
Circular shapes are often used to represent togetherness and accessibility. Notably, the three lines extending from the “O” also draw attention to the three central parts of HubSpot’s product portfolio, covering sales, marketing, and customer service.
On another level, the image could look a little like a cogwheel, which may be intended to represent concepts like forward progression and momentum.
The HubSpot logo: Fonts and colors
With very few changes throughout HubSpot logo history, the technology and software company has managed to create a highly recognizable and evocative brand image. The HubSpot logo today is a symbol of inter-connectedness and innovation.
HubSpot’s image demonstrates the company’s commitment to innovation, while also positioning it as a strong and reliable market leader in the software space. The combination of the bright coral color and the grey shade highlights both professionalism, and compassion.
You can take a closer look at the elements of the HubSpot logo here:
What color is the HubSpot logo?
The HubSpot logo colors have only changed once throughout the history of the company. Even with the new upgrade to the brand mark in 2016, the color choice hasn’t evolved much, HubSpot simply deepened the shade of grey used in its wordmark, and changed the orange “o” to a coral shade.
The official HubSpot logo color palette today symbolizes the dynamic and progressive nature of the brand, connecting it to concepts like compassion, modernity, and sophistication. It also helps the company to stand out from its competitors.
The official colors are:
Charcoal
Hex color: #2d3e50
RGB: 45 62 80
CMYK: 44 23 0 69
Pantone: PMS 7546 C
Coral
Hex color: #ff7a59
RGB: 255 122 89
CMYK: 0 52 65 0
Pantone: PMS 1645 C
What font does the HubSpot logo use?
The HubSpot logo font hasn’t changed much at all throughout the company’s lifespan. Primarily, the bold lettering, with its rounded contours, has stayed consistent, though the spacing between different characters has changed a little over the years.
The HubSpot logo font is unique to the brand, but designers can achieve a similar aesthetic with well-known typefaces such as Noopla Bold, or Urbancat RG Bold.
The engaging HubSpot brand identity
Though there haven’t been many changes to mention throughout HubSpot logo history, it’s worth paying attention to how effectively the company has refined its image. The HubSpot logo, though simplistic, is one of the most memorable in the software landscape today.
The unique “O” shape has long distinguished the brand as an innovator in its field, connecting it to concepts of modernity and technology. What’s more, it helps to draw attention to the three distinctive areas HubSpot serves: marketing, sales, and customer service.
HubSpot’s color palette, combining sophisticated grey with a warm shade of coral demonstrates its professionalism, and its compassion for its customers. Additionally, the friendly font choice helps to make the business appear more accessible and human.
HubSpot’s logo today is an excellent example of how companies in any industry can showcase their personality and values, through the right combination of color, shapes, and typography.
Fabrik: A branding agency for our times.
As Fabrik’s creative director, Stephen oversees complex branding programmes. He advises our clients on their tone of voice, creates logos and visual identities and crafts names for companies, products and services. Writing for Brand Fabrik Stephen reflects his love for logo design and visual identity.
