A brand is incomplete without its logo. This is because it increases brand awareness as well as familiarity. For Slack technologies, a logo is not just an icon or an emblem, it reflects the brand’s value, and what they stand for. The current version of the Slack logo is an octothorpe with a logotype. A speech bubble and a lozenge make up its constituent parts. These are both straightforward geometries. The speech bubble places an emphasis not only on communication and connectivity, but also serves as the foundation for custom iconography, pictures, and motifs with rounded corners that match the curves of the brand.
Overview
When Slack was launched in 2013, everyone was rather concerned about what the new application had to offer, its features, and the simplicity it’d add to management and personal lives than the logo. As time went by, the brand surpassed people’s expectations and became a business management tool, perfect for teams.
Slack’s first logo was okay until the brand decided to change it. The first one was, however, distinct and playful in its own words. Some call it octothorpe, some pound sign, and a whole lot of other hashtags.
Contrary to the 2019 Slack logo, which is well-defined, it is very easy to get the first color wrong. This is because it has 11 different colors. Moreover, it loses its true uniqueness when placed on anything other than white. And if you mistakenly place it wrongly, it will look horrible. At this point, the brand decided it was time to change the first logo.
Slack Logo: History
For most business brands, there is a story behind their logos. Slack Technologies is no exception. Let’s the story behind the brand’s logo.
Slack Logo: 2013 – 2019
Before Slack was officially launched in 2013, its first logo was designed. The initial version of the company’s logo resembled a hash sign (also known as an octothorpe). However, that is not the end of the story by any means. The hashtag-like symbol looked like it was made out of diluted versions of the colors red, green, yellow, and blue. The name of the brand is written in a simple lowercase sans font directly next to the hashtag. Even if the individual colors that make up Slack’s logo are sharp and bright colors, it’s hard to make out, and also pretty fuzzy. In any case, at some point in time, the company that owns the brand decided that it needed to replace it because the previous version did not accurately reflect what the company stands for.
Slack Logo: 2019 to Present
In 2019, the management of the brand came to the conclusion that the original logo no longer represents the genuine value that the brand has built up over the years. As a result, they decided to redesign the logo. According to them, the reason you alter a logo is not that you want it on record, but rather, it is because you want to achieve a specific goal. They assigned the project to Pentagram, a company known for its high design sense and a world-class design firm.
Following careful consideration, the famous hashtag was changed to a combination of shorter bars and more straightforward drops. It was described by Pentagram as a “speech bubble and lozenge,” In spite of the fact that the 2019 design is more distinct, it can still be broken down into four symmetrical components, each of which was a different hue. This was also the case with the original logo, so they share something in common. The hue is something that both logos also have in common.
On the other hand, the new logo has colors that are more pronounced in this rendition. As a consequence of this change, we now have a more defined logo that better communicates the underlying value of the company and what it stands for. To begin, we have noticed that the new 2019 Slack logo can be used in a variety of scales and settings without diluting the brand’s authentic persona. This is a significant improvement.
With Change Comes Criticism: Slack Brand’s Experience
Taking a closer look at the new Slack logo, you’ll praise the Pentagram group for a job well done. However, there is something that is common to change, and that is criticism. Your guess is as good as mine, Slack’s new logo was no exception. It was also criticized. What were the critics of the new Slack logo? There weren’t many. As a matter of fact, there were just one or two, and the most prominent was the negative space between the colorful lines.
Negative Space or Nazi Swastika
People agree that the new Slack logo is great. However, the space at the center, which resembles a Nazi Swastika more than anything else, is the center of the controversy.
Nazi Swastika And Why It Doesn’t Go Well With People
The Swastika was a national symbol of Germany that was also associated with the Nazi Party and the Second World War in some ways.
We all know the aftermath of war never truly leaves people. Even though it has ended, people still see the Nazi Swastika as a symbol of bigotry and prejudice against racial minorities.
In many countries, the use of the symbol is prohibited, and it is considered a criminal offense if the symbol is displayed in public for reasons other than educational ones. It is that bad.
Other Minor Critics
Aside from the Nazi swastika negative symbol, people also said the brand’s logo is similar to the new Slack logo and looks like Google Photos, whereas another group claimed it appeared to be like medical group logos.
What Does the Slack Logo Mean?
The new Slack represents simplicity and ease of use. Well, for an app that was built with the users in mind, it is a great thing they went out of their way to reveal the simplicity of its use in its logo. Nevertheless, there is more to the Slack message collaboration tool than meets the simple logo.
Why Did Slack Change Its Logo?
According to slack, the primary reason people will change their logo is that a simpler, more distinctive evolution of it could do that job better. In our own words, when something no longer holds the same value as you do, alter it. Aside from this, the new one better reflects the brand and all it stands for.
Slack Colors
The original emblem included as many as eleven colors, which made it look muddled under certain circumstances. The palette of the following version was reduced to only four. This resulted in a more practical, wholesome design.
Well, you may not have known but Slack has about seven brand colors. These are yellow, green, blue, red, white, Aubergine, and black. Slack is one brand that sticks to its taste without deviation. So they strictly warned the public to stay away from creating tints of color values or deviating from this core set of colors as much as possible when using recreating their brand logo.
Blue
PMS 298
CMYK 65-10-2-0
RGB 54-197-240
HEX 36C5F0
Yellow
PMS 7409
CMYK 4-33-98-0
RGB 236-178-46
HEX ECB22E
Green
PMS 2250
CMYK 79-2-75-0
RGB 46-182-125
HEX 2EB67D
Red
PMS 214
CMYK 13-100-36-0
RGB 224-30-90
HEX E01E5A
Aubergine
PMS 261
CMYK 68-95-33-22
RGB 74-21-75
HEX 4A154B
Black
PMS Black
CMYK 0-0-0-100
HEX 000000
How To Use The New Slack Logo
Undoubtedly, Slack’s new logo is in every way better than the old one. One of the reasons Slack rebranded its logo is that people misused the old logo. Sometimes, it’s difficult to get the exact color palette, and other times, people it in the wrong direction. Luckily, the new logo is in every way better than the old one. But how do you use or place the new logo?
According to Slack, anyone who wants to use the logo must place it on a white, black, or aubergine background. These are the three backgrounds that correctly review the beauty of the brand’s new identity.
Slack Logo: Typography and Font
The word slack appears in Helix Bold. The logo itself is an octothorp and a logotype. The logotype refers to the word “Slack” beside the octothorp is also unique.
Who Designed the New Slack Logo?
The 2019 Slack logo, which is currently in use, was designed by the Pentagram group, Slack founder and CEO Stewart Butterfield, and the in-house design and brand team.
What Is Slack?
Slack is a set of proprietary collaboration tools that are hosted in the cloud and have become increasingly popular over the years. It is designed for use in workplaces and teams as well as for personal use. It also doubles as a management tool and messaging app. Slack was made available to the public in 2013. It is a project developed by an American software company, known as Slack Technologies. Generally, users can access it from a variety of devices and operating systems, and it comes with powerful features that not only enable one-on-one communication with coworkers but also allow for conversation in larger groups. Slack provides users with a variety of features that are similar to those found in IRC. These features include chat channels, private groups, direct messaging, and so on.
Additionally, users can upload files and share them with others. I think the most fascinating thing that distinguishes it from other messaging apps is the fact that you can integrate other applications and services and have granular control over almost every setting, including the ability to create your own custom emoji.
What is Slack Used For?
Slack enables you to collaborate in a manner that is simultaneously more connected, flexible, and inclusive.
#1. In Terms of Flexibility
Slack’s adaptability makes it suitable for asynchronous work. When work is segmented into channels, it doesn’t matter where you are, what time zone you’re in, or what role you perform; you can get the information you need whenever it’s convenient. You can get caught up, ask questions, and discuss updates without having to organize your schedules.
#2. In Terms Of Connectivity
Slack makes it simple to contact other members of your team; you can message anyone, whether they work for your company or not, and interact as if you were in the same room together. People are able to operate in specialized areas known as “channels,” which are designed to bring the appropriate individuals and information together.
#3. In Terms Of Inclusiveness
Everyone in an organization gets access to the same information that is being shared and can search through that information using Slack. When teams collaborate via channels, information can be communicated to everyone simultaneously. This makes it easier for teams to maintain their alignment and come to choices more rapidly.
Why is Slack So Popular?
There are several reasons why Slack is popular, even though it is not the only messaging app. The following are some of these reasons;
#1. Perfect Communication Tool
There are several reasons why Slack is popular, even though it is not the only messaging app. The following are some of these reasons; Because it is available for desktop computers as well as mobile devices, Slack makes it possible for your team to collaborate and coordinate their work regardless of where they are located. So irrespective of where a team member is, they stay connected t the job, even though they are not physically present.
#2. Ideal For Team Work
Slack is a piece of software that was developed for the purpose of providing businesses with a medium through which they may have conversations in both large groups and one-on-one settings. You have a chat room that you can share with the whole team. You have the option to connect with others in a group through “channels,” or you can do it discreetly through “direct messaging.” It is an incredible tool that will assist you in staying organized. Slack makes it simple and enjoyable to communicate with others by functioning similarly to a chatroom but is shared by a whole team.
#3. It Facilitates Communication
Slack facilitates collaboration and communication in real time. Additionally, it also makes it possible for people to swiftly catch up after they have been absent. When you coordinate your work on Slack, it keeps things out of your email and loads of Google files, which may be a significant gain for productivity as well as security.
What Are The Downsides to Slack?
The following are some of the downsides of Slack;
- It is easy to respond during out-of-office hours when it feels like a “chat” rather than work.
- It can be a distraction
- You can’t customize it to suit your team’s needs.
- Getting Slack notifications all through the day can be annoying
- After 14 days, your chats will be wiped, so if you are sent something significant within a channel, you should make sure to make a note of it before it is gone forever. It’s easy for messages to get disorganized in a hurry.
- Context switching occurs easily
- There is only a small amount of space for storing files
- When you have a lot of different channels, it can be difficult to remember where you saw a certain post so that you can go back to it.
- It is possible for Slack to get cluttered and unorganized if other users don’t know how to properly manage messages within the context of Slack.
- Because a company that utilizes email and Slack interchangeably runs the risk of duplicating effort and creating uncertainty about where messages are being sent, you need to establish very specific guidelines for your workforce.
What Are The Advantages of Slack?
The following are some of the advantages of Slack communication tool;
- Using Slack speeds up communication.
- It enables transparency among team
- Slack gives you a lot of leeways to tailor your notifications, giving you more control over how much noise you let in.
- Slack gives you the ability to retain essential information at the forefront of your mind.
- You are able to schedule when messages are sent using Slack, allowing you to be considerate of the work hours of your coworkers.
Who Uses Slack the Most?
Slack users can be found in the greatest concentration in New York City compared to any other city in the world. According to the most recent statistics provided by Slack, the platform currently has more than 400,000 users, from New York. Slack is most commonly used by businesses that have between 10 and 50 employees and also generate between $1 and $10 million in annual revenue. The fact that it is utilized by over 100,000 organizations, including 77% of the Fortune 100 companies, exemplifies the network effect that a developed and forward-thinking product can have.
Does Slack Integrate With Other Apps?
Of course, it does. Slack has numerous apps that can be integrated with it. You can do things like add valuable team capabilities like phone and video calling, search for documents saved in other services, import calendar events, and reminders, and more.
If you are unsure about the apps you can integrate into Slack, simply check the Slack App Directory to learn more about the many third-party programs that integrate with it.
Is Slack Owned by Google?
No, Google does not own Slack. Slack is a software messaging application that was originally developed by the Canadian company Slack Technologies in the United States. However, Salesforce now owns Slack. Salesforce bought it for $27.7 billion.
Slack Technologies
Slack Technologies, LLC is a Canadian multinational software company that was established in 2009 in the city of Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia. It was formerly known as Tiny speck.
Slack Technologies: HeadQuarter
Slack’s headquarter is in San Francisco, California in the United States.
Slack Technologies: Other Offices
Slack has offices located in Dublin, Vancouver, New York City, Toronto, Denver, London, Tokyo, Pune, Paris, and Melbourne
Salesforce Acquires Slack
On December 1, 2020, Salesforce made the announcement that it would be purchasing Slack for a total price of $27.7 billion. This news came as a shock knowing that Slack Technologies completed its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange in June 2019, through a direct stock listing. Well, no one really knows why, but, we do know that the management tool developed by the team is still functional under the initial name to date. The transaction to acquire Slack was finalized on July 21st, 2021 and Salesforce became the new owner.
Slack Technologies: History
The origins of the company can be traced back to the San Francisco-based startup known as Tiny Speck. Stewart Butterfield, who is best known as the co-founder of the website Flickr, served as the company’s CEO at the time. In 2009, angel investors provided Tiny Speck with money in the amount of $1.5 million. In 2010, Accel and Andreessen Horowitz provided the company with Series A capital in the amount of $5 million. 2011 saw the completion of a Series B funding round that brought in approximately $10.7 million.
Why is My Slack Icon a Square?
There are restrictions on your account. Whenever you see the square icon on a user’s account, it means the account is restricted. Aside from the square, there are other symbols too. This includes the triangle, which represents a normal user, and the circle, which represents a typical member of the community.
What Does Z and Green Mean in Slack?
If a user’s icon is green, it means they are connected to the network at this time and are currently online. But whenever there is the letter “z” next to the green icon, it shows that the user has the “Do Not Disturb” setting activated, which prevents notifications from appearing on the user’s screen. Generally, if they are not turned off via the “Notification schedule”, they may have been “Paused.”
Tiny Speck’s Progress
One would wonder what the company did with the $10.7 million it raised from angel funding. Well, they did go to work and came up with a project known as Glitch.
Glitch is a social, massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) with highly stylized 2D visuals.
How Glitch Operate
Glitch was more than a game, it was a mental exercise that develop individuals.
To play Glitch, you must learn to find and grow resources, recognize and build community, and, at the upper stages of the game, proselytize to others around you. ” It was launched in September 2011. After a while, the company felt it was exactly what it wanted. So they took it down a short time later in order to improve the gameplay. Unfortunately, the project ended in 2012. They kept up with other projects and eventually, Slack was born in 2013.
Lawsuit
Slack technologies have faced a few lawsuits. Some of these were filed by the company against other firms, while some were filed against it by other firms. Let’s take a look at some of these.
Lawsuit Filed By Slack Technologies
Slack lodged a complaint against Microsoft with the European Commission in July 2020, alleging the software giant was engaging in anticompetitive activity. According to Slack Technologies, Microsoft engaged in unlawful bundling practices by including their rival collaboration platform, Microsoft Teams, with the Microsoft Office suite.
Lawsuit Against Slack Technologies
Slack was hit with a class action lawsuit alleging securities violations in October 2020. The suit was filed in the California State Superior Court for San Mateo County. To summarize, the plaintiffs alleged on behalf of individuals who purchased Slack Class A common stock in Slack’s direct public offering in June 2019 that Slack violated Sections 11, 12, and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 due to allegedly false statements and material omissions in the IPO documentation.
Slack Technologies: Founders
Slack was founded by two great people Stewart Butterfield and Callum James Henderson-Begg
Stewart Butterfield
Stewart Butterfield is both the CEO and one of the co-founders of Slack. He graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and from Cambridge University with a Master of Philosophy. Over the past twenty years, Stewart Butterfield has been a successful entrepreneur, designer, and leader in the technology industry. It is not surprising that he had a significant impact even when Slack Technologies was working on the development of the brand’s new logo.
Slack was launched in 2013 by Stewart and his team, and since then it has revolutionized the way businesses communicate. Slack is now the Digital HQ, linking people, tools, customers, and partners across enterprises in order to eradicate communication silos, embrace flexibility, and automate work.
Flickr was one of the early pioneers of image sharing and the social web, and Stewart was one of the co-founders of the company in 2003.
Stewart has been honored frequently for his vision and creativity in the creation of two firms that have rethought the ways in which people use technology to communicate, collaborate, share, and store information. These companies are Dropbox and Airbnb. In addition to being recognized as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, one of BusinessWeek’s Top 50 Leaders, and the Technology Innovator of the Year by the Wall Street Journal, he has also been included on Vanity Fair’s New Establishment List, the Recode 100, and Advertising Age’s Creativity 50.
Callum Henderson
Callum Henderson is Slack’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and co-founder. He is in charge of Slack’s top-notch engineering staff and is responsible for developing the company’s overall technical vision.
In 2019, he was recognized as a member of the Fortune 40 Under 40 list and as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Before Yahoo acquired Flickr, Cal had developed and directed the engineering staff there. Flickr was founded by Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield. He is the author of the O’Reilly Media book “Building Scalable Websites,” which has sold a lot of copies, and he is a well-known lecturer on the topic of engineering scalability. Callum Henderson was also a pioneer in the application of web APIs. He laid the groundwork for OAuth and oEmbed, which are currently utilized by YouTube, Twitter, and a great number of other businesses.
Cal was a part of London’s early online network because of the work he did with digital creative groups and the blogosphere. He graduated from Birmingham City University with both a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and an Honorary Doctorate in the same field. He moved his home to San Francisco some time ago.
Conclusion
Even though Slack technologies are now under Salesforce, there are several lessons that brands can learn from their rebranding strategy. The first is that whatever must represent your brand must be something that accurately conveys the same message as the brand. You can’t be heading North and have a brand icon that is pointing to the South, that’s inappropriate. Secondly, it is important of having a reason before your rebranding. Do not just rebrand, have a reason for doing so. The brand didn’t change its logo because it is fun, it did because it is necessary.
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