microsoft logo
Microsoft released its first new logo in 25 years on Thursday. (Image courtesy Microsoft)

Microsoft releases first new logo in 25 years

BY Jamie Skorheim  on August 23, 2012 @ 7:11 am (Updated: 5:50 am - 8/24/12 )

Microsoft is going for a fresh image prior to the release of what it calls "the most significant waves of product launches in Microsoft's history."

On Thursday, Microsoft released its new logo. It's the first update to the image in 25 years.

"Now is the perfect time for a change," says a posting on the Official Microsoft Blog. "This is an incredibly exciting year for Microsoft as we prepare to release new versions of nearly all of our products."

The new products including Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and Xbox service updates are shooting for a familiar feeling across the varied product lines and devices.

The logo is supposed to represent the dawn of a new era for the local company, a way to visually accentuate this new beginning they say.

The new logo with multicolor squares and the Microsoft name reportedly takes its inspiration from the new product designs which are based around live tiles.

By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor

Jamie Skorheim, MyNorthwest.com Editor
Whether it's floating on Green Lake, eating shrimp tacos at Agua Verde, or taking weekend drives out to the Cascades, she loves to enjoy the Pacific Northwest lifestyle as much as humanly possible.
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Comments (12)


  • Add A Comment

  • shark75 wrote...
    I find myself agreeing with AJ
    August 23, 2012 8:16 am
    Creativity on a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 1. What in the world are they thinking? Yeah yeah I get the new style and tiles and all that, but seriously?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • low_tech wrote...
    25 years ago ...
    August 23, 2012 9:09 am
    That's about the last time Microsoft showed any new creativity!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Torqueboy wrote...
    I think it's funny....
    August 23, 2012 9:55 am
    that this new logo probably took a team of marketing researchers two years and ten million dollars to create.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    looks like the logo used by phishers and others faking to be Microsoft.
    August 23, 2012 10:56 am
    So, in a way, this should boost sales of security protection software.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mike Hunt wrote...
    From a flag moving into the air to a simple square?
    August 23, 2012 12:05 pm
    Seems like they're going backwards. Perhaps it will grow on me though.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dori monson fan wrote...
    looks great!
    August 23, 2012 2:01 pm
    simple and classy, lines flow well, and cool colors. kudos to the designers who created it!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Skykomish2 wrote...
    New Logo
    August 23, 2012 2:37 pm
    They actually paid people to come up with this? I work in a tech support department, and NO ONE here thought there was any originality or class. My dog craps a better logo....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 2112 wrote...
    My dog craps a better logo....
    August 23, 2012 3:36 pm
    Funny!......and true.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WAmovesRight wrote...
    Wow...
    August 23, 2012 3:47 pm
    ... in a "not so impressed" way. I know somebody worked hard on this and would never want to hurt their feelings... but this is just not a very good logo. it doesn't send a cutting edge image and Microsoft really needs to rebuild this image.. bummer.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    They actually created this logo?
    August 23, 2012 3:52 pm
    I would have expected them to just buy some other company's logo for a boatload of cash and stock options. This is what they get for trying to create something on their own.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }