Google Logo History: Comparing Old and New Designs

What is the essential answer to my logo design question?

The current Google logo is the simplified, geometric sans-serif wordmark introduced in September 2015. It is the version most people mean when they search for the "Google logo new" design, and it is distinct from the earlier serif wordmark that represented the company from 1999 to 2015. The redesign also produced a new favicon: a rounded capital G rendered in the four Google colors.

How did this logo develop, and what explains its design?

Google's first branded mark appeared in 1997 as a rough, low-resolution emblem with stretched letterforms and a hand-like illustration. It is not a formal vector system by modern standards and is usually described as a temporary or prototype mark.

In 1999, Google adopted the familiar multicolor wordmark with a serif typeface. The letters were set in blue, red, yellow, blue, green, and red, with the lowercase "g" in blue and the "l" in green. This version remained in use for more than a decade, with refinements in 2010 and 2013 that adjusted brightness, shadow treatment, and letter spacing. These changes kept the overall identity stable rather than replacing it.

The 2015 redesign replaced the serif lettering with a custom geometric sans-serif typeface. Google's stated rationale was to make the mark work better across small screens, mobile devices, and low-resolution contexts. The new glyphs have consistent stroke weight, open counters, and tighter letter fit, which improves legibility at reduced sizes.

Comparing the old and new Google logos

Criterion | Old 1999–2015 wordmark | New 2015 wordmark

Typeface | Serif | Geometric sans-serif

Overall tone | Established, slightly decorative | Flatter, more systematic

Small-scale legibility | Moderate; serifs become less distinct | Stronger due to simplified strokes

Color sequence | Blue, red, yellow, blue, green, red | Blue, red, yellow, blue, green, red

Asset editability | Often distributed as raster images | Now available as scalable vector assets

Practical implications for vector logo work

For designers working with the logo as a vector asset, the new wordmark is the safer choice when precise scaling, flat color output, or responsive interface work is required. Its uniform stroke geometry reduces the risk of detail loss when the mark is resized. The older serif version can still be useful for historical comparisons or retrospective projects, but its smaller optical details make it less adaptable to tiny display sizes.

A tradeoff is visual character. The serif design has a more traditional and distinctive texture, while the sans-serif version emphasizes clarity and consistency. The recommendation depends on intended use: choose the new version for current brand alignment and technical scalability; choose the old version only when the project explicitly documents logo history.

Gaps in the available evidence

Specific grid measurements, exact construction curves, and authoritative vector geometry for the Google wordmark are not supplied in this material. Filenames or raster appearances do not confirm usable vector source data, and the availability of an image does not imply permission to reuse a trademarked mark. For official reusable assets, use the brand resources provided by Google directly.