CUPERTINO, California — April 1, 2015 — Apple® today announced that the company will resurrect the original rainbow Apple logo ahead of Apple’s 40th anniversary of the company’s founding on April 1, 1976 and also as an affirmation that Apple, an American company, believes that America must be a land of opportunity for everyone, in a diverse rainbow of colors, including race, religion, sexual orientation, and more. Apple’s executive team and board of directors believe the company logo should reinforce that belief.
Apple’s definition of diversity goes far beyond the traditional categories of race, religion, gender, and ethnicity. It includes personal qualities that usually go unmeasured, like sexual orientation, veteran status, and disabilities. Who we are, where we come from, and what we’ve experienced influence the way we perceive issues and solve problems. Apple believes in celebrating that diversity and investing in it.
This transition will roll out over the coming year and be fully complete with the official opening of Apple Campus 2 in 2016.
“Our message, to people around the country and around the world, is this: Apple is open. Open to everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in a statement. “I’ve had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people’s differences. We will never tolerate discrimination.”
Graphic designer Rob Janoff designed the famous six-color rainbow Apple logo in 1977 after he was given the now-famous direction by Steve Jobs: “Don’t make it cute.” The logo replaced an earlier, more complex logo designed by Apple co-founder Ronald Wayne who, along with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, founded Apple Computer on April 1, 1976, 39 years ago today. On August 27, 1999, Apple officially dropped the rainbow scheme and began to use a series of monochromatic logos – until today.
“The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated for human rights and equality for all,” Cook said. “We’ve taken a strong stand in support of a workplace equality bill before Congress, just as we stood for marriage equality in our home state of California. And we spoke up in Arizona when that state’s legislature passed a discriminatory bill targeting the gay community. We’ll continue to fight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of this incredible company, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, would do the same. And I will personally continue to advocate for equality for all people until my toes point up.”
The original six-color rainbow Apple logo will begin to reappear starting today in print, television, Web advertising, and on in-store marketing materials, later this month on Apple Watch packaging, and over the coming year in subsequent product packaging and within Apple software applications.
Apple believes diversity of life experience and ideas gives the company character. Apple is committed to the advancement of equality everywhere. For more detailed information on Apple and diversity, please visit http://www.apple.com/diversity/
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
Press Contact:
Siddhartha Finch
Apple Inc.
sfinch@apple.com
Apple, the Apple logo, and Apple Watch are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Source: Apple Inc.
MacDailyNews Take: Bravo, Apple!
And, Apple logo, old friend, it sure is great to see you again!
MacDailyNews Note: Update: 10am EDT: Certain comments were held for 90 minutes. They have now been posted below.
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