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Branding

Snapchat Ghost Logo (Its History, Meaning, Evolution,Design Elements, & Much More)

By  
Surja Sen Das Raj
0 min read
Snapchat Ghost Logo (Its History, Meaning, Evolution,Design Elements, & Much More)

As you have on the tech-journey of the fast-growing world, you may get connected with your friends and family through different social media tools, like messenger, whatsapp, dingtalk,telegram, briar, signal, snapchat,and so on.

But do you ever think about how these logos were made?

How have they evolved through decades?

Or which insights click them more when building the logo?

Cool! Here we are for all of your queries on this through.

In below, we will serve you with the deep knowledge of snapchat ghost logo, what it means, its logo evolution, and design elements. In addition, a new feature will be revealed in front of you.

Let’s Dive!

Snapchat Ghost Logo History

Snapchat was launched on July 8, 2011, for iOS users under the name ‘Picaboo’, spelled "Pic a Boo," and in Spanish, it means "a photo of a ghost. Later in days, It became available for Android users on October 29, 2012.

It was created by three university students: Reggie Brown, Evan Spiegel, and Bobby Murphy. Reggie came up with the idea for an app where pictures disappear after a set time like a disappeared ghost.

Snapchat Ghost Logo History

Since Reggie didn’t know much about business, he asked Evan for help. They also brought in Bobby, who was a coding expert.

Together, they built the app, but after the launch, Reggie was removed from the company. He sued Evan and Bobby, settling for $157.5 million.

Evan designed the app’s ghost-like logo in one evening on his computer. He named it "Ghostface Chilian" after rapper Ghostface Killah, a nod to his love for rap. Despite the drama, Snapchat became very successful, similar to Facebook’s story.

The Reason Behind Snapchat Ghost Logo(Meaning)

The Reason Behind Snapchat Ghost Logo

The ghost logo was chosen because it reflects the true essence of Snapchat.

Snapchat promises privacy, so the Ghostface Chillah was added to the logo to show this. The ghost became a permanent part of Snapchat to remind users that their messages disappear after a set time.

Like users have the option to set the viewing time for photos or videos, from 1 to 10 seconds. After the time ends, it disappears from the recipient’s phone forever.

Evolution of Snapchat Ghost Logo

Evolution of Snapchat Ghost Logo

2011-2013

In 2011, Snapchat's first logo, Ghostface Chilian, was released when the app was still called Picaboo. It features a happy ghost with its tongue out, a round head, short arms, and a base that isn’t even.

Looking at other app logos, Spiegel noticed none of them used yellow, so he decided it would be the perfect color for Snapchat.

2013-2019

In 2013, the brand changed the logo, and the character no longer had a facial expression. This year, Snapchat introduced the Stories feature to share snaps that lasted 24 hours.

Official reports explain that the ghost logo was created to represent the range of emotions shown by the community. They believed that since every user represents the app, there was no need for a special expression.

According to the other members , the change in the logo is linked to a lawsuit by Evancreators for copyright issues.

2019-Today

Snapchat Today

The ghost’s border was made thicker and darker, making the logo more visible from distance. But the interesting fact is that the changes weren’t officially announced, but the audience spotted the improved app with an unusual icon in the iPhone App Store.

People began writing negative reviews and submitting petitions in the App Store after noticing this logo. Though, the leaders of Snap Inc. explained that the thick border makes the logo more eye-catching.

On the other hand, this year Snapchat introduced AR technology that allows you to add fun filters, like goofy faces or virtual outfits, to your snaps.

Design Elements of Snapchat Ghost Logo

Icon

Icon

The Snapchat logo was inspired by "Picaboo", means 'a photo of a ghost' in Spanish. Over time, the logo became simpler and easier to recognize.

Snapchat messages don’t disappear completely; they are saved for later use if needed, like the ghost idea—something unseen still exists.

The ghost logo comes in different colors (yellow, black, or white) and shapes (circle or square). No matter the version, people all over the world recognize it.

Color

The Snapchat logo features a white ghost outlined in black on a yellow square with rounded corners.

The background was once gradient but is now a solid bright yellow. Snap Inc. chose Pantone Yellow U (Hex 0xFFFC00) after finding no competitors used yellow.

But The older logo featured a red tongue on the ghost, which has been removed in the current design.
Yellow represents positivity, energy, clarity, and enlightenment, while white symbolizes purity, harmony, innocence, and fresh starts.

Whatever, Snapchat’s main color are yellow, black, & white.

If you explore in deep, you will  find the table below.

Color

Snapchat Plus : A New Snapchat

Snapchat Plus

Snapchat+ started in July 2022 when Snap faced problems with falling ad revenue and has been surprisingly successful in earning money another way.

Snapchat+ costs $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year.

It’s available only in certain countries, but Snapchat plans to expand it to more soon.

Here are the 10 most catchy features of Snapchat+ :

  1. Pin #1 Best Friend – Highlight your top friend on Snapchat.
  2. Story Rewatch Indicator – See who rewatched your stories.
  3. Custom App Icons – Choose from a variety of app icons.
  4. Solar System – Explore a unique feature for friends in your orbit.
  5. Priority Story Replies – Get your replies noticed by celebrities or creators.
  6. Post View Emoji – Add an emoji that appears after your friends view your snaps.
  7. Custom Story Expiration – Control how long your stories stay visible.
  8. One Free Monthly Snapstreak Restore – Fix a lost streak once a month.
  9. Custom Chat Colors – Personalize your chat themes.
  10. Story Boost – Get more visibility for your stories.

FAQs on Snapchat Ghost Logo

What is Snapchat Format?

Snapchat's full-screen canvas is 1080 x 1920px with a 9:16 aspect ratio, scaled proportionally. Videos can be 3 to 180 seconds long, but if shorter than 3 seconds, they will loop to meet the minimum.

Which font is used in Snapchat?

Snapchat's text features Avenir Next, a clean and modern sans-serif font that aligns with its fun and youthful look.

How is snapchat coded?

For development, Snapchat relies on Bootstrap and JavaScript for the front end, Python for the backend, and Objective-C with Cocoa Touch (iOS) and PHP.

Is the Snapchat logo a ghost or a bell?

Snapchat’s ghost logo symbolizes the app’s feature where messages vanish after viewing or a set time. So we can tell it a ghost logo.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the Snapchat ghost logo evolution shows how the app has grown and changed over time. The logo started as a detailed design and became a simple, modern ghost that everyone knows today.

Besides, Snapchat is still doing great, with its third-quarter revenue growing 15% to $1,373 million and Daily Active Users increasing 9% to 443 million.

You can improve your logo quality and be on the top of the market. If you fail, we are here at your doorstep to consult you through a strategic call.

On the contrary, you can start your journey by reading our recent blogs on top logos.

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