C. Henriquez

Section D304

MTV is a well known logo that has been around since August 1981.  Three graphic designers: Pat Gorman, Frank Olinsky and Patti Rogoff were the creators of the logo.  The designers worked at a small studio called Manhattan Design on Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street.  One of the creatures, Olinsky as a child watched a cartoon called “Winky Dink” that later on influenced the idea that made the MTV logo what it is today.

The design was originally created in the early 1980s.  In the logo the “M” is a bold san serif typeface with the “TV” overlapping that catches the viewer’s eye immediately.  The typefaces used in the logo are hand drawn.  Originally the “M” was yellow that was created by Rogoff, the “TV” spray painted by Olinsky in red with “Music Television” placed underneath.

Today the logo is much simpler in an all black “M” with a white outline, “TV”.  The “Music Television” is not being used anymore.  The design changes throughout time keeps the logo current and are used to support festivals and holidays.  The MTV website was created on February 8,2010 so the design was being promoted even more on a different platform to that brought more viewers to this now popular music channel.  The logo cannot be mistaken for another because of the originality of the typeface.  The design is simple but effective, getting the point across but still being up to date with the change of color and texture.  “MTV” is so popular the logo is on about four hundred million homes in one hundred and sixty – six countries.