Enduring Corporate Symbols: The CBS Eye

By Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@graphicdesignschoolreview.com
Graphic Design School Review Columnist

Corporate identity graphics have long been a way for marketers to develop a brand and convey an idea to consumers. One enduring corporate identity graphic has been the CBS Eye - a design consisting of several concentric circles that resembles a human eye. For over 50 years this corporate graphic design has lasted while tens of thousands of other corporate logos have faded into obscurity.

Graphic design training courses are necessary to obtain a certain level of expertise in the area of logo development and brand identity. But graphic design training can't tell you how to make a corporate symbol that will last a generation or more. That's exactly what William Golden did in 1951, the year his legendary Eye logo was introduced to the public.

Inspiration for the Eye

Where did Golden get such a brilliant, yet seemingly simple idea? He claims to have been driving through the Pennsylvania Dutch Country when he discovered something that struck him: a hex symbol drawn on a Shaker barn, which was used to ward off evil spirits.

Classic Design

Golden's Eye has managed to ward off the evil marketing spirits that deem a logo dated or irrelevant. The original Eye, created in 1951, is still the same design displayed today during commercial breaks, throughout football games, and during the evening news broadcast. Some feel the simple shape is timeless; like a Brancusi sculpture it appears both modern and primitive.

But while the basic design has remained constant, the color, shape, and dimensions of the Eye have changed over time. The original cloud-filled background no longer exists. Yet the uncomplicated shape of the Eye makes it easy to manipulate through changes in color and size without sacrificing the integrity of the logo.

Corporate identity graphics such as the CBS Eye don't appear everyday so it's worth taking some time to consider its design as you advance in your own graphic design training. At the very least, it can demonstrate that sometimes the seemingly simplest corporate symbols are the ones that are most lasting.

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who lives in Arlington, Virginia.