History: The Evolution of a Company Logo

1882		The first logo was developed to market Bankers Life Association.
1913		In 1911 Bankers Life Association became a mutual company and was renamed Bankers Life Company. This "shield" logo, using the company's initials became the first graphic representation of the company name.
1922		In order to make the full name of the company better known the company made the "shield" logo the center of a double circle filled with Bankers Life Company.
1934		In the midst of the Great Depression the company sought a logo that would instill confidence, promote patriotism and promise a bright future. The logo developed used the image of Lady Liberty and incorporated the promise of financial freedom.
1938		With the Depression at an end and the company nearing the $1 billion life-insurance-in-force milestone, The company chose a cleaner, more easily recognized logo using a special typeface.
1940		The new Home Office building was the highlight of 1940 for the company. So, the "building of the decade" was incorporated into the company logo.
1946		World War II had just come to an end. Everyone was ready to go back to the basics and get on with their lives. The logo used from 1946-1968 places direct emphasis on the company name and Home Office city.
1968		By 1968 there were hundreds of insurance companies with "Bankers" in their name. One out-of-state company even kept a post office box in the city so they could look like our Bankers Life Company. The company developed a completely new look. The graphic emphasized the mutuality of the company with entwined circles. "The" was added to Bankers Life and the company became The Bankers Life...the one and only.
1985		By the 1980s the company was growing and expanding. The name The Bankers Life had become restrictive. It couldn't be used as we formed new subsidiaries and that kept the company from having an overall umbrella identity that would encompass all the subsidiaries. After much research, the company settled on the new name...The Principal Financial Group. The word "Principal" means primary and relates to money. The "edge" shaped logo stood out among other logos and graphically depicted the advantage or edge we give our customers.
1998		The word "The" was removed from the logo to simplify it..