Johnson & Johnson drops 130-year-old script logo in brand revamp

Global healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson has unveiled a new logo as part of its comprehensive rebranding initiative, replacing its signature script with a fresh, modernized logo. 

This change comes as the company narrows its focus to pharmaceuticals and medical devices. 

The original script logo, based on co-founder James Wood Johnson’s signature and in use since 1887, will be replaced by a more contemporary design. The new logo aims to reflect Johnson & Johnson’s “pure play healthcare company” status, distinguishing it from its previous consumer product-centric image.

Johnson & Johnson recently split to separate its consumer health businesses with a new company, Kenvue Inc. 

J&J’s health products such as Aveeno, Band-Aid, Benadryl, Johnson’s Baby, Listerine, Mylanta, Neutrogena, Tylenol, and Visine are now marketed by Kenvue. For now, the old logo will continue to appear on Kenvue’s consumer products. 

This rebranding initiative aims to unite its medtech and pharmaceutical segments under the Johnson & Johnson brand name, highlighting the company’s focus on healthcare innovation. The pharmaceutical segment, currently known as Janssen, will be renamed Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, while the medical technology segment will continue as Johnson & Johnson MedTech.

“The announcement marks the next era for Johnson & Johnson, which is leveraging its expertise in innovative medicine and medical technology to prevent, treat, and cure complex diseases and introduce solutions that are smarter, less invasive, and more personalized,” the New Brunswick, New Jersey-based J&J said in a statement. 

J&J’s CEO and chairman of the board, Joaquin Duato, said the company’s “exclusive focus” on innovative medicine and MedTech solutions enables it to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare in ways no other company can. “Uniting our diverse businesses under an updated Johnson & Johnson brand reflects our unique ability to reimagine healthcare through transformative innovation, while staying true to Our Credo values and the level of care that patients and doctors expect of us,” he added. 

The company said that its new logo is modernized for this next chapter. “Each letter is drawn in one pen stroke, creating a contrast that delivers both a sense of unexpectedness and humanity. The company will embrace both the long- and short-form versions of the logo, expanding and building more equity around a short-form ‘J&J’ to show up in a more personable, contemporary way — especially in digital interfaces. The brand will also show up in motion and respond to different environments,” it said. 

“Our Johnson & Johnson brand identity communicates our bold approach to innovation in healthcare, while staying true to the care we have for our patients around the world,” said Vanessa Broadhurst, executive vice president of global corporate affairs at J&J. “We take immense pride in leading healthcare for more than a century and are seizing on our scientific momentum to profoundly impact health for humanity.”

The rebranding process will gradually roll out across all company materials, product packaging, and branding assets.