Corporate History and Identity

Withstanding the fierce competition of several other pioneers in the film industry, “Technicolor” grew to become synonymous with groundbreaking color motion pictures. However, advertisers frequently co-opted the brand name to promote numerous non-cinematic products, using “Technicolor” as a shorthand for vivid, eye-popping color in still photography, books, and even clothing. Herbert Kalmus took extensive measures to maintain the integrity of his company’s trademark, and to ensure that the slogan “Color by Technicolor” would be as durable and unmistakable as dye-transfer film prints. Despite numerous redesigns of its logo and visual identity, the company’s name has remained the same for a century, the “Tech” in “Technicolor” an enduring homage to its founders’ alma mater, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.