The Yammer logo features multiple shades of blue with a distinctive geometric icon, designed by Scott Baker at Pentagram as part of Microsoft’s Office 365 application redesign in 2018-2019.
The icon employs overlapping speech bubble or conversation shapes rendered in various blue tones, directly representing Yammer’s function as an enterprise social network for organizational communication. The layered, interconnected forms suggest conversations flowing between colleagues, departments, and teams—the core value proposition of Yammer as “Facebook for the enterprise.” The blue palette maintains consistency with Microsoft’s broader brand architecture while the specific shades and geometric treatment provide Yammer with distinctive recognition.
Baker’s design follows the systematic approach developed for all Office 365 applications—simplified geometric forms, layered depth suggesting interactivity, and coordinated colors. For Yammer, the speech bubble metaphor proves immediately comprehensible while the corporate blue palette positions it as professional collaboration software rather than consumer social media.
Meaning and Symbolism
- Overlapping speech bubbles: Directly represent conversation and communication flowing across organizational boundaries
- Multiple blue shades: Suggest diverse voices and perspectives within unified organizational communication
- Layered transparency: Represents how Yammer makes organizational knowledge visible and accessible rather than siloed
- Geometric simplification: Balances professional credibility with the approachable, social nature of the platform
Design and History
Yammer launched in 2008 as an independent startup bringing social networking concepts to enterprise communication. Founder David Sacks positioned Yammer as “Facebook for companies”—a private social network where employees could share updates, ask questions, and collaborate across departments. Microsoft acquired Yammer in 2012 for $1.2 billion, recognizing that enterprise collaboration would increasingly resemble consumer social platforms.
The current logo emerged from Pentagram’s comprehensive 2018-2019 redesign of Office 365 application icons. Scott Baker developed a unified visual system where each application received a distinctive geometric icon with coordinated colors. For Yammer, Baker chose overlapping speech bubbles as the clearest metaphor for social networking and organizational conversation. The blue palette connected Yammer to Microsoft’s broader brand while the specific shades and overlapping geometry differentiated it from other Microsoft communication tools like Teams and Outlook.
Following the redesign, Yammer’s positioning within Microsoft’s product portfolio became more complex. Microsoft Teams emerged as the company’s flagship collaboration platform, with some questioning Yammer’s long-term role. However, Yammer maintained distinct value for organization-wide communication and communities versus Teams’ project-focused channels. The logo represents this positioning—broad organizational conversation rather than structured team collaboration.
Typography
The wordmark uses Segoe UI, Microsoft’s proprietary typeface deployed across the entire product ecosystem. Segoe UI features humanist proportions with clean, contemporary letterforms that ensure excellent screen readability across devices and interfaces. The font’s slightly condensed characters and consistent stroke weights optimize for both desktop applications and mobile interfaces. The sentence case setting (“Yammer” not “YAMMER”) reinforces approachability and the social, conversational nature of the platform versus enterprise software formality. Segoe UI’s ubiquity across Microsoft products creates visual cohesion while each application’s distinctive icon color provides differentiation.
FAQ
Q: Who designed the Yammer logo?
A: Scott Baker, a partner at Pentagram, designed the Yammer icon as part of the comprehensive 2018-2019 redesign of Microsoft Office 365 application icons. The project established a unified visual system across the entire productivity suite.
Q: Why does Yammer use speech bubbles in its logo?
A: The overlapping speech bubble forms directly represent organizational conversation and communication—Yammer’s core function as an enterprise social network. The metaphor immediately communicates that Yammer facilitates dialogue and knowledge sharing across company boundaries.
Q: How does Yammer differ from Microsoft Teams?
A: While both are Microsoft collaboration tools with blue logos, Teams focuses on structured project collaboration with channels and meetings, while Yammer emphasizes organization-wide communication, communities, and social networking patterns. The logos reflect this—Yammer’s speech bubbles suggest open conversation, while Teams uses stylized people icons suggesting structured teamwork.
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