New GCHQ logo unveiled to mark centenary year

A new logo has been designed for GCHQ to reflect its vision and values of ingenuity, integrity, impact and teamwork ahead of its centenary year in 2019.

It is hoped that the new design will appeal to possible recruits looking at job adverts on GCHQ’s Twitter feed. Special consideration has also been given to how it would sit alongside the logos of the National Cyber Security Centre, MI5 and SIS.

The original GCHQ logo surfaced in 1953 when the organisation moved to sites in Cheltenham at Oakley and Benhall, before the now-famous ‘doughnut’ was introduced in 2004.

GCHQ’s badge has now been updated, refreshed and simplified with a modern font and colour so it stands out and functions in a more digital world.

The designers took their inspiration for the fragmented ‘Q’ from a variety of sources: the dials of the original Bombe at Bletchley Park, its reputation for puzzling, analysis and problem-solving, and some of the features of its Benhall building.

“What we wanted was a logo that reflected our past, acknowledged the present, and positioned us well for the future,” read a statement from the organisation.