RALEIGH – Three things are certain in business: financial success, financial death or merger, and a corporate logo change. Red Hat at age 26, is no different.
Rick Smith, WRAL TechWire’s editor and a cofounder
In a true sign of the changing times, Red Hat is not only on its way to merging with IBM but, more apparent and more immediate, is also on the verge of removing its red fedora logo with the 19-story downtown headquarters in Raleigh soon to no longer flash the tilted hat that has been a skyline eye magnet for nearly seven years.
Remember the stink that some people raised when the Hatters unveiled the massive fedora and glaring red band around the top of the former Progress Energy headquarters at 100 East Davie Street?
Whether the forthcoming logo change and new branding across the top of the building will set off a similar controversy remains to be seen.
And a worldwide audience will soon see the new look as Red Hat disclosed Wednesday it would unveil its new logo and rooftop look next Wednesday (May 1) at noon.
A spokesperson for Red Hat says the company is “evolving” its logo which dates back to the days of the Linux open source software, cloud and services firm launched in 1993 with Marc Ewing and Bob Young as cofounders taking a liking to a cap Ewing wore.
IBM announced plans last fall to acquire Red Hat in a deal valued at $34 billion, and Big Blue says it is progressing on the securing needed regulatory approval this year.
That deal impacted Red Hat’s new logo plans since the original timeline was to unveil a possibly completely fedora-less branding last fall.
Now the day is upon us.
IBM talks up Red Hat deal benefits, says $34B acquisition moving toward completion
From early fledgling days at an office in RTP where Matthew Szulik as the new CEO in place of Young powered the company to rapid growth and a new headquarters on NCSU’s Centennial Campus to going public and on to the Raleigh downtown HQ under CEO Jim Whitehurst, Red Hat has stood as a symbol of the Triangle’s high-tech rise.
And the Hatters were one with the fedora.
What’s next?
Surely Red Hat will remain red even as it mergers with Big Blue.
But who’s to say what Ginni Rometty at IBM will decide once she takes control?
She will have a chance to see the new logo and HQ branding in person very shortly. Rometty is giving the commencement address at NCSU on May 11.
