{"id":20893,"date":"2017-06-20T10:38:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-20T14:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advertisingweek.com\/aw360\/?p=20893"},"modified":"2026-10-15T10:39:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T14:39:35","slug":"the-history-of-the-nbc-peacock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advertisingweek.com\/aw360\/news\/the-history-of-the-nbc-peacock\/20893\/","title":{"rendered":"The History of the NBC Peacock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

All hail the Peacock! For more than five decades, this brightly colored bird has reigned supreme as NBC<\/a>\u2019s highly recognizable logo, shifting with the times and transforming the way viewers engaged with the TV network. Over the years, many have watched the symbol undergo new and exciting designs, from the Laramie<\/em> Peacock to the Modern Peacock. Join us on the ultimate television throwback journey as we uncover more about this icon that is truly proud as a peacock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pre-Peacock Logos and the Debut of the Peacock \u2014 in Color!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It might surprise you to learn that NBC\u2019s corporate logo wasn\u2019t always the now-famous Peacock. In 1943, their first logo was a dramatic black and white NBC microphone. Flanked by a background of lightning bolts, that microphone remained the network\u2019s logo for 11 years. NBC enjoyed success in radio and used the platform to build its TV network. The microphone logo conveyed to listeners that NBC had the excitement and immediacy of radio on TV. In 1954, NBC switched over to a xylophone logo complete with a mallet and three letters: N, B, and C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two short years later, audiences were captivated by television and ready to switch their sets from black and white to color. This was precisely the audience NBC wanted to woo and they set to work conceptualizing the Peacock. John J. Graham, the Director of Design at NBC, designed the original Peacock. Along with the bird, Graham developed variations on the NBC chimes and their radio signage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Peacock\u2019s original design included 11 feathers in six colors \u2014 maroon, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Each feather was tipped with teardrop shapes for a closer resemblance to actual peacock feathers. The Peacock also had feet, but interestingly enough this particular mascot has never had a name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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