Johnson & Johnson is getting rid of its script logo after more than 130 years

Johnson & Johnson is signing off on a new logo.

The healthcare giant said on Thursday that it will replace the well-known signature script it has used since 1887 with a modern look that reflects its sharpened focus on pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

The original script — based on co-founder James Wood Johnson's signature — will still be seen for now on consumer products like baby shampoo from Kenvue, a new company recently spun off from J&J.

Johnson & Johnson itself narrowed its focus to pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The new look, which includes a different shade of red, aims to recognise J&J’s shift into a “pure play healthcare company,” said Vanessa Broadhurst, a company executive vice president.

The signature logo was “one of the longest-used company emblems in the world,” J&J declared in a 2017 website post.

But it started showing its age in an era of texting and emojis.

Many children no longer learn to write cursive in school, noted marketing consultant Laura Ries. People may recognise the signature, but they weren’t necessarily reading it, she said. The new logo, she said, is easier to process.

“Because it’s easier, it almost even draws your attention to it,” said Ries, who wasn't involved in the logo change.

Ries also noted people likely identified the script logo more with the Kenvue products they see on drugstore shelves, such as Band-Aids, Listerine and Tylenol.

“Everyone washed their baby with Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo,” she said.