Evolution of the Cooper & Beatty trademark – 1927 to 1964

Cooper & Beatty had four distinct trademarks over its 75-year history – each reflecting not only internal changes at the company but also the broader evolution of typesetting and graphic design in Canada throughout the 20th century.

While the designer of the original 1927 mark remains unknown, there’s good reason to believe it may have been Ed Cooper. He seemed to be responsible for the promotional and design side of the business, and he studied the history of Canadian typography – even writing on the subject.

In 1950, founding partners Ed Cooper and Lew Beatty sold the company to Jack Trevett, who had been with Cooper & Beatty – off and on – since 1932. As the new president, Trevett quite literally wanted to put his mark on the firm. He asked Carl Dair to design a new trademark that would reflect his vision for the company. Dair’s decision to use calligraphy for a typesetting company was inspired: it gave Cooper & Beatty a distinctive mark that didn’t compete visually with any of the typefaces they used or promoted.

When Allan Fleming joined Cooper & Beatty in late 1957, one of his first acts was to revise Dair’s mark. It’s likely he had long wanted to refine it. Though the changes were subtle, they reflected Fleming’s deep sense of typographic nuance and extended the mark’s usefulness.

By the early 1960s, however, Cooper & Beatty was no longer just a typesetting firm – it had expanded into graphic design, with a modern in-house studio. Tony Mann’s circular mark, introduced in 1964 as part of a cohesive identity system, signalled that shift. It also helped maintain Cooper & Beatty’s dominance in the Toronto graphic arts industry for the next 25 years. – Rod McDonald