3M Montage

The dictionary defines montage as, “The technique of combining in a single composition pictorial elements from various sources ... as parts of different photographs or fragments of printing, either to give the illusion that the elements belonged together originally or to allow each element to retain its separate identity as a means of adding interest or meaning to the composition.”

Many Messages. Many Stories. One Voice.

The montage is the central design element of the 3M brand identity system. It conveys the unique messages of 3M’s wide range of products and brands, while presenting a consistent visual voice for the overall 3M brand.

Innovation in Action

We will no longer be linking the 3M logo with the word innovation. Instead, we are using the montage as a way to visually express innovation. Creating a montage is a process of combining or layering together a defined set of transparent shapes or picture boxes. These shapes contain an image or color field. When we move these around on top of each other, shapes overlap, new shapes form, and the different picture boxes begin to relate in new and possibly unexpected ways.

These unexpected discoveries are at the heart of the innovation that 3M is known for. It is what will allow each product line or initiative to be expressed in a continually fresh way, while also supporting a consistent 3M brand message.

3M Montage Tutorial (PPT, 8 MB)

3M Brand Identity Checklist (PDF, 784 KB)