The Evolution of our Name and Logo

As the September air grows crisper and the green leaves begin to fade, the High Monkey team bids farewell to summer, our beloved (yet few) months of Midwest warmth. 

Fortunately, fall brings plenty of reasons for excitement too, and this fall is especially unique for our company. This month, High Monkey Consulting Inc. is celebrating 25 years of business. In September of 1998, our CEO, Virgil Carroll, took an idea and made it into a reality that still stands proudly today. However, like most companies, we went through a lot of changes before getting to where we are today.

To kick off the celebration of our 25th Anniversary, we are honoring our history by taking you on a trip down memory lane. This blog  will show you how the High Monkey name and logo have evolved over our 25 years of operations. 

 

The Early Years (1998-2003)

In October of 1998, High Monkey Consulting Inc. began under the name of MedicBid.com, with our first office opening its doors in Anoka, Minnesota. These early years of our history could be described as our ‘figuring it out’ era, operating under four different company names from 1998 to 2003. Below, in chronological order, are images of each of our company names and logos from this time period.

MedicBid (1998-1999)

 

Medic Media Group (1999-2000)

iStream Interactive (2000-2003)

 

CGI Web Solutions (2003-2004)
 

 

The Dawn of High Monkey (2004)

In 2004, co-founders Joel Baglien and Virgil Carroll found their company's name at the time boring and forgettable. Joel suggested "High Monkey" based on a saying from his childhood in Panama, but Virgil initially thought the idea was stupid. However, the name stuck due to its memorable nature, and they never looked back.

The image below is a blast from the past – the first High Monkey business card ever made. The illustration on this business card can also be found on our company’s first website (see images below).

FUN FACT: The curly monkey tail on the business card inspired the monkey with the curly tail that is mounted on the “H” of our logo today.

First High Monkey business card (2004)

First High Monkey website (2004)

 

A New Direction (2010)

In 2010, we made our first major changes to the High Monkey logo. This logo would go in a new direction, with a different font style, a more compact look, and instead of just a monkey tail being visible, a full monkey was now visible climbing on the ‘H’. The monkey climbing on the ‘H’ would be an image that all future High Monkey logos would contain and is considered by many to be the standout piece of our logo. 

First major High Monkey logo change (2010)

 

A Modern Shift (2016)

In 2016, we took the same base concepts from our 2010 logo and implemented them towards a more modern redesign. Both the font and the monkey got a revamped look fit for the times, and we introduced a new branding color scheme. 

High Monkey logo change (2016)

 

The New Era (2019)

In 2019, we made some minor yet impactful changes to the 2016 logo. We retained the same font, capitalizing on its sleek, modern look, but changed the font color. This monochromatic effort gave more contrast to our iconic ‘H’ climbing monkey, who we gave a livelier appearance in this logo. 

High Monkey current logo (2019-present)

 

Celebrating a Quarter-Century (2023)

To commemorate a quarter century of digital consulting operations, we’ve temporarily switched to a special new logo. As we celebrate this remarkable milestone, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our valued clients, partners, and our dedicated team members we’ve had over the years, whose support and trust have been instrumental in our success.

25th Anniversary logo (Fall 2023)

 

Stay tuned for more content throughout the next month celebrating 25-years!