Intel Rethinks Its Main Slogan and Updates Its Brand Identity to Win Back Users

In 1991, Intel launched the Intel Inside campaign, linking its brand identity to the PC and information and communications technology (ICT). Over the past 30 years, PCs and ICT have become integral parts of the modern world, so at its Vision 2025 event, the company unveiled a refreshed brand identity that connects Intel-powered machines and their owners to the roles they play in the world around us.

Image source: intel.com

The centerpiece of the company’s updated corporate identity is the slogan “That’s the power of Intel Inside.” It echoes the familiar Intel Inside theme from the 1990s, demonstrating the role the company, its partners, and customers play in the modern world—emphasizing its significant place in the industry. This message, explained Intel CMO Brett Hannath, reflects the company’s belief that its products and technologies can unlock the potential of every employee, customer, consumer, community, and partner. The company aims to highlight how it connects personal impact and global reach, using one of the industry’s most iconic brands, with a reach of more than 30 years: Intel Inside.

Intel’s original Inside ad campaign in 1991 marked a shift in technology marketing: Apple, Microsoft, and PC makers had the ability to reach end users directly, while their suppliers largely focused on system designers and remained in the shadows. With Intel Inside, the chipmaker went straight to consumers, making the processor a key selling point for PCs. The ads went beyond business media, the logo sticker was a constant eye-catcher, and the iconic five-note jingle became etched in the memory. PC makers began to put the logo on their products, making it familiar to everyday users; when the PC market exploded in the 1990s, Intel Inside helped the company stand out from AMD, Cyrix, IBM, and many others.

The Intel Inside branding has evolved along with the company and its strategy: in the 1990s, Pentium and Celeron processors were promoted; in the early 2000s, Intel introduced the Centrino platform, which combined a processor, chipset, and wireless network adapter; eventually, the company released a series of Core processors (i3, i5, i7), shifting consumer attention to performance, and Intel Inside went into a supporting role. The traditional slogan and logo are still widely used, but a broad ecosystem has formed around the brand, which has diluted the importance of its own brand.