Logos are everywhere. We’re surrounded by logo designs, from the clothes we wear to the things we use. Although we may see these logos daily, many of us don’t realize that there’s more to them than meets the eye.
Get ready to have your mind blown as we look at the famous logos with hidden meanings. Have fun figuring out the hidden messages behind the logo, and get inspired to create your logo for your business today!
Why should you use hidden messages in your logo?
Did you know that many of the world’s famous logos have hidden meanings?
Logos are the perfect opportunity to connect with your customers and give them a glimpse of who you are and what you do. There’s no best way to capture their interest and entertain them than a symbol that would rack up their brain.
Using hidden messages in your logo distinguishes you from the competition as people would recognize your brand more and would take a couple of minutes of their time to figure out the message of your logo. Pair your brand’s witty slogan with a thought-provoking logo.
Let your customers examine and solve your logo’s secret message with a hidden logo design!
Famous logos with hidden meanings
Have you ever stopped and looked at a particular brand image and thought to yourself, “I wonder what’s the meaning behind this logo?” If yes, these brands successfully created clever logo designs that make customers look twice and ponder for a moment.
As a consumer, you have probably seen or encountered these popular brands daily. From typography and line to color, these companies surely know how to stand out from the crowd with their hidden logo messages.
Think you can discover the hidden messages behind all of them?
Prepare your thinking prowess as we look at 12 famous logos with hidden meanings around the world.
Amazon
Amazon is one of the world’s most successful and prominent online retailers. Plastered on every parcel and package they transport is its signature wordmark logo design.
At first glance, you may think the logo is quite simple as it contains the company’s name with an arrow underneath. But, did you know that the arrow connecting ‘a’ to ‘z’ represents that this company sells a wide range of items that you may need or want from A to Z?
We can’t wait to shop online and discover their products!
Apple
The apple logo is just an apple.
Numerous urban myths surrounding Apple’s logo history include one where the bite mark represents the forbidden act that Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. However, the logo has a much more straightforward explanation.
The logo is in the shape of an apple because the company’s name is Apple, and the bite mark is to give the logo a distinct look – otherwise, people might confuse it for a cherry logo design.
Baskin Robbins
Who doesn’t love ice cream? The famous Baskin Robbins has satisfied the sweet tooth craving of many around America by providing this sweet treat since 1945.
Looking at the logo, you would instantly crave something sweet because the color palette can trigger your appetite! But it’s more than just that; when you focus on the color purple of the logo, you’ll see the number 31 in the middle.
Why 31? This ice cream company offers 31 different flavors of ice cream. Clever, right?
Beats by Dr. Dre
Anyone who loves music, top-notch quality sounds, and equipment is familiar with the brand, Beats by Dr. Dre. This company is well-known for its logo, a simple ‘b’ enclosed in a circle followed by the business name.
Take a closer look at the logo. The circle isn’t just a circle – it represents a human’s head, and the ‘b’ letter logo design is the brand’s headphones.
Domino’s Pizza
If you’re looking for good food for your movie night, Domino’s Pizza is one of the go-to options by gourmets.
The brand’s logo is an actual domino game piece. The three dots you see represents the original Domino’s Pizza restaurant, and the first two franchise locations opened after.
The original plan was to add dots every time a new franchise opened, but Domino’s abandoned the idea after opening the two franchises. If you ask us, we think it’s wise to disregard the plan, given that there are over 10,000 franchises today!
We see the Google logo whenever we open our internet browsers and search for something. The logo itself may seem pretty straightforward, but when you look at the colors, you’ll notice that the brand creatively uses all the primary colors (blue, red, and yellow).
The letter L is in the color green. How can a vast company make this mistake?
You probably didn’t know Google’s logo history. They intentionally did this to demonstrate that they’re playful and are not afraid to break the rules. What a fun way to show off your brand’s personality, don’t you think?
IBM
IBM is the leading American computer manufacturer known for its simple logo. The company’s famous business logo contains just three letters drawn using lines. However, if you look closely, you can see equal signs (=) within it.
The design is their way of saying the brand values equality.
McDonald’s
We all love McDonald’s! From burgers to crispy chicken, everything is just delicious at a fair price. But aside from its tasty food, the company is well-known for its letter “M’ logo and brand mascot, Ronald Mcdonald.
When you look at the letter “M” logo of the brand, you probably think that it stands for the restaurant name. While that may be true, the golden arches shaped like the letter ‘M’ were part of the building design for the restaurant chain.
Designed intentionally, the M keeps customers dry when ordering outside during the rainy season. Now, you’ll never look at the McDonald’s logo the same way again!
Nike
It’s hard to believe that a single soul hasn’t heard of this sports company. From clothing and shoes to caps and bags, Nike seems to dominate the world of sports and athletics.
Did you know that Nike underwent a series of changes in its logo before finally deciding to use the famous Swoosh symbol? The company also acquired the Nike Swoosh logo for only $35!
But the most interesting of all, the Nike symbol derived the design from the Goddess of Victory of the same name, which symbolizes the sound of speed, power, movement, and motivation that the swoosh represents.
Pepsi
Nothing beats opening a can of soda on a hot day and hearing that hissing sound as you open the lid and the smell of sweet, carbonated drinks fills your nose. Speaking of cold drinks, did you know that some people prefer Pepsi over the famous Coca-Cola?
Pepsi is famous for its carbonated drink and circle logo that consists of the colors red, white, and blue. These colors were not chosen randomly but were used to support the troops overseas during World War II.
By 1945, the Pepsi logo became official due to its successful appeal to its customers.
Starbucks
Starbucks is well-loved by millions of coffee lovers worldwide for its coffee aroma and delicious flavors. The brand’s logo is immediately recognizable through its green color and the siren design in the middle.
The coffeehouse chain originated in Seattle, a city famous for its seaport origins, so it’s only natural that they decided to keep close to their historical place when choosing their Starbucks logo.
However, their location was not the only reason for choosing their mascot. Sirens are known for luring people in with their songs; retaining the idea, Starbucks aim to lure people in with the taste and smell of their coffees and baked treats.
Toblerone
Thinking about chocolates and sweet treats packed in yellow packaging with words in the color red, which brand immediately pops into your head? Toblerone comes to mind.
It’s famous for its triangle-shaped chocolate bars and mountain logo design. When you look at the logo, can you see the mountain?
We’ll give you another chance: retake a look at it. If you focus on the white space on the mountaintop, you can see the image of a bear – the symbol for Berne, Switzerland, where Toblerone originated.
Create Your Hidden Logo Today!
Every logo has a history or a hidden message to it. Some famous logos have extra details that may be easy to find, while others would require you to look twice. But no matter which one you pass by, its logo has a unique story.
It’s always good to learn something new and be inspired by the success of these famous brands. If you’re interested in making one, check out our logo maker and share your creative ideas with the world.
However, if you’re looking for more design templates, you may visit our website and start browsing through our other logo templates, Youtube Banners, Facebook Covers, business designs, and more.
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Written by DesignCrowd on Friday, September 30, 2022
DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.