Most logos are fairly straightforward. They use letters from the company’s name to create a memorable image. However, some brands take their logos a step further and offer something much more complex.
The hidden meanings behind many of the most recognizable logos in the world feel like puzzles once you’ve “solved” them. Though most people rarely even think about the deeper meaning behind brands’ logos, it is impossible to unsee their secrets after they’ve been revealed.
Goodwill
Photo Courtesy: [Wikimedia Commons]
That half of a smiling face in the Goodwill logo actually comes from the “g” when “goodwill” is written out. Most people probably didn’t notice it, but once you know it’s there, it becomes hard to not see that half-face smiling. It is referred to as the “Smiling G.”
The smile is meant to represent self-respect and independence, as that is Goodwill’s mission, to help people improve their lives. It was created in 1968 by the famous graphic designer Joseph Selame. Now the Smiling G is one of the most recognized logos in the world.
FedEx
Photo Courtesy: [Bəhram Camalov/Wikimedia Commons]
There’s a hidden image inside the FedEx logo that is intrinsically related to the purpose of the internationally successful shipping company. If you look closely between the “e” and the “x,” the negative space is in the shape of a forward arrow. That is in no way an accident.
Lindon Leader, who designed the logo, said that the arrow symbolizes forward motion, speed, and precision, all part of the company’s mission. FedEx’s logo has won more than 40 awards, and Rolling Stone magazine ranked it one of the best logos in the past 35 years.
Beats By Dre
Photo Courtesy: [Beats Electronics, LLC/Wikimedia Commons]
Most people think the Beats by Dre logo, which looks like a “b,” is just the first letter of the word “beats.” After all, logos don’t have to be overly complicated to be successful. However, what’s cool about this “simple” logo is that there is also another aspect to it that most people overlook.
If you look at that red circle again, a more nuanced look, perhaps you can see a human head. The “b” inside of the head is a pair of Beats headphones. It’s a person listening to music.
Wendy’s
Photo Courtesy: [SOPA Images/Getty Images]
Founder Dave Thomas wanted the Wendy’s brand to provide a home-cooked, domestic vibe for the fast-food chain. Knowing that, it may not come as a huge surprise that tucked into its logo on Wendy’s collar reads the word “mom.” If that’s not a domestic undertone, perhaps nothing is.
For those who may not know, the restaurant chain, with now more than 6,500 locations internationally, was named after Thomas’ daughter Wendy. It’s not an easy thing to spot, that “mom” on her collar, but the unconscious brain has likely been impacted by it nonetheless.
Cisco
Photo Courtesy: [Cisco/Wikimedia Commons]
Cisco Systems is an international technology company with its headquarters in Silicon Valley. Their logo is pretty genius, as it turns out. Most people simply assume that, since Cisco is a technology and telecommunications company, that the lines on its logo represent a digital signal.
However, there’s more to it than that. If you pay a little bit more attention, you also should notice the outline of the Golden Gate Bridge in that digital signal. It makes sense seeing that they are located in the Bay area. How neat is that?
Formula 1
Photo Courtesy: [Codemasters/Wikimedia Commons]
At first glance, the Formula 1 racing logo appears to be a simple, bold letter “F.” The negative space of the logo is also equally important, though, as between the “F” and the red racing stripes on the right side is the number 1. It can be easy to miss, as the logo’s focal points are the bolder elements, the black and the red.
For a little bit of background, the Formula 1 logo’s colors were selected consciously. The racing stripes’ red signifies energy and passion. The Black in the “F” signifies determination and power.
Baskin-Robbins
Photo Courtesy: [Pixabay/Pexels]
Baskin-Robbins is the largest chain of ice cream shops in the world. The company is famous for its signature concept of 31 flavors. The obvious part of the logo is that the “BR” are the initials of the name. What’s easier to miss is that within the “BR” is also the number 31.
Once you realize the 31 is there, it pops out because those parts of the letters are pink, while the exteriors of the letters are blue. The company chose 31 flavors specifically to provide the option of a new flavor every day of the month.
McDonald’s
Photo Courtesy: [KelvinStuttard/Pixabay]
The logo for McDonald’s is its famous golden arches forming the letter “M.” The “M” stands for McDonald’s, of course, but that’s not all they represent. The arches are not only an “M” but also a pair of breasts. The idea was to tap into some Freudian psychology in order to influence customers to eat at McDonald’s.
The idea is to seduce and manipulate through branding, and that was exactly why Louis Cheskin, the company’s design consultant in the 1960s, convinced McDonald’s that this was the perfect logo. Those “breasts” would tap into children’s innermost desires.
Chick-Fil-A
Photo Courtesy: [Mike Mozart/Flickr]
Chick-Fil-A, a popular fast-food restaurant from Georgia, has a pretty clever logo. The cursive “C” in the logo is also, as it turns out, a chicken. When you pay attention, you can see how the “C” is elaborately decorated on its top side to clearly look like a chicken.
Perhaps this is not surprising given that their specialty is chicken. However, for those who may not be familiar with the chain, using the “C” to double as a chicken also makes it clear that this is the restaurant’s main attraction.
Nintendo Gamecube
Photo Courtesy: [Unbekannt/Wikimedia Commons]
Nintendo Gamecube was a popular gaming system in the 90s and 00s. Most people think that the big cube inside of another cube in their logo is fairly straightforward: the name is Gamecube so they have a cube. That’s pretty easy to figure out.
Yet within that cube, there is much more than originally meets the eye. Take a closer look, and you’ll see the “G” and “C” of “Gamecube” are also right there in plain sight. The “G” is the focal point of the cube, while the “C” is in the negative space.
NBC
Photo Courtesy: [NBCUniversal/Wikimedia Commons]
While most people have likely never stopped to wonder why NBC’s logo contains a rainbow of colors, those colors are actually representative of something. If you look closely, you’ll see that the colorful shapes, in combination with the negative white space in the center, create the image of a peacock, an animal known for its bright colors.
Like the colors, the peacock itself is not random either, though some may wonder what a peacock has to do with a TV network. The company chose the peacock to stand for the pride they take in the shows on their network.
Toyota
Photo Courtesy: [Toyota/Wikimedia Commons]
The Toyota logo’s three overlapping circles kind of look like a “T,” but it gets more complex than that. If you look deeply into the circles, you might see that the whole word, “Toyota,” can be spelled out, not just the “T.” The Japanese car manufacturer has said they those overlapping circles also represent something much more meaningful.
They are a symbol of the unity between the hearts of Toyota customers and the heart of the product. The background space behind the circles is meaningful too, representing the company’s technological advances as well as the opportunities that lie ahead.
Gillette
Photo Courtesy: [SOPA Images/Getty Images]
Gillette has become a household brand known for selling personal care safety razors. The company’s logo appears to be as basic as they come, as it’s just the word “Gillette.” However, there’s a hidden aspect within the word that symbolizes an essential element of Gillette products.
Zoom your focus into the “g” and the “i” at the beginning of the name, and you’ll see that the top of the “g” and the dot of the “i” have been perfectly cut. The intention of this slice is to represent a Gillette razor’s sharpness and precision.
Unilever
Photo Courtesy: [Crows Nest Films/Vimeo]
The transnational British-Dutch company Unilever sells all kinds of products. In particular, they offer food and beverages, cleaning supplies, and beauty products. With such a wide array of options, it can be hard to remember all of the things that are available through the company.
That’s where the cleverness of Unilever’s logo comes in. Of course, the giant “U” stands for the company’s name, but within that “U” is where the logo’s magic begins. That seeming chaos within the “U” is not chaos at all. They are symbols for just about everything that Unilever produces.
Adidas
Photo Courtesy: [Adidas/Wikimedia Commons]
The Adidas logo has those famous three stripes, and in their logo, those stripes have a definitive meaning. The three stripes are placed at an angle to form the shape of a mountain, meant to symbolize challenges the people must overcome daily.
The relationship between this mountain symbol and the sportswear company is relatively straightforward. The idea seems to be that the use of Adidas products will make it easier to overcome daily challenges. Perhaps the mountain is subconsciously passing that message along to the human psyche, and that’s why the company grew to be so successful.
Toblerone
Photo Courtesy: [Clint Budd/Flickr]
The Swiss chocolate company Toblerone has always been associated with bears. This is because the company originated in Bern, Switzerland, also known as the “City of Bears.” When you see the Toblerone logo, it’s almost impossible not to see the mountain, but what about what’s inside of the mountain?
Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that there is a bear mounted on its hind legs within that mountain logo. That’s some pretty intricate branding and sneaky branding, and it seems its sole purpose was to shout-out the founding city of the company.
Hershey’s Kisses
Photo Courtesy: [Noa Israeli/Wikimedia Commons]
The branding of Hershey’s Kisses is remarkably original. The candy itself has its own unique shape that has one, and only one, identification: the Hershey’s Kiss. The chocolate itself is good, but it’s arguably the shape of the candy that has made it so popular.
As if that weren’t enough, the Hershey’s Kisses logo includes a sly, hidden element that once again reinforces the shape. If you tilt your head to the left side, you’ll find a Hershey’s Kiss within the logo, nestled there between the “K” and the “I.”
Tostitos
Photo Courtesy: [theimpulsivebuy/Flickr]
Tostitos tortilla chips use branding that associates them with parties. They are party food in a party-sized bag that is meant to be shared with others. And the company takes it a step further with the fiesta theme by embedding it into their logo.
To the casual eye, the logo seems to be nothing more than “Tostitos” written out in a wacky way. A more attentive eye will see that there’s a party happening within the logo. Each “t” is a person having a grand old time over a bowl of dip, that dip being the dot on the “i.”
LG
Photo Courtesy: [Mike Mozart/Flickr]
South Korean electronics company LG’s logo looks like a face that’s winking at you. Certainly, that is the intention, as LG’s philosophy is based on humanity. Yet the logo also has another, much more outwardly related element within it as well.
Pay attention to the “nose” on the logo’s face. It’s an “L.” The outline of the face is a “G.” That’s pretty sneaky and clever. Originally, LG stood for Lucky Goldstar, but it has now taken on another meaning as well. The company’s tagline “Life’s Good” was unquestionably created in line with the initials “LG” in mind.
Photo Courtesy: [Pinterest/Wikimedia Commons]
The whole point of Pinterest is to “pin” things onto a digital bulletin board. It is used as a way to keep a person’s digital world more organized. Pinterest also cleverly integrates that concept right into its logo, which is not written so fancily without purpose.
Isolate the “P” in Pinterest and it looks like a push pin, the kind you use to tack items onto a physical bulletin board. You probably never consciously noticed it before because of the whole word of the logo so naturally flows together. However, your subliminal mind may have.
Photo Courtesy: [Wikimedia Commons]
Ruth Kedar played a lot with color when fashioning Google’s original logo. In the end, the logo ended up using primary colors, except for the “L.” They did this to switch things up a bit and play with people’s subconscious expectations.
The majority of the letters being in primary colors but then straying from them with the green “L” is to show that Google, in true entrepreneurial spirit, is a company that doesn’t follow the rules. Also, the decision to forgo any kind of discernible pattern was a conscious one to reinforce the rule-breaking theme.
Audi
Photo Courtesy: [Wikimedia Commons]
Audi’s current logo is highly symbolic. Its four rings came about after the company’s 1932 merger with three other German automakers: Horch, DKW, and Wanderer. The interlocking rings symbolize the union of the four companies to form the Auto Union.
The fact that each of the automakers produced different kinds of vehicles made this union even more meaningful. DKW made small cars and motorcycle, Wanderer made midsized cars, Audi made deluxe midsized cars, and Horch made high-end luxury cars. However, now Audi is well known as a luxury automobile manufacturer only.
Subway
Photo Courtesy: [Mike Mozart/Flickr]
The original name of Subway was Pete’s Subway, a small sandwich shop that was meant to help Fred DeLuca make his way through college. His investor and co-founder Dr. Peter Buck provided the initial $1000 investment in 1965. When the business started gaining more and more success, they changed the name to just Subway.
Subway’s logo has arrows that point outward from the “S” and the “Y,” but have you ever noticed or wondered why those arrows exist? The reason is related to an actual subway station, the arrowing pointing to a station’s entrance and exit.
Le Tour De France
Photo Courtesy: [Bryn Lennon/Getty Images]
The Le Tour de France logo has never been changed, probably because of the clever touch of genius it includes. The way the letters are positioned in the logo is not random. Upon close examination of the “o,” “u,” and “R” in “tour” superimposed over a yellow circle, the image of a cyclist appears.
Once you see it, you’ll never be able to go back to un-seeing it, and you may even wonder how you never noticed it before. The yellow is also meaningful in that it is the same color as the yellow jersey given to the competition’s winners.
Domino’s
Photo Courtesy: [Domino’s Pizza, Inc/Wikimedia Commons]
Have you ever wondered why Domino’s decided to only include three dots on the dominos in their logo? The original idea for the Domino’s logo was that they would add a dot to the dominos for each newly opened location. This plan backfired in the best way possible.
The thing was, the founders did not expect their pizza chain to grow to be one of the most popular pizza chains in the world. At a certain point, adding dots for every new store that opened became absurd. Now, the Domino’s logo only has three dots, representing its three original locations.
Hyundai
Photo Courtesy: [MARK RALSTON/Getty Images]
The Hyundai logo has two meanings behind it. One of them is obvious, and the other one is more symbolic and abstract. The obvious one is that the logo is just a giant letter “H,” the first letter of the Korean car manufacturer’s company name.
The abstract meaning of the Hyundai logo takes a bit of imagination to see. According to the company, it’s an image of two men, the dealer and the customer, shaking hands. If you’ve ever bought a car, you likely know that shaking hands is a universal gesture to indicate the car has been sold.
Atlanta Falcons
Photo Courtesy: [Thomson200/Wikimedia Commons]
The majority of football fans probably think the Atlanta Falcons’ logo is just an awesome falcon, which makes total sense. A sports team’s logo does typically incorporate its mascot. They aren’t entirely wrong either, because it is indeed a falcon, but there’s also more there.
The falcon itself is shaped like one big letter “F,” for Falcons. The reason many people don’t see it has to do with the fact that the “F” is much more elaborate than a typical “F.” It may even take a little bit of extra imagination to see it.
Sony’s VAIO
Photo Courtesy: [TTTNIS/Wikimedia Commons]
Though it has been discontinued, Sony VAIO’s logo is too interesting not to include. If you’ve ever wondered why “VAIO” is written so abstractly in the logo, you’ll now have an answer. It isn’t just the use of modern typography to insinuate a technologically advanced product, either.
The “V” and the “A” of “VAIO” represent the analog symbol. The last two letters of the word are a “1” and a “0.” These two numbers are the digital binary code, the framework of the whole digital world. Integrating the analog and digital symbols together in the logo is a cool move.
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems used to sell all things computers and even created the Java programming language and an old operating system. Their logo, at first glance, seems to be a sort of diamond made up of eight U’s facing every which way. However, if it were what it seemed, that would be a little too random for such a smart company.
What’s actually behind the logo comes when you pay closer attention to it. As it turns out, no matter how you turn the “diamond,” it spells out the word “sun,” for Sun Microsystems.
Jess Lakritz 