Logos with hidden messages
These logos prove there’s more to a company’s logo than meets the eye. You might not have noticed these hidden messages from the moment you first saw them, but now that you know they’re there, they’ll be impossible to unsee! Marketing and design leverage symbolism and nuances to set expectations and brands apart. This is why certain brands leverage the highly symbolic use of hidden messages to build better brands.
Why are logos so important?
People first see logos when they come across a company or brand. It’s like their first impression, so it has to be good!
The logo is what people associate with your brand; it should represent your business in some way without being too confusing. People first see symbols when they come across a company or product. It’s like their first impression, so it has to be good! It must add expectations about the brand’s promises. But why Logos with Hidden Messages?
Amazon’s smile is an arrow.
The e-commerce giant has long been rumored to have a hidden message in its logo, and while some of those rumors have been debunked (like the “don’t blame us for what other companies do with our products” theory), it turns out their is something amiss here. The arrow in Amazon’s logo points from A to Z, but if you look closely at the woman’s smile, you’ll see that it looks like an arrow pointing down underneath her nose and into the Z at the end of their name.
This makes sense when you consider how many products they sell through their website, but it’s still pretty sneaky—and funny—to see this kind of thing on your screen daily!
The arrow in the FedEx logo points from A to Z.
The FedEx logo is a distinctive orange arrow. It is not only a symbol of the company but also contains a hidden message that points from A to Z, which stands for “air” and “zone.”
The arrow starts with A at the top, representing air. The following letter in the sequence is B, standing for business; C represents customer service. D means delivery, and so on, until you reach Z (ZONE). The arrow also points rightwards, indicating that FedEx delivers packages quickly worldwide.
The letter B in the Beats logo looks like headphones.
The letter B in the Beats logo looks like headphones.
You can’t see this without looking at it with your eyes closed, but if you do, you’ll realize that it looks exactly like a pair of Beats headphones. The B is in the shape of a couple of headphones and even forms an upside-down V, just like on real ones.
This is no coincidence—the designer behind the logo was inspired by earbuds and wanted to incorporate that into his design.
Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors, and the number 31 is hidden in its logo.
You probably know that Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors, but have you ever noticed that the number 31 is hidden in their logo? It’s true—look at it! The umbrella-shaped letters for B and R are cleverly positioned to form an upside-down 3 (or a 9), while the two horizontal lines on top of the word “Robbins” also make up two vertical lines, forming a 1.
And if you think about it… 31 is an odd number to use in a company name. Why not 32? Or 33? But no—the founders of Baskin Robbins decided on 31 because it’s both funny and palindromic: spelled backward or forward, “31 Flavors” reads the same.
Formula 1’s F and the one are cleverly placed to look like wings.
Formula 1’s F and the one are cleverly placed to look like wings. It’s a design that looks like a speed boat. This is an example of a logo with a hidden meaning or an “Easter egg,” as they’re called in the industry.
Cisco: tech from San Francisco
Cisco is another company that uses a hidden message. The logo features a “C” and an arrow—which together make up an “S.” But if you look closely at the C, it also has two lines that look like wings. The designers of Cisco’s logo were inspired by the city of San Francisco, known as the “City by the Bay.”
NBC: beyond the peacock
If you’ve ever watched a TV show or movie, you’re probably familiar with NBC’s logo. It features a peacock, which is a bird that’s often associated with royalty and luxury. The peacock is usually depicted in its natural habitat: standing on grass or dirt surrounded by trees. The birds are so rare that they’re now considered an endangered species.
Vaio: from analog to digital
Sony is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, and its Vaio line of laptops has been a staple for more than 15 years. The logo features a simple computer mouse turned on its side, which symbolizes the transition from analog to digital.
Unilever: the house of brands
Unilever is a multinational consumer goods company that owns more than 400 brands. The logo features the U made of many icons, each representing the top categories in which Unilever operates.
Clever logos
Are Logos with hidden messages more clever than their competitors? Probably not. But, finding ways to get people talking is crucial if you want to make your brand stand out in a crowded marketplace. Clever logos are one way of doing this.
Clever logos can be an excellent way to make your brand more memorable and relatable by connecting the product or service and its logo.
Conclusion: Logos with hidden messages
I hope you enjoyed this list of clever logos with hidden messages. If you know of others that should be added to this list, please let us know in the comments below!
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