June 4, 2024
Brand Logos with Hidden Meanings
Branding is so much more than a pretty image to represent a company. Thoughtful logos can evoke emotions and create a lasting connection between a consumer and a company, often incorporating logos with hidden meanings to add a layer of depth.
This might take the form of an optical illusion or, more simply, it might just contain letters or symbols that refer to the product or service offered by the company.
Here’s a round-up of some of the most recognizable logos with hidden meanings:
- Adidas
The diagonal stripes represent the mountains athletes climb.
Notice how the curved line beneath the letters forms a welcoming, smiling face.
- Amazon
A swooping arrow suggests you can purchase anything, from A to Z.
- Apple
To differentiate the shape from a cherry, the designer added a bite mark on the side of the apple.
- Atlanta Falcons
A hidden F can be seen in between the falcon’s head and talons.
- Baskin Robbins
A secret number 31 in reference to the 31 available ice cream flavours.
- Beats by Dre
The circle represents a head with the letter be as headphones.
- Bronx Zoo
Spot the New York City skyline in between the legs of the giraffe.
- Chick-fil-A
An outline of a chicken in the letter C as the company’s main product.
- Cisco
The wavy outline represents both Electromagnets and a nod to the Golden Gate Bridge.
- Continental Tire
The letter C wrapping around the O alludes to the shape of a tire.
- Dell
A crooked letter E refers to the founder’s goal “to turn the world on its ear.”
- FedEx
To emphasize transit, spot the hidden arrow between the letters E and X.
- Formula One
In the negative space between the letter F and the image of flames, find the number 1.
- Gillette
There’s the appearance of a razor slash through the letters G and I to showcase the sharpness of their blades.
- Goodwill
Repeating letter Gs double as a happy face and the start of the word Goodwill.
- Hershey’s Kisses
A hidden kiss shape appears between the letters K and I.
- Hope for African Children Initiative
The continent of Africa rests between the images of a child and adult.
Spot the hidden text boxes to represent the text messages made easier with an online phone number through Hushed.
- IBM
Horizontal lines represent an equal sign to highlight the company’s dedication to equality.
- Kölner Zoo
A close look reveals a rhinoceros and giraffe in the negative space of the elephant legs.
- Levi’s
The bottom batwing-like swoop of the logo is in the shape of the pockets on a pair of Levi pants.
- LG
Find a face between the letters L and G, which serve to humanize the brand.
- London Symphony Orchestra
The acronym of LSO doubles as a conductor swooping his arms.
- Milwaukee Brewers
Spot the hidden letters M and B in the baseball mitt.
- Museum of London
The concentric shapes reveal London’s geographical expansion throughout history.
- My Fonts
The stylizing M looks like a hand to encourage users to get their hands on all fonts.
- NBC
Known as the Peacock network with feathers representing the 6 divisions of the original network.
- Nintendo GameCube
Feature the letter G in the shape of the cube with a C formed in the negative space.
- Picasa
A camera shutter surrounding a house, representing both home for your photos and the spanish word “casa.”
A capital P doubles as a map pin.
- Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
Find the hidden gorilla and lion in the negative space of the tree image.
- Quiksilver
This logo is a stylized wave version of The Great Wave off Kanagawa painting.
- Ray-Ban
The letter B in Ban resembles sunglasses.
- Roxy
Simply paired Quicksilver logos for the women’s line of this brand.
- Sony Vaio
Double hidden messages reveal an analogue wave in the VA and IO is a nod to binary code.
- Sun Microsystems
Stylized writing means the word Sun is readable at every angle.
- Toblerone
A hidden bear in the image of the mountainside is a nod to Bern, original home of Toblerone.
- Tostitos
People dipping a tortilla chip in a bowl of salsa can be spotted in the middle of the word.
- Tour de France
Appropriately, this logo features a hidden cyclist on a bike.
- Toyota
Together the 3 ring symbols create the letter T as well as represents technological advancement opportunities through the company.
- Unilever
A myriad of icons within the letter U highlight the company’s product offerings.
- Washington Capitals
Spot the Capital building within the negative space of the eagle’s body.
- Wendy’s
Wendy’s collar features the hidden word Mom.
- Wikipedia
The sphere is missing a puzzle piece to indicate that knowledge is an endless pursuit.
In the vast world of branding, the artistry behind logos with hidden meanings offers more than meets the eye, turning simple designs into captivating puzzles. These logos invite viewers to look closer, uncovering the cleverness and creativity that lie beneath their surfaces. Isn’t it fascinating how much thought and storytelling can be packed into a single visual symbol?
