It's no secret that logos are the face of a company. They're an integral part of branding, and they need to be memorable for them to have any effect on consumers. There are some logos that you can't help but notice because they've been around so long, like the Nike swoosh or McDonald's golden arches. But there are also logos with hidden meanings and symbols beneath their surface. These marks may not be as recognizable at first glance, but once you know what to look for, it becomes clear how much thought goes into these designs. Let's take a look at this list of famous brands with hidden meanings behind their logo design!
You know the FedEx logo, right? With the iconic yellow and purple colors. We've all come to associate this logo mark with overnight shipping. But do you know what it means? It's time to take a closer look at the hidden meanings of this famous company.
You could have noticed that the FedEx logo has an arrow hidden in the negative space between the capital letter "E" and the "x". The use of the negative space between those final two letters has earned the logo several awards and makes it one of the most popular designs ever created.
This clever design trick symbolizing an arrow didn't strike the designer's mind right away... Here are the exact words of the logo designer Lindon Leader "After a few days, it dawned on me that if a genuine arrow could be introduced into the letterforms, it could subtly suggest getting from point A to point B reliably, with speed and precision."
King C. Gillette and his amazing razor were the first disruptors of the grooming category as well as the barbershop industry. Men’s facial trends were changing rapidly in the late 1800s. Long-beards were out while clean chins and cheeks and a well-manicured mustache were in. To achieve this look, men could go to a barber two to three times per week or shave, which could be a dangerous undertaking. So in 1900, King C. Gillette invented a brand new kind of razor blade that was safe and super easy to use.
Nowadays, there are many different kinds of blades from disposable razors to electric shavers. Also, the Gillette logo has evolved into what it is today.
As you can see in the logo evolution of Gillette, it's stayed almost identical since 1989. You can notice that in 2009, Gillette made some slide modifications to the logo. If you look closely, you'll notice that they intentionally redesigned a clear distinction between the letter 'G' and 'i'. By drawing a sharp line between them, giving the logo a unique mark. This precise cut appears to have been carefully removed by a razor with an exceptionally sharp Gillette blade.
Now that you know what to look for in the logo you will always think about their razor-sharp blades whenever you see this logo come by. That's the power of a smart logo design.
Beats headphones are one of the most recognizable in the business. The brand was founded by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, back in 2006 they jumped in on the need for high-quality audio equipment. That worked out pretty well for them. In 2014, Apple recognized its potential and acquired Beats Electronics for $3 billion!
Beats has done an excellent job of branding its products. And also the logo has some hidden meaning in it. More than you would think at first glance. The obvious letter "b" is the thing most people think of. Which represents the first letter of Beats, this is true.
If you think a bit deeper you can visualize a red head wearing white headphones. Now you've discovered this hidden meaning of the logo, it will be hard to unsee it. Good luck getting this out of your head.
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