There are quite a lot of brands and logos we come across every day. The logo of a brand is a hard-working brand asset. It turns out that some of the famous and well-known logos are designed to imply something more than a beautiful curve and design. Some use hidden messages within their logos to create an air of exclusivity.
We have come across several logos like Baskin Robbins with a hidden meaning of “31 flavors” or Amazon indicating that the company sells absolutely every product from A to Z.
1. GameCube
The Nintendo GameCube is a home video game console which was released in Japan and North America in 2001 by Nintendo. The tagline of the GameCube is “Born to play”. GameCube revealed its logo in 2001. The logo has a purple cube revealing a variety of optical illusions.
The logo represents the three-dimensional aspects of modern gaming. The logo not only displays a cube, but it also shows that the outer cube forms the letter “G” around the inner cube, leaving the letter “C” in the space. The “G” and “C” is for Gamecube.
2. Audi
Audi is a German automobile car manufacturer that designs and produces luxury vehicles. Audi was founded in 1909 by August Horch. The slogan of Audi is “Vorsprung Durch Technik” meaning “Being Ahead through Technology”. The logo design of Audi is 4 ceiling rings.
The four rings represent the four companies that came together to create the real Audi, Audi Union. In 1932, Audi merged with Horch, DKW, and Wanderer to form the Audi Union. The logo was recently redesigned in 2009, to celebrate Audi’s 100th birthday.
3. FedEx
FedEx or Federal Express as it was known earlier is an American multinational delivery services company. FedEx was founded in 1971 by Frederick Smith. The tagline of FedEx is “What we deliver by delivering”. Before choosing the current logo of FedEx, the company rejected more than 200 variations. Finally, the company introduced its logo in 1994.
The choice of colors as a combination of orange and purple stresses speed. However, the “Ex” part of the logo is colored differently for every division. If you can see the logo, there will be a gap between the lower part of “E” and “X” and design it as an Arrow. It represents the idea of moving forward with speed and precision.
4. BMW
BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke is a German-based multinational company that designs and produces luxury vehicles. BMW was founded in 1916 by Camillo Castiglioni, Franz Josef Popp, and Karl Rapp. The slogan of BMW is “The Ultimate Driving Machine”.
The present iteration of the logo was introduced in 2020 and this will be used only for brand communication. BMW’s logo has blue and white colors that come from the Bavarian flag. The logo represents the blades of a spinning propeller showing their aviation history. To know more about the evolution of the BMW logo, click here.
5. Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational consumer goods company. It was founded in 1929 and was founded by the merger of the British soapmaker Lever Brothers and Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie. Unilever products include food, ice cream, beauty products, personal care, healthcare products, soaps, etc. Unilever owns over 400 brands such as Sun silk, Magnum, Dove, etc.
The big blue “U” features the company’s initials. It is made up of 25 distinct symbols. Each icon in the logo represents one of the company’s sub-brands or its corporate values. For example, the hand represents sensitivity, care, and needs, lips represent openness and communications, swirl represents flavors and taste, ice cream symbolizes treat, pleasure, and enjoyment.
6. Adidas
Adidas is a German multinational corporation that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing, and accessories. Adidas was founded in 1924. It was founded by Adolf Dassler. The tagline of Adidas is “Nothing is impossible”.
The three stripes in the logo of Adidas are staggered to look like a mountain. It represents the obstacles and challenges the athletes will face and overcome to achieve the goal.
7. Apple
Apple is an American multinational technology company that designs and sells consumer electronics and online services. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. The tagline of Apple is “Think Different”
The logo of Apple is one of the most recognizable logos in the world. It has come from none other than the story of Eve and Adam. The apple represents the fruits from the tree of knowledge with a pun on “byte/bite”.
8. Gillette
Gillette is an American brand of safety razors and other personal products such as shaving supplies. Gillette is owned by Procter & Gamble. Gillette was introduced in 1901. The tagline of Gillette is “The Best Men Can Be”.
The Gillette logo was introduced in 1901 and was redesigned occasionally. Finally, in 2009, the current logo was introduced. In the log, the dot above the letter “I” is asymmetric in shape. And the top end of the letter “G” will appear as if they have been sliced at an angle. So the precise cut in the letters “G” and “I” represents that they’ve been carefully removed with an extra sharp Gillette razor.
9. Mercedes – Benz
Mercedes-Benz is known for producing luxury vehicles and commercial vehicles. Mercedes-Benz was founded in 1926 by Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. The slogan of Mercedes-Benz is “The Best or Nothing”.
The logo of Mercedes-Benz is a silver circle with a three-pointed star. The stars in this logo represent the dominance of Mercedes-Benz in Land, Sea, and Air. This is a classic font that is easy enough to read, with the same line thickness in all the letters.
10. Google
Google, LLC is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, search engines, cloud computing, software, and hardware. Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The tagline of Google is “Don’t Be Evil”.
Google’s logo has undergone quite a bit of change throughout its history. It was first created using GIMP. The current logo was unveiled in 2015.
As regular users will be aware the logo undergoes regular modifications for holidays, birthdays for famous people, or major events. These special logos, some designed by Dennis Hwang, have become known as Google Doodles.
Graphic designer Ruth Kedar explains the Google logo’s colors:- “There were a lot of different color iterations”, “We ended up with the primary colors, but instead of having the pattern go in order, we put a secondary color on the L, which brought back the idea that Google doesn’t follow the rules.”
If you come across any logo with a hidden meaning in it, please do comment.
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