If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve looked at your company’s logo and wondered about its hidden meaning, or you have noticed an interesting connection between your favorite brands and are looking to learn more about their lesser-known origins. These famous logos can be thought of as the first domino in a long line of related products, services, and marketing strategies that have culminated in making those companies household names – even if we don’t always realize it! Here are twenty famous logos that you might have seen before, but probably didn’t know the hidden facts and meaning behind them.
1. Starbucks
At first glance, Starbucks’ famous logo brand may seem like a simple illustration of a mermaid, but take a closer look and you’ll see much more. In fact, if you add up all of the parts in that iconic image—her hair, crown, tail, and Starbucks name—you’ll discover that they add up to 26. Why is that number significant? One of the famous logos for sure.
2. Mercedes Benz
Have you ever stopped to think about what’s in a Mercedes Benz logo? To be honest, most people don’t give it much thought. Most car aficionados will tell you that Mercedes means class and exclusivity. The name of every famous car brand has its own unique history and story behind it – including its logos. What do you think lies behind each of these famous logos?
3. Domino’s Pizza
It’s a colorful rectangle. Oh, and it’s tilted slightly on its axis, too. Like many of Domino’s famous logos, their famous logos is both easily recognizable and subtly ironic.
4. Google
One of Google’s most famous logos is actually a play on the word googol. But did you know that its creators got their inspiration from a peanut? If you take away all of those little points that surround a peanut and turn it on its side, it ends up looking like an uppercase G—the same letter shape that Google uses in its logo.
5. Nike
The swoosh is one of Nike’s most famous logos and also one of its simplest. The company created it in 1971 when it decided to ditch its own name, Blue Ribbon Sports, and Nike became an independent entity. Legend has it that while Phil Knight was jogging, he noticed his feet hitting the ground in a zig-zag pattern. This movement sparked Knight’s creativity, which then gave birth to his signature waffle sole technology and eventually, Nike’s swoosh logo.
6. Coca-Cola Company
This is one of those famous logos that you know by sight, but just can’t quite figure out what it’s trying to tell you. There are hidden elements within it (one at either end of Coca-Cola, and one within each white box), but they only become visible when we push contrast up way past where it should be on such a famous logo brand.
7. McDonald’s Corporation
The McDonald’s logo may seem like a basic sign of capitalism, but there’s actually a bit more to it than that. When creator Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first restaurant in 1940, they added arches to their name as a nod to their location on San Bernardino Avenue. In 1953, when Ray Kroc bought them out and created what we know today as McDonald’s Corporation, he retained that same logo, making it one of America’s most famous logos.
8. Vogue
Every month, over a million people, read Vogue magazine. The idea behind Vogue is that this magazine represents a “sophisticated lifestyle“. But do you know what was used as inspiration for its famous logos brand? The title’s nameplate wasn’t confined to a single typeface. Each issue features a hand-lettered logo which is created by the illustrator hired to do the drawing. Which makes it the famous logo brand.
9. Adidas
Most people know that there’s an Adidas written in each line of Adidas’ famous logo brand, but what you might not know is that Adidas founder Adi Dassler was an avid mountain climber and had those lines created so he could see his initials when climbing. (Adi Dassler died tragically in a mountaineering accident.) The yellow-and-black colors of their logo are meant to signify speed and precision. One of the best famous logos out there.
10. Audi
Many have wondered what the four circles in this famous logo brand mean. The four circles represent the four companies that were a part of the Auto-Union Consortium in 1932, namely, Horch, Wanderer, DKW, Audi.
11. FedEx
This is one of the most creative and famous logos out there. This famous logo brand represents ARROW which is between ‘E‘ and ‘X‘
12. Amazon
See where that arrow points? It suggests that you can buy everything from A to Z on Amazon. One of the best famous logos.
13. Formula 1
Between the letter F and the speed marks is the number 1. Creative famous logos for sure!
14. Le Tour De France
There’s a saying that every French is an artist. Very well said. One of the best famous logos.
15. Toyota
Simply clever famous logos.
16. Baskin Robins
31 represents 31 different flavours in the famous logos of Baskin Robbins.
17. Apple
The famous logos of APPLE is in Fibonnaci Series and so are its prices.
18. Dell
Notice that the “E” in Dell’s famous logos is turned on its side. The reason? It represents company founder Michael Dell‘s wish to “turn the world on its ear.” Some have also speculated that the slanted ‘E’ is meant to portray a floppy disk.
19. Freedom
The M has been separated to look like a bird flying off makes it one of the best famous logos.
20. My Fonts
