Ever come across a logo that you have seen a million times, but one day you notice a small detail that blows you away? If you haven’t, the following 26 logos will be quite interesting. These logos are well known, so you may have seen them, but today we’ll focus on the hidden messages within each of them.

1.  FedEx

This logo has been around for over a decade and I am very familiar with it as well as the company’s services. However, I never saw the hidden arrow within the logo. Take a close look between the E and X. See it? This arrow (in the negative space) represents precision, speed and accuracy.

2.  Toblerone

Do you know where Toblerone chocolate is created? The company is located in Bern, Switzerland which is also known as the City of Bears. The mountain in the Toblerone logo embodies the City of Bears by incorporating a bear in it. Have you found the bear?

3.  NBC

Ever notice the peacock image in the NBC logo? The most recent logo makes it hard to spot, in older versions the peacock was more visible. The peacock faces towards the right, symbolizing the company’s motto to look forward.

4.  Baskin Robbins

Their slogan, 31 Flavors of Fun, made them a commercial success, as did their logo. The number 31 is significant because Baskin Robins carries 31 flavors of ice cream. If you look close, you can see the number 31 placed between the letters.

5.  Goodwill

This one is easier to spot. The letter G in the logo is also a smiley face. It was the company’s way of showing a gesture of…should we say, goodwill?

6.  Nike

Did you know Nike’s logo has a hidden message? Not many do! The famous swoosh used by the company represents one of the wings of ‘Nike,’ the Greek goddess of victory. Interesting, huh?

7.  Hope for African Children Initiative

This logo looks like a map of Africa but after a closer look you will see two people (a child and an older person) facing each other.

8.  Big Ten Conference

Currently there are 12 schools in the Big 10, but at one time there were 11. So, in the logo the company decided to include the number “11” in a subtle way. Since the growth of the Big Ten Conference, the company was not keen on change their cherished logo so the number 11 remains.

9.  Pakuy

Pakuy is a packaging company with a logo that is simple and clever. The logo looks like the letter P, standing for the company name, while it also looks like an unfolding box. It’s a great way to represent the company and its services.

10.  Hershey’s Kisses

I love this one because the symbolism is hard to find and many people often too busy devouring the chocolate, instead of noticing it. Before you dive into the bag, take a look between the letters K and I. You’ll be surprised to find a hidden Hershy’s kiss there!

11.  Yoga Australia

In this logo, you will notice that the image is of a woman in a yoga pose which also makes the shape of Australia. It’s hidden between her arm and leg.

12.  Apple

Who isn’t familiar with this logo! It is the image of an apple that has been bitten. Simple and straight forward. But the symbolism people relate to this logo is perhaps not as simple. There are quite a few theories regarding the symbolism of the logo.

The current Apple logo is a modern and evolved version. The very first Apple logo had the image of Sir Issac Newton sitting under an apple tree while the second logo (rainbow Apple) was derived from Newton’s prism work. Some people like to believe that the logo indirectly symbolizes the forbidden fruit of Adam and Eve, depicting lust and knowledge. Well not literally perhaps, but Apple products are (sinfully) addictive hence the symbolism feels right, to me at least A few people even believe that the bite in the logo refers to the computing term 8 bytes or binary knowledge. Although designer, Rob Janoff disagrees with these theories.

So, what do you think? Which of these theories would you root for?

13.  Sony Vaio

At first, I had no idea about the hidden meaning in this logo. The curvy V and A actually indicate an analog wave or a signal. The I and O represent the binary digits 1 and 0. Very unique, creative fitting for this type of company!

14.  Milwaukee Brewers

Are you a baseball fan? If so, then you may recognize this logo. The Milwaukee Brewers logo is shaped like a baseball glove holding a baseball. But look closely, do you see the B and M?

15.  Atlanta Falcons

Let’s talk sports again. The logo of the Atlanta Falcons is easily recognizable. The beak and claw of the falcon are reaching out; can you see what it creates?  The letter F.

16.  Amazon.com

Most people have used Amazon.com. The logo is very self-explanatory. The text spells out the company name, but the arrow under the A and Z is quite interesting. Its Amazon’s way of saying they carry everything from “A to Z.”

17.  Sun Microsystems

Before they got taken over by Oracle, this was their logo. The design is a very unique way of displaying the letters that spell out their name, S-U-N. No matter which way you are looking at the logo, you can read the word SUN. This was stunning work done by Vaughan Pratt.

18.  Northwest Airlines

This is the older Northwest Airlines logo, but it deserves a mention. The letter N is visible can you see the W? And that’s not all. Look even closer, can you see the compass? Which direction is it pointing in?

19.  LG

A masterpiece of creativity, this logo depicts the letters L and G easily. The L and G seem to make a face, almost with a winking eye. But, if you take the design a bit further by tilting little to the right and align the L with the edges you’ll see a PacMan!

20.  Washington State University

This is one of my favorite logos and my favorite school. WSU really did a great job with their logo, representing the university mascot and the 3 letters that define the university. Can you find the letters?

21.  ED

The Italian electric company used went about their logo in a very unique way. An electric socket is used to represent the company and its services. The socket represents providing electricity, as well as forming the letters E and D.

22.  Tour de France

Tour de France is all about bicycling. Can you spot the cyclist in the logo?

23.  Pittsburg Zoo

Zoo logos tend to have a common theme, featured animals. The Pittsburg Zoo’s isn’t much different. If you look carefully at the white space under the tree, you can see a lion and gorilla. This is one of my favorite logos; its creativity never ceases to amaze me!

24.  Mammoth

I’m a huge fan of the movie Ice-Age so when I saw this logo from the California based ski resort, it instantly made a connection. They created the letter M with a piece of animal imagery (Mammoth tusks-do you see them?), it’s really creative!

25.  London Orchestra

There’s another beautifully concealed image here! The most amazing orchestra conductors have performed with the London Orchestra. Can you see the conductor in the logo? The L and O make up the arms of the conductor while the links between the two letters create the head.

26.  Unilever

I saved the most intricate for the last! The Unilever logo is composed of 26 different icons, each representing one of their products and services. An example of one would be a palm tree which represents nature and products that have coconuts, dates, palm oil etc. (Unilever logo explained)

Some logos are truly amazing and creative because of the innovation involved in their creation. These creative logos provide a company with a great branding option and they can tickle our imagination when we make the connection between the company and its brand.

Today’s logo design collection is all about clouds. Yes, the white and fluffy clouds which inspired us as children and continue to do so even as adults. Remember looking at the clouds and creating imaginative shapes as kids? I think graphic designers do something similar when they create inspiring designs based on clouds. What they perceive is what they create.

What can a Cloud Logo Possibly Mean?

Clouds have now become one of the latest trending symbols in graphic design along with circles. Various businesses are using clouds in their brand images and, depending on the industry they represent, they can come to mean a variety of things. Clouds generally denote dreams, imagination and creativity. This is why cloud based designs work well for creative companies like design studios and kids products.

Religious organizations also prefer cloud based logos most of the times as it helps portray the image of heaven, other worldliness or to literally symbolize something God sent. Using sun rays behind a cloud symbolizes hope while it can also stand for happiness as suggested in the term cloud number 9. Clouds are also manipulated as speech bubbles sometimes and used for blog logos. They can symbolize big web communities or a group of like minded people which is why hosting companies, web security companies, communication businesses and social media networks like using it in their logos.

Businesses that Prefer to Employ the Cloud Symbol

These can vary from baby products to cloud computing, social media sites, online communities, studios, non-profit organizations to children foundations, hosting services, companies related to communication and businesses dealing in mobile apps or technology. The cloud symbol is most commonly used by large groups and companies that cater to the masses which is why it is trending with hosting services and online communities these days. And of course the weather new channels and websites can make a good use of the cloud symbol by incorporating it in their logo or web design.

Now that you understand what this symbol can mean, here is a collection of forty cloud based designs for inspiration.

Have you created any cloud based logos recently? Do share your designs with us.

Image Sources: BrandStack.com, LogoPond.com, MycroBurst.com, BrandCrowd.com

The 2012 Summer Olympics are just around the corner. London, the only city in the United Kingdom to have ever hosted the Olympics, will soon become the only city in the world to have hosted the modern Games of three Olympiads.

As the world eagerly anticipates the event and what the future beholds for participating Olympians, one must also appreciate and acknowledge the history of this event. Olympic logos are extremely popular and one of the most anticipated pre-Olympic events that people the world over look forward to. Every Olympic event is associated with its very own logo. Today we will look back into the past at some of the most elegant summer Olympic logos created over the last decade.

Barcelona Olympics 1992

I was only a teenager when the Barcelona Olympics were taking place. This was a very special event for basketball fans. It led to the creation of the ‘Dream Team’ from the United States, which sported their best players from around the country. This logo was my first introduction to the 5 Olympic rings and the first time I learned about Barcelona.

Atlanta Olympics 1996

Atlanta trumped Canada to win the bid to host the 1996 Summer Olympics, marking 100 years for the event. The 1996 Summer Olympic logo bears the number 100 to mark the occasion, as well as the lit torch to commemorate the torch lighting ceremony performed at the beginning of all Olympic Games. “Summon the Heroes” was the official theme for this Olympiad.

Sydney Olympics 2000

Personally, this is my favorite logo. I find it very appealing. The logo keeps up with the tradition of the 5 rings, customary with all Olympic logos. It uses a stylish font and if you look carefully, you can also see the image of a running athlete.

Athens Olympics 2004

The Olympics returned to Greece in 2004 and immediately one of the niftiest of the summer Olympic logos was created. The image in the logo is that of a laurel wreath crown (traditionally a gold-leafed crown) originally worn by King Phillip, the father of Alexander the Great. It was a great way to commemorate the event and an elegant mix of style and history.

Beijing Olympics 2008

China hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008 and like their predecessors; they too had a superb event. The logo is an emblem of the traditional Chinese seal, representing the spirit of the games through the union of the image of an athlete and the Chinese calligraphy style font. This makes it one of the most unique logos.

London Olympics 2012

I have to confess, this is my least favorite logo of the lot and it has made it to my list of logo disasters. In fact, I was in utter disbelief when I first saw it. While the designer tried using the number 2012 in a creative way, I find the logo lacking on many levels. The color scheme is poor, the font unattractive and the style is unappealing. It is certainly not one of my favorite Olympic logos.

Easter marks the end of Lent, the Holy Week, and concludes a period of thought, prayer and worship. Its message revolves around love and peace for family, friends, and all mankind. This religious event also brings with it lots of fun, joy and laughter in the form of colorful Easter eggs and those exciting Easter Egg hunts that children love so much.

In the spirit of Easter, today’s post will showcase 25 amazing logo designs that use the two images that have become absolutely synonymous with the Easter event – Egg and Rabbit.

Egg Symbol in Logo Design

The egg symbol is associated with Easter because of the famous Easter Egg Hunts that children absolutely love and look forward to. In logo design the ‘egg’ symbol represents freshness, newness, birth, revival and regeneration. Depending on the industry, the egg symbol can come to mean different things. Used in the food industry it can mean health while in the entertainment industry it can come to mean basic goodness or even used in terms of craziness or to show the goofy side like calling someone an ‘egg head’.

Rabbit Symbol in Logo Design

The idea of the Easter Bunny originated in the United States during the 18^th century and from there it took on a life of its own. From Easter T-shirts to Easter coffee mugs, the rabbit is a central figure it any portrait, image or logo design.

Rabbit represents energy and speed as they are known to be fast runners. Many businesses like to use the rabbit symbol to show that their company is ‘quick’ in action taking, can ‘jump’ over obstacles and is capable of ‘multiplying’ profits for their clients. Some businesses in the clothes and kids industries also like to use the rabbit symbol which can mean anything from cute to soft, magical and feminine, depending on the use of the symbol and the colors employed.

I hope you enjoyed this post as well as the logo selections. Happy Easter to Everyone!

Image Courtesy: MycroBurst.com, LogoPond.com & LogoFaves.com

The simplest logo can often have the deepest meaning. You don’t need to have a flashy, colorful or complicated logo to define the essence of a company. When you want a simple logo with a hidden meaning, negative spacing logos are your best option!

Negative spacing logos are loved for their unique designs and ability to convey meaning in a subtle way. Here’s a collection of some very creative negative spacing logos. Get inspired!

The next time you set your hands on designing a simple but meaningful logo, try adding negative space! But be warned, it doesn’t come easy. You have to be creative and work through multiple sketches to come up with the perfect logo.  Good luck!

It’s February, Valentine’s Day is near and love is in the air! For many, this is one of the favorite times of the year, as they celebrate and express their feelings for loved ones.

Valentine’s Day is all about giving and receiving. With that in mind, I thought of sharing our love for design today by bringing forth a collection of thirty five heart shape logo designs. These will surely make you fall in love with designing all over again

What Do Heart Logo Designs Represent?

Over the years, the symbol of heart has come to represent good health. Being a vital organ of the human body, the heart stands for good health and happiness. This is why you will see numerous health institutes that have a heart in their logo designs as the main metaphor for human health.

The heart symbol also represents the feeling of love; coupled with the color red for passion it expresses a deep enthusiasm and excitement. For centuries people have related the heart symbol to expressing care and deep feelings of love.

Businesses with heart logos want to communicate the message of care for their customers and show their passion for their product and/or services. This is why the heart is often used in the beauty, art, jewelry, entertainment and even food industries.

Happy Valentine’s Day to our Design Community – have a good one!

Have you designed any heart shaped logo lately? Share it with us.

Images Courtesy: LogoPond.com and MycroBurst.com

Bored of the usual clichéd logo designs? So am I! That’s why I decided to hunt for some inspirational and literal designs. Sounds different already? They are.

Most of us as designers think that a real estate logo has to have a house symbol or that a shoe company must have a shoe in the logo. What if some of us are creative enough to create meaning out of the company’s name itself?

The collection I have here today includes twenty six logos that are original, unique and literal to the core. These logos focus largely on typography and symbols. The designers that have created these type based logo designs have used fonts in a creative way, making the company name stand out in a simple way.

Well, what do you guys think? Pretty creative, aren’t they? Let us know what you think!