September 10th, 2006 | 
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I was in a discussion recently about hidden symbols inside of logos. Most of the time, these are not obvious to me (though maybe I’m a little thick). I think it’s cool that some companies do this: it shows that they put a lot of thought into their logo design, what they want it to mean, what they want it to convey, etc. Here are some examples of logos with hidden symbols. See if you can figure them out, and then mouse over them to reveal the hidden symbol.
First up, FedEx. Maybe they want to convey speed, direction, reliability. Can you spot the hidden symbol?
Now that you’ve seen it, you’ll it every time. Next up, the Big Ten collegiate conference. The Big Ten has eleven schools, but they didn’t want to change their name. They did, however, change their logo…
The Atlanta Falcons logo. This might be really obvious, but I didn’t even think about it until recently…
The Iowa Hawkeyes (a Big Ten school), have a letter hidden in their logo:
The Montreal Expos. Their logo was always an enigma to me. What is “elb”? Well, this is a matter of some contention, but everyone seems to agree that it’s a large M smack dab in the middle. Stylized so much that it’s really hard to picture. Think of it like an M that starts and ends in a flourish.
Finally, Goodwill. A charitible company that wants to make people smile. Behind that smile is a sinister secret symbol!
Again, maybe obvious to everyone else but I didn’t really think about it being a letter. I think these are really cool; if I keep finding these, I’ll post more of ‘em.
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Companies don’t put a lot of thought into their logos, the designers they hire do. That’s what they usually pay them for.
Never thought about the Goodwill one before. I’ve seen the stupid FedEx arrow so many times in design class it makes me cry. …but not really.
The New Jersey Devils logo, it’s an NJ symbol and a devil in one.
Find the arrow in the FedEx logo, its between the E and the X
The falcon logo outline also looks like a bird head all by itself, with a full bird inside.
You all have to much time on your hands…..you precieve what you chose to see.
Washington State University has a really cool Cougar that also says WSU if you look at it right.
My old college has a nifty logo (see top right: tcat.ac.uk). Not only does it look like a road going under a bridge (which the college just happens to have in front of it) but it is also a “T” (for Telford College) and if you break the logo down it spells “TCAT” which is what the college is referred to (stands for Telford College of Arts and Technology). Always fascinated me, anyway.
The falcon has an ‘f’ in it lololol
you all have way too much time on your hands, and are trying way too hard. I’ll give you goodwill, the expos, fedex and the Big Ten. I’ve even got another tidbit from the expos that I’ve verified a long time ago. The whole thing makes an “M”, but there’s a red “E” and a blue “B” if you look again. It stands for Montreal Expos Baseball.
On the other hand, the Falcons “F” and the Iowa I idental. The falcons logo is simply a modernization of the old one and on the left side of the helmet it still faces forward, resulting in a backwards “F”. I also think you’re looking too closely at the Iowa logo. Especially in sports logos, when a team wants you to see something in their logo they make it something more obvious, like washington state.
Parade rain, read the blurb about the Expos again. I’ve looked at multiple sources and they all seem to conflict about it being an “M”, an “elb”, an “eMb”, or some combination of those, and they all seem to conflict on what the letters stand for. I just never personally noticed that it was supposed to be an “M” for Montreal. It’s really a terrible design if it’s meant to be an “M”.
Its called Gestalt Theory of visual perception and psychology. One of the main element of graphic design. Its what you study in design schools and then implement in your work. Its not designed to be hidden thou.
I dont think the are so hidden.. yes its intentional but its not hiddden.. if you really look its there…
once I got into an argument about the fedex logo with my roommate and he got really offended when i said it was a simple logo that anybody could come up with when I feel that is the idea behind it
The Big Ten logo is a brilliant piece of design work.
The old ball and glove Milwaukee Brewers logo is a hidden M and B put together.
i thought this page was excellent
The Fort Worth zoo logo is neat like that, too.
People have always told me that I look at things differently. I’m starting to believe it. I’ve always only seen the M in the Expos logo, never even saw the “elb” or whatever. I still don’t get the Iowa logo though.
But here is some information that few realize. The name Starbucks actually means something. It’s not named after a person nor randomly chosen. If you were to read Starbucks original business plan you would find that their goal was to make $5 revenue from every customer that walked through the door. – Now how many points are on the commonly drawn star? Correct 5. and then Dollars=Bucks. So instead of “FiveDollars Coffee” isn’t “StarBucks” cooler and make you feel less a fool?
Lol. None of that stuff is hidden, it’s just good graphic design. You’ve just started paying attention to stuff you were, apparently, blind to.
Lots of very talented people work their creative tails off to come up with great designs that most people are oblivious to.
Nice work. I’ve always thought the FedEx logo was very well done, after someone pointed out the arrow, that I had never noticed. Simple and effective, like the Goodwill Face (also one I never noticed) and the Big Ten logo. The others, though…not sure how much of it is intended and how much is coincidence. It’s like the English classes I used to take. Sometimes, a red shirt is symbolism intended by the author. Sometimes, it’s just a red shirt.
Another interesting topic along the same lines is Subliminal advertising, which is intended to be hidden to the casual observer.
http://killermookie.org/images/coke_blow.jpg
people could have different borders to perception by chosing of relevant Signs in it Images are pictures we can not think it instead of the word If you see a word you lead images in there and in between An image itself couldnt do this The word comes from the ear the image from the eye more like a sign It is the form of memory even if you chose an impressiv coke
the old logo of KFC: col sanders looks like a drumstick XD
Clever graphics here, come see some creative blogs, great photos, color/format:
http://blogs-apart.blogspot.com
In the FedEx Logo, you might also notice another cool feature. The “dE” also looks a lot like the “SWOOSH” signs in comics, or a fiery trail of a fast going car’s tire.
Nice article, some clever ones in there!
Thank you! This web site has made me dumber.
My IQ is still dropping as I type this.
old coke-cola logo’s turned on their sides show a man wearing a top hat with the white “(cocaine)” line running through his nose.
That sounds like an urban legend to me, but I would love to see a picture of it just the same.
Fascinating discussion! As a logotype designer who’s often frustrated that it can take so much energy to convince clients that what we do is worthwhile, I find it refreshing to hear people grappling with these issues. But, of course, the parlor tricks described here – amusing as they may be – aren’t typical or necessary in professional logotype design. Truth be told, from a visual/strategic point of view some of the logos discussed here are real clunkers. You can check out my work at flywheeldesign.com
i don’t get the goodwill hidden thing 0_0′
Did you also know that the King of Hearts is stabbing himself in the head !!!!!
I can’t get the goodwill one and it’s killing me! Hint, please?
Just mouse-over the picture and the answer is revealed. However, if that doesn’t work, here’s the answer: the smiley face is a lowercase “g”, just like the “g” in the word “goodwill” below it.
I can’t believe you excluded the old Milwaukee Brewers symbol. I firmly believe it was the most clever symbol in the history of sports teams…
the montreal expo one says that there is an “M” for montreal the red prt is an “E” for expos and the blue part is a “B” for baseball and its montreal expos baseball
A famous logo, in Britain anyway, is the old BT (British Telecom) logo. Some say it had a hidden snake in it..and others say it’s because the company is evil! You can view it on the BBC website at http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1945000/images/_1947909_bt300.jpg
You’ll see this alleged snake, it’s red…
Mexico has weapons of mass destruction.
That Brithish Telecom logo is spooky! I like it though>
Going to a lot of trouble to be creative and then hiding the result is nuts. Going to a lot of trouble and then making the result a successful marketing move is good business. If one has to be an insider to decode the logo, it’s of no use. Those clever artifacts that are too subtle to reveal themselves are simply failures, plain and simple. And of course, after-the-fact revelations are bullshit. (Oh, look, the face of St. Peter in this Budweiser label!)
The corporations use many marketing stategies, one of the most isnteresting to me is the use of hidden symbolizm in their logos… Never noticed that Fed Ex one, but heres some more… Shell gasoline is a sun rising in b/w two mountains(illuminati)… Chevron is a Blue box on top of/holding down a red box(blue blood, i.e. royalty’s control over the red bloods, i.e. the rest of us)… a box sybolizing control/confinment… McDomination’s logo is the ancient symbol for aries… CBS is the eye of Ra… Gateway’s logo used to be 666 before they changed it… Salem cigarettes has the yin yang as their logo, which is the ancient symbol for the zodiak sign cancer(interesting choice)… Texaco is a pentagram with the masonic t-square inside of it… The Red Cross or as they were once called the Rosicrucian family… The Red Shield or the RothSchield germanic bluebloods… Arco is a pyramid with a missing capstone pictured from the top… They put pyramids everywhere, its ridiculous… too much shit to even get into on the dollar bill, and the different denominations… or the coins, ever notice how the president the freed the slaves faces the opposite direction as all other coins, and is a few shades darker than the rest… Symbolizm like this is everywhere in the bible too… When Jesus/Yahushua fed the multitudes with two fish, it symbolized the age of pisces… also this messiah, this Lion of Judah, many belive born in the leo month(NOT Dec. 25th, Saturns birthday from Roman mythology), was crucified on a cross… The symbol for the zodiak sign Leo is the sun/son, and on the zodiak circle the sun sits on a cross in the middle surrounded by the twelve signs/disciples/disciplines… when jesus to ld Satan to get behind him it was because Saturn/Satan was behind the moon at the time… The moon was a representation of the child of the sun, or the son of the father sun… The moon is reflecting the light of the Father for around 30 days, dies, and is ressurected on the third day… this shit goes on and on… once you open up to this shit you see it everywhere…
Check out our Myspace page for more info,
http://www.myspace.com/livingmechanizm…
watch the videos on the use of occultic symbolizm in the mainstream media by Michael Tsarion…
also listen to my song Hidden Symbolizm on my solo page,
Http://www.myspace.com/etherealhiphop
It’s a conspiracy maaaaan! The evil corporations are run by the reptilians!
the falcons has the F not for falcons but for felons.
Ethereal you are a total buffoon. We are a SECRET orgainzation. Why would we give you hints of our existance? BTW, we also have a secret internet and satelites that monitor your dreams, but don’t tell anyone. Shhhh…it’s a secret.
If you look at the mountain on the toblerone choclater bars there is a hidden bear to represent BERN which has it as it’s symbol.
Show behind the logo to find the message
A couple more for you. . . the old hartford whalers logo has a hidden “H” and a not-so-hidden “W” in their logo. Also, the company, Snap-on has a wrench hidden in the “S.”
The mgroves.com logo is actually a Mad Magazine fold-in. If you print and fold the logo at the left of the “G” and the right of the “c”, it reveals who Matt had sex with last night.
Ah, you’re thinking of my other site, YourMgroves.com
man that site must have cobwebs
Nearly every company that exists today has some form of satanic symbol hidden in plain view. The most used one is the symbol of the ram’s horn which makes anything next to it look like a 6 or serpent. there is also the use of the pyramid, shield, and the all seeing eye. as well as using combinations. Here are just a few but they are everywhere. Taco Bell, Burger King, UPS, bud light, nearly all procter and gamble products, camel, axe, suave, paramount, monster.com, etc… Along with imagery on NFL, disney, uSa, food channel, etc… the elitists infiltrate all forms of society from education, to law, military, government, arts, etc… They do there best to show there symbols hidden in plain view to annouonce themselves.
What about Chick-Fil-A?
Blame the freemasons!
let me tell ya, I work with like 50 freemasons, its the clan if ya ask me.
most of you are stuck way too far up your own asses, “its called the Gestalt theory…”, what a douche bag…anyways, check out the Missouri Western State University logo, they are the Griffins and the logo is shaped like the state of Missouri
this from a guy named tmoney
WE WANT MORE! MORE! MORE!
… i’m diggin the goodwill.
I want more more more…
Bloody hell!What are you guys on? Logo’s; brands; marques, some companies have ‘em as recogntion. The ad agencies that design the bloody things work hard to create an image.
Great marques are like pornography; you cant describe it but you know it when you see it.
Some “designers” are like eunochs, they know how to do it, they see it done every day but they cant do it themselves.
The best “marque i have seen recently was the Nikolsons brand “n” on http://www.nikolsons.com . It sums up the 2 sons of Nikolai, the MD. Looks like a free flight bird, puts you in mind of waves, leaves, and leisure all in one.
Its oosing style and money which is what they wanted. No cheap skates.
Meant to be placed along the Cartiers, Bentley etc which the designer or agency have achieved with honours. Wish I’d have thought and got paid for it.
Happy New year. Masons and The Clan indeed. Bloody Hell.
The Baldchemist
And another thing Matt. How the bloody hell can a conservative be optimistic?
PS I forgot the .com after our url. Bloody Hell
Check this article about: Logo Designs: Simplicity Rules!
How to transmit the importance of simplicity in logotype design to clients and marketing departaments seeking a new corporate visual identity for their companies.
http://www.analoga.com.uy/en/articles/logo-designs-simplicity-rules.html
in the doge truck logo if u look closely it looks like a mans testcals and penis lol it is so funny
Thanks Antonio great article
Logo Designs: Simplicity Rules!
Hi, I left a comment here a last year about the BT logo, and the hidden evil snake! I see there’s many people still interested in the hidden meanings in logos in this post. I read about the fedex one here and on another blog, so I decided to write my own on it at http://sqwink.com/news/2007/11/13/fedex-the-truth-behind-their-subliminal-logo/ if anyones interested.
@ Dave, I agree with you partly – there does seem to be a lot of 666 symbolism in logos these days, but not all!
OMG i have seen the freaking arrow so many times. CAN ANYONE SEE THE SPOON? It’s between the e and d it’s kinda sad no one else sees it…
but whateva that’s so old.
The Expos logo: elb? Nah, it stand for the initial of the owner( Edgar Bronfman ) EB
Bronfman was one of the richest man in Canada by the time he was the owner of the
Montreal expos. He’s also the owner of Universal Vivendis.
Charles Bronfman was the first owner, not Edgar, and it’s a stylized “M” according to the official Expos Media Guide from 1997.
The “i” in the Iowa logo is a stretch. Now try this with that same image: Tilt your head to the left. Do you see the head of Fred Flintstone?
ha!
Nice. I like this website.