Hidden Meanings in Famous Logos: Arrows in the Gaps and Letters Turned into Shapes

“Hidden meanings” fall into three types

Logo tricks tend to get lumped together, but three different kinds are mixed in. Separating them makes it easier to judge which ones are truly designed in.

Negative space gives meaning to empty areas, and the moment you spot it leaves a strong impression. Letters as shapes keep the text readable while adding another meaning. Origins don’t describe the shape itself so much as the background to why it’s that shape.

Well-known examples

Here are frequently cited examples listed by type of trick. Reading with the actual logos in front of you makes them much easier to spot.

Origin stories mix fact and folklore

Stories about what logos mean mix explanations companies have officially given with interpretations that spread later. The more entertaining a story, the faster it travels, so treating one as fact without checking the source can trip you up.

• The story that Apple’s bitten apple is a pun on “bite” and “byte” is widely known, but the designer has said the bite was there so it wouldn’t be mistaken for other fruit such as a cherry. The pun is an interpretation added afterward.
• Most stories like “the founding year is hidden in the shape” or “it stands for a particular ideology” are repeated without any evidence.
• Meanings can also be retold with each redesign. An explanation of today’s form doesn’t necessarily apply to the original logo.
• If you want to check, the quickest way is to look at the brand page or press releases on the company’s official website. The design intent is sometimes spelled out there.

What to watch for when using this in your own logo

Tricks are appealing, but done wrong they just make a logo hard to read. If you’re going to use one, think it through in this order.

1. 1

   Make it work first

   First confirm that the shape reads and stands out properly even for people who don’t notice the trick. It has to work with the trick removed.

2. 2

   Stick to one meaning

   Trying to fit in an arrow, a smile, and an initial leaves each of them half-baked. Limit yourself to one meaning at most.

3. 3

   Shrink it to check

   Negative-space tricks are the first thing to clog up when reduced. Shrink it to app icon or favicon size and see whether the gap survives. Redrawing it on a grid to check pixel by pixel makes it easier to see where it fills in.

4. 4

   Check it in black and white

   A trick revealed by colored areas disappears in black-and-white print or engraving. Confirm the shape doesn’t depend on color.

5. 5

   Show it without explaining

   Show it to a few people without saying anything, and ask what they see. If it looks like something you didn’t intend, you can’t avoid that reading. It needs fixing, whatever the trick.

• Tricks by nature often come across only once explained. Don’t trust your core message to one.
• Where images get cropped to a circle, as with social media icons, a trick in the corners disappears. Keep the composition toward the center.
• Also check that your trick isn’t similar to a competitor’s. Arrows and speech bubbles are used a lot and tend to get lost.
• The payoff when people find it is big, so a brief note on the intent on your website or profile can make it a talking point.

Train your eye with a quiz

Whether you notice a logo’s tricks depends on how consciously you normally look. The quickest method is practicing guessing brands from their logos alone.

• The Brand Logo Quiz has three difficulty levels and a mode that draws from all brands. Each round is up to 10 questions, so it takes just a few minutes.
• Multiple-choice mode gives 15 seconds per question. With options to choose from, you can narrow things down by shape features even if your memory is hazy.
• The 10-second challenge has you think without options, and the answer appears when time runs out. It’s good for finding logos whose names you can’t recall.
• After checking your answers, try working out which of the three types of trick each logo fits. It trains your eye.
• Playing with friends or colleagues is fun, since you’ll see that the logos people remember differ by industry and generation.

Keep at it and you’ll naturally start to notice the intent behind shapes on street signs and product packaging. It also gives you ideas to draw on when making your own logos and icons, so it’s an efficient way to practice while playing.

FAQ

What’s hidden in the FedEx logo?

A right-pointing arrow appears in the white area between the E and the X. It’s known as a trick suggesting forward motion, speed, and precision, and it’s a classic example of negative space using the gap between letters. Characteristically, once you’ve noticed it you’ll always see it.

Why is the Apple logo bitten?

A pun on “byte” is the widely circulated explanation, but the designer has explained that it’s so the shape wouldn’t be mistaken for other fruit such as a cherry. Logo origins mix official explanations with interpretations added later, so the reliable way to check is the company’s official pages.

What should I watch for when making a negative-space logo?

First confirm that the shape works for people who don’t notice the trick. Then shrink it to favicon or app icon size and check that the gap doesn’t fill in. Negative space is weak at small sizes and is the first thing lost. Also check that it works in black and white, without color.

Does every logo have a meaning?

Not necessarily. Most logos are made with priority on being easy to identify and remember rather than on hiding meaning. A logo without a trick isn’t lazy; usually it’s the result of leaving out what the purpose didn’t need. In practice, it’s healthier not to go hunting for meanings after the fact.