Adding a hidden message or symbol to a brand’s logo can add layers that not only makes it more unique but also incredibly memorable—especially once you “figure out” the logo’s secret meaning. “Like solving a problem or puzzle, we will remember this about the logo and brand, which increases our perceived value,” says Reilly Newman, a brand strategist at Motif Brands. “Additionally, we will tell others about hidden messages and show them, which increases the awareness of the brand.”
To help us decode and decipher the secret messages and hidden images in logos, Reader’s Digest spoke with Newman and two other experts in branding and marketing. Read on to learn about some fascinating facts about the hidden messages in logos you see every day.
This is one of Newman’s favorite logos, because it crafts the brand’s visual identity using both positive and negative space. “Part of the brilliance is that it transforms the brand’s logo from a visual mark to a visual experience upon each viewing,” he says. Plus, as Hesse points out, “once you see the arrow in the FedEx logo, it’s virtually impossible to unsee it from that point on,” making it hard to forget.
