Symbolism in logo design communicates subtle messages that can make us do a double-take or give us something to think about. They can even make us question what we’re looking at entirely.

Logo symbolism injects layers of meaning. It presents a unique challenge for designers to represent a business’s offerings, mission, and values visually in a single mark.

This task often involves combining multiple—sometimes even opposing—ideas to illustrate this representation. And the sign of a job well done is whether people can understand the meaning behind the logo and recognize it in the future.

Revealing the hidden meaning in brand recognition

In a brand awareness survey from Promotique by Vistaprint, over a quarter of respondents stated that if they were starting a business today, their logo design would be one of their top priorities. This finding is unsurprising since studies have shown that people remember brand logos more than brand names.

As Llorenç Solà, General Manager for Promotique by Vistaprint, said, “Our research shows just how much of an impact a businesses’ logo has on its credibility,” He goes on to say, “Customers can recognize the leading brands with just a primary color or a certain shape of a logo and consumers naturally trust these companies more.”

Because of this brand recognition, it’s easier to connect with customers and translate their preferences into a long-term appreciation for a business and its products. But design also matters because people can conclude a company’s capabilities based on something as simple as its logo shape.

Including hidden meanings into a logo’s design makes it “stickier” and more likely for people to remember it than those that don’t.

Secret messages in famous logos

Your logo is often one of the first images people see from your brand. It serves as your 24/7 representative, helping people form an association between your business and its brand identity. Time after time, surveys and studies show that your logo is one of the determining factors in how much people trust the company.

One 2023 survey of US adults revealed that over a third of respondents bought a product because it had a unique logo design. This percentage increased to 56% with Gen Zers who purchased an item for a similar reason.

People are likelier to buy from companies whose logos they can quickly identify, and their brand symbols can form visual associations that make it even easier to recognize them.

Let’s look at a famous logo or two and their deeper meanings.

Amazon

As the world’s top online retailer, Amazon’s logo is almost inescapable. Its over 20-year-old design illustrates in its slight smile that connects with the word “Amazon” how the company “offers anything, from A to Z, that customers may be looking to buy online,” according to their initial press release.

Throughout its evolution, Amazon’s brand emblem has transformed from a 90s design that didn’t visually convey its online bookstore origins to one that wants to position itself as “welcoming and friendlier.”

Pinterest

Pinterest’s logo is relatively simple in its design, but it has a couple of surprising visual treatments. When looking at the logo shape, the downward stroke of the “P” symbolizes a sewing pin, and the flowing lines are threadlike, making up the rest of the letter.

In this design, Pinterest’s famous logo demonstrates that the social platform allows users to collect anything and everything that interests them.

BMW

For over 90 years, people thought BMW’s blue and white quadrants in its iconic logo represented spinning propellers. However, according to the company, it’s an urban legend.

This myth is somewhat accurate to what the company did when they manufactured engines used in heavy transport vehicles like planes. In a 1929 BMW ad, the logo was overlaid on top of a plane’s propeller, forming today’s well-known mark.

With its modern iteration from 2020, the new logo includes a transparent variation symbolizing “openness and clarity” to customers in the digital age.

Common ways to use logo symbolism

Designers use many techniques to create interest and visually tell a brand story by adding intriguing elements that draw people in. At times, these elements can include a hidden message. There are several approaches, and these are some of the most common ways to insert symbolism into a design.

Introduce double meanings
Sometimes, your logo can use imagery to convey multiple ideas or even an origin story. For tech conglomerate Cisco, the nine lines of their logo signify both the company’s origins in San Francisco and the two towers of the famous Golden Gate Bridge.

Play with negative space
Whitespace helps to draw the eye to specific elements in a design. FedEx uses negative space to do exactly this. The brand’s logo uses the area between the “E” and “x” to form an arrow demonstrating the company’s speed and efficiency in a fast-moving world.

Include historical or cultural references
Inserting a little history into your logo design can give people an “aha” moment once they figure out its intended meaning. As an iconic brand, Nike is well-known for its memorable swoosh. This symbol represents movement and power, giving a subtle nod to Greek mythology and the winged goddess of the same name, who symbolizes “victory.”

Tell a story with pictures
Creating a sequence of events within the design can delight people with its story. The Tostitos logo uses a blocky yet dynamic font with dark letters. It includes two people in the middle surrounding a table serving as the “i” with salsa on top, signaling that the product is perfect for a party atmosphere.

Using logo symbolism to create marks people remember

Logo symbolism is a design technique that creates depth in a small image that usually gets a few seconds of attention.

When done well, logo symbols can increase brand value and recognition, which can be worth, in some cases, billions. In other cases, it’s a starting point for people to recognize and associate businesses with a specific mission or idea.

And for your business, logo symbolism creates an opportunity to inject your mission, values, and story into the brand’s mark.