Logos aren’t always what they seem. Some of these logos can hold a lot of information about the brand, all you have to do is look at the clues. I’ve selected 25 great logos that have some sort of hidden message. I’m sure you’ve seen some of these hidden messages before, but I hope I’ve been able to show you some new ones as well.
FedEx
This is probably one of the most famous logos in this category. Just in case you’re somehow out of the loop, look between the “E” and the “x”. In the white space there is an arrow that subliminally represents speed and precision.
> Download FexEd logo vector in .EPS format here
NBC
Another famous one, anyone over 50 will connect NBC with a Peacock. Ever since they came out with their new logo though, the peacock has been a little harder to spot.
> Download NBC logo vector
Goodwill
As prevalent as this logo is we see it all the time, but have you ever noticed how the “g” in “goodwill” and the smiling face look strangely similar?
> Free download Goodwill logo vector
Big 10 Conference
Although at the time of this writing there are 12 schools in the Big 10 (Nebraska-Lincoln was added this year), when this logo was created following Penn State’s addition in 1990 there were 11. Because the conference didn’t want to change its name it went for something a bit more subtle…logo magic.
Baskin-Robbins
Famously known for its 31 flavors (supposedly so that a customer could have a new flavor every day of the month) Baskin-Robbins makes it known in their logo.
> Free download Baskin-Robbins logo vector here
ED
Elettro Domestici, the Italian electric company, used an interesting mark designed by Gianni Bortolotti that has since become fairly well known in the design community.
Carrefour
The name of the French international hypermarket chain translates to “intersection” in English. If you look closely enough you will notice that the big “C” in the white space is actually constructed out of two arrows pointing in opposite directions. How appropriate.
> Download Carrefour logo vector here
Mammoth
The brilliant logo for the popular ski resort located in California not only looks like a big “M” but it can also be interpreted as mammoth, a mountain, and a ski trail.
Northwest Airlines
The old Northwest Airlines logo is something of a masterpiece with the “N” and “W” both being constructed from the same image. Thats not all though, if you look close enough you’ll also notice that there’s a compass in there. Guess which direction it’s pointing?
The Pittsburgh Zoo
The white space in this logo pops out a whole lot more than in some of the others so it shouldn’t be that hard to spot the monkey and lion staring each other down.
Sun Microsystems
Before its acquisition by Oracle in 2010, the longstanding logo of the computer giant had left its mark on the industry. Cleverly designed by Vaughan Pratt, you should be able to read the word “sun” from any direction.
The Atlanta Falcons
If you watch Sports Center at all then this is no secret, but the Falcons logo is much more than a really cool looking bird. It’s a really cool looking bird in the shape of a big letter “F”.
> Download Atlanta Falcons logo vector here
LG
While Pac Man has a way of showing up in strange places, how about the LG logo? All you have to do is tilt it a little to the right and then shift the “nose” upwards. South Koreans are awesome.
> Download LG logo vector
Via Rail Canada
If you have ever been on a railroad in the far north you have probably seen this logo, but have you ever noticed that the logo itself depicts a railroad?
> Free download Via Rail Canada logo vector in .EPS format
Amazon
This one is a classic. Not only is the Amazon logo smiling but there’s also an arrow starting at the “a” and ending on the “z”. That’s right, Amazon has everything from A to Z.
> Free download Amazon logo vector here
Milwaukee Brewers
Another sports team, this one might be a little harder to distinguish for those of you who don’t watch baseball. Notice that the glove is actually a composite of the letters “b” and “m”.
> Free download Milwaukee Brewers logo vector
Tostitos
Heres a favorite. As much as you eat their chips and dip their dips have you ever noticed the fiesta going on in their logo? The two t’s are partying over a bowl of dipping sauce that dots the “i”.
> Free download Tostitos logo vector in .EPS format
Sony Vaio
It’s one of the most popular Sony sub-brands and like all of the other logos on this page it also has some hidden secrets. The “V” and the “A” are actually forming an analog signal while the “I” and the “O” are supposed to represent the binary digits 1 and 0.
London Orchestra
At first glance it appears to be so simple but upon closer inspection you might notice some hidden imagery. Can you see the orchestra conductor?
> Download London Orchestra logo vector here
Hersheys
This one might be hard to see if the logo isn’t big enough but next time you run out of Hershey’s Kisses remember to the check the bag. Between the “K” and the “I” you just might find an extra.
Hope for African Children Initiative
This non-profit boasts a cleverly drawn map of Africa, the continent being formed out of the white space that separates a child from its guardian.
Toblerone
It seems that sweet makers have a knack for including hidden images in their logos. This one may be hard to spot at first but we’ll give you a hint: Toblerone was started in the city of Bern, Switzerland which is famously associated with bears. Now, look closely at Matterhorn Mountain and see what you find.
> Free download Toblerone logo vector here
Tour de France
There is a biker in there somewhere. Can you see him? He is literally on Tour. Notice how the “o”, “u”, and “R” all come together along with the yellow dot to form the image.
Washington State University
The cougars really outdid themselves with this one. In the logo their mascot is composed of the three letter acronym for their school.
Roxy
Back when Quicksilver started Roxy it was trying to break into what it saw as the untapped market for female surfers. It was a gutsy move but it worked out and you can see how the heart shaped Roxy logo is derived from two back to back Quicksilver logos.