The hidden meanings behind 9 of the most famous logos

Nine global brands which have made their name through their logo

Zlata Rodionova
Thursday 09 June 2016 13:33 BST
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Vice's graffiti logo helps it to cement its anti-establishment roots
Vice's graffiti logo helps it to cement its anti-establishment roots

The strength of a brand relies on the quality of what it is offering.

Google regained the title of the “most valuable global brand” from Apple in a an annual ranking of the world’s best brands because of its constant innovation.

Judges found that Google’s new products and services have captured the public eye and boosted the brand’s value by 32 per cent to $229 billion.

But clever branding in a company’s logo, visual system or tagline can have a huge influence on the brand and its value.

Veb Anand, executive director of strategy at design consultancy agency Brand Union, gave us the example of nine global brands which have made their name through their logo.

VICE

Vice, the digital media and broadcasting company, has been known for its provocative and often controversial news content, mostly targeted at digital savvy young adults.

The company’s graffiti logo helps it to cement its anti-establishment roots, according to Anand.

"In a world where the greater public feels an increasing disconnect to social structures, Vice continues to document this friction with unprecedented authenticity.

“Vice’s connection with the millennial demographic defines its ethos, and its graffiti sprawled logo shows its commitment to such that cements its cutting-edge sensibilities,” he said.

IBM

The stripes on IBM’s logo, designed by Paul Rand in 1972, were created to suggest speed and dynamism, which are crucial characteristics for a technology firm.

Anand argues that the logo is now synonym with one of the most trusted companies in the world.

“Even though the typeface and lines could now feel retro in isolation, IBM has constantly evolved the visual world around its logo to maintain its image as an organisation at the cutting-edge of technology,” he said.

The brand is currently valued at $86.2 billion and made it to the top 10 on BrandZ ranking of the world’s most valuable brands.

Channel 4

Channel 4’s logo corresponds with its mantra to keep things innovative, experimental and distinctive.

Its branding represent a manifestation of its vision, playing with multiple perspectives and revealing the 4 between the lines, Anand argued.

Nike

Nike, named after the Greek Goddess of Victory, has been a cultivator of cool for 40 years which is a testament to the strength of its brand and logo, according to Anand.

Its check logo is its own subtle declaration of perfection as the brand remains in the forefront of athletic style.

The athletic-wear giant recorded more than $32 billion in sales in the twelve months ending on April 22. Profit over the same period was $3.8 billion.

Nike has also seen its shares grow from one team or 6 per cent in 1996 to six teams or 25 per cent at Euro 2016.

Airbnb

Airbnb, the service through which locals can rent their own room or home to travellers, has quickly become a challenger to hotel chains worldwide.

Anand argues that its hand-drawn logo has become a symbol.

“The logo symbolises the cry for people to ‘Belong Anywhere’ [Airbnb’s tagline], transforming a short-term rental market into a platform for exploration and authentic living,” he said.

Airbnb and other sharing economy companies have recently received the support from the European Commission. The EU commission issued new guidelines warning officials to ease on the crackdowns on these companies as they have contributed about €28 billion (£21.6bn) to the European Union economy in 2015, with their revenues doubling in a year.

Financial Times

The Financial Times has been printing on pink paper since 1893.

What began as a mechanism to distinguish it from the financial news, has become one of the most recognisable equities to the senior-most decision makers in the world.

“No longer just used on paper, the colour is omnipresent across The FT’s website and digital applications, prompting instant recognition across every channel,” Anand said.

Sonos

Sonos, a US electronics company founded in 2002, showed customers how to visualise sound through its logo.

“The experience of an innovative wireless audio experience is captured brilliantly through optical illusions that create movement and dynamism with lines and colours,” Anand said

Microsoft

Apple and Google have also responded to claims that the CIA took advantage of unknown vulnerabilities in iOS and Android

The Microsoft visual system introduced in 2012 is drawing from its Windows past.

The symbol was a nod to its flagship product but also the basis for its new interface on mobile phones, tablet and computer operation system, Anand argues.

“The ‘squares’ are much more than just a badge representing Microsoft’s diverse products – they are consistently reinforced through every interaction with a Microsoft product,” he said.

Microsoft remained third on BrandZ most valuable brands ranking growing 5 per cent to $112 billion, above Facebook and Amazon which entered the top ten for the first time ranking fifth and seventh respectively.

British Airways

Van Anand said that one of the greatest piece of branding came from British Airways in 2012 with the introduction of a coat of arms emblazoned with the pledge, “To Fly. To Serve,” into its marketing and visual system.

The logo was clever from a strategic perspective and got several things right, according to Anand.

Drawn straight from the airline’s past, it reinforced its reputation and leadership in the industry. It also acted as an internal inspirational tool for British Airway’s staff, and an external promise to customers. Finally, it was backed by action from the business. At the time, it allocated £5 billion in improving the customer’s experience.

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