Big names ahead

Once you see it, you’ll never unsee it: 12 brand logos’ hidden messages


Published on May 4, 2025


Image: Yucel Moran

A good logo has to communicate what the brand it represents is all about. It should do so in the simplest and most elegant way possible, conveying the brand’s spirit and core concept. The following 12 famous brands have managed to create iconic logos that not only represent them successfully but also include a subtle, partially hidden message. Did you know about any of these?

1

Carrefour

Image: James Orr

The name of the French supermarket chain means "intersection" in its native language. This meaning is clearly reflected in its logo, with its two arrows pointing in opposite directions. Additionally, hidden in the space between the arrows you can see the shape of the letter "C."

2

Amazon

Image: BoliviaInteligente

Amazon’s logo has a ubiquitous online presence. It’s simple, and it has been streamlined over the years. If you’ve ever wondered what the arrow beneath the logo means, take a look at its starting and ending points: it goes from A to Z.

3

Cisco

Image: Zozz_

The name Cisco comes from the common abbreviation of San Francisco, its hometown. The logo portrays the two towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, arranged in a shape that also suggests a sound wave.

4

Apple

Image: Bangyu Wang

Why does Apple’s logo have a bite mark on it? The reason is practical: if there was no bite mark, the smaller versions of the logo—used on a variety of gadgets including the iPhone—might look like a cherry.

5

FedEx

Image: jp26jp

The FedEx logo looks quite normal, but it hides a small detail, overlooked by most: between the second "E" and the "x," the negative space forms a small arrow pointing forward, symbolizing speed and precision.

6

Toblerone

Image: Safwan C K

The triangular Swiss chocolate Toblerone uses the Matterhorn—one of Switzerland’s most iconic mountains—as its logo. But, if you look closely, inside the mountain you can spot the shape of a bear, which is the official symbol of the Swiss town of Bern, the original home of Toblerone.

7

Levi’s

Image: Eduardo Pastor

If you’ve ever wondered what the red logo of the Levi’s brand means, then you should take a look at the stitching on the back pocket of any pair of their jeans—the shape matches perfectly.

8

Wendy’s

Image: Jacob McGowin

If you take a closer look at the neckline of the redheaded girl in the Wendy’s logo, you’ll notice that her shirt collar subtly spells out the word "mom." This detail is meant to evoke the feeling of home-cooked meals, just like something made by your mom.

9

NBC

Image: appshunter.io

The NBC logo is formed by the colors of the rainbow, which represent the colors of modern television. But at the center, you can see the shape of a peacock, with its beak pointing to the right. The colorful shapes around it represent the bird’s spread feathers.

10

BMW

Image: Pablo Martinez

While some people suggest that the two-colored BMB circle represents a propeller, based on the airplane manufacturing history of the brand, the truth points elsewhere. The blue and white segments actually represent the flag of Bavaria, the region where the company originated.

11

Baskin-Robbins

Image: Crystal Jo

The world’s largest chain of ice cream shops, Baskin-Robbins, is best known for offering 31 flavors of ice cream. Its logo cleverly features the number "31" highlighted in pink, hidden within the center of the design.

12

Tesla

Image: Alexander Shatov

The stylized logo and lettermark of the electric car brand Tesla is designed to resemble the cross-section of an electric motor. Or, at least, a meaningful part of it.


Facts you didn't know you needed

Is the day longer for your pet? Mind-blowing facts you need to know


Published on May 4, 2025


Image: Alexander Grey

Adults often assume they already understand the world, but there’s always something new to surprise us! Did you know that clouds actually have weight? Or that the day is longer for some animals? And that’s just the beginning. From hidden functions of your organs to the true color of the universe, today you’ll learn 10 fascinating facts you probably never thought to ask, but will make you sound impressively smart in your next conversation!

1

Slower time

Image: Bonnie Kittle

Unlike humans, animals don’t experience a shared "present" in quite the same way. Instead, their sense of time is tied to the rhythms of their own bodies. For very small animals with fast metabolisms like parrots, hamsters, or guinea pigs, time actually seems to pass more slowly. In a sense, they live in slow motion because their faster-working nervous systems allow them to process sensory information at a fast speed.

2

Identical twins, but…

Image: Juliane Liebermann

What if someone commits a crime and tries to blame their identical twin? Have you ever wondered about that? It’s a valid question; after all, identical twins not only look alike, they also share the same DNA. But here’s the surprising part: if investigators check fingerprints, the innocent twin could be cleared. That’s because, despite their nearly identical DNA, twins have unique fingerprints, shaped by subtle genetic and environmental factors in the womb.

3

Heavy clouds

Image: engin akyurt

You’ve probably spent time lying on the grass, watching clouds drift across the sky. They look light, fluffy, almost like cotton candy, and it’s hard to imagine them as heavy objects. But the truth is surprising: clouds are incredibly heavy. An average cumulus cloud can weigh around 1 million pounds! That impressive weight comes from the billions of tiny water droplets suspended in the air. So, how do they float? It’s because each droplet is extremely small and falls very slowly, while rising warm air currents help keep the cloud suspended above us.

4

Don’t believe everything you see

Image: Jack Stapleton

Most of us have a rough image of the world map in our minds. But we have something to tell you: most maps aren’t completely accurate. Because the Earth is a sphere, cartographers have to distort some areas to represent it on a flat surface. On Mercator projection maps, countries near the poles appear much larger than they really are, while countries near the equator look smaller in comparison. For example, Alaska looks about the same size as Brazil, but in reality, Brazil is nearly five times larger!

5

The Universe's color

Image: Bryan Goff

Most people don’t realize that there’s actually a name for the color of the universe. Strange, right? But it’s true! Astronomers who studied the light from thousands of galaxies discovered that if you blend all the colors from the observable universe, the result is a soft, beige-ish white shade, famously named "Cosmic Latte" in 2002.

6

No Qs

Image: Pin Adventure Map

With 50 states, there’s no shortage of variety in their names. Almost every letter of the English alphabet appears at least once, except for one: Q, which is completely absent. In addition to this, there’s another surprisingly rare letter: J. While it isn’t entirely missing like Q, it only appears in one state, New Jersey.

7

Earth’s rotation is slowing

Image: Carl Wang

Although we don’t notice it, indeed, the Earth’s rotation is gradually slowing. This happens because tidal friction, caused by the Moon’s gravitational pull on our oceans, creates a subtle drag on the planet’s spin. As a result, days are getting longer, but very gradually: by only about 1.7 milliseconds per century.

8

Dreams in sign language

Image: Ian Noble

Do you remember your last dream? Whether good or bad, dreams are a constant part of sleep, but not everyone experiences them in the same way. Deaf people who use sign language in their daily lives often communicate through signs in their dreams, too. Meanwhile, blind people tend to have dreams rich in sounds, smells, and tactile sensations, using these other senses to experience the dream world.

9

Walking underwater

Image: Wade Lambert

We’re used to seeing hippos covered in mud, splashing in water, or barely peeking above the surface. But here’s a surprise: hippos can’t actually swim! That’s right. Because of their huge, heavy bodies, they don’t float or paddle like most animals. Instead, they walk or run along the riverbed.

10

Is your brain hungry?

Image: BUDDHI Kumar SHRESTHA

Can your brain really "eat" itself? Well, close, but not exactly. There’s a process called phagocytosis, carried out by specialized immune cells in the brain known as microglia. These cells engulf and remove debris, dead cells, and other unwanted material. But don’t worry; it’s safe! The mechanisms exist to protect, repair, and maintain your brain.

Looking for an extra scoop of literary fun?

Learn more with our Word of the day

jarring

/ˈdʒɑrɪŋ/