Why does the Baskin-Robbins logo hide a 31? 10 symbols, decoded

Visual symbols are making a comeback. Audiences are getting better at decoding icons, which raises the bar for logos. When companies sit down to craft a good one, they must make sure it’s memorable, iconic, and simple enough for a child to draw. Of course, the best logos will also contain information about the spirit of the brands they stand for. Let’s take a look at the meanings behind some of the most interesting brand emblems.

Sirens are a symbol of allure. It’s fitting that they should be the iconic crest of one of the most famous coffee brands in the world. Designer Terry Heckler chose to refer to the exotic origins of "Coffee-Tea-Spices" and its seafaring traders through this image, inspired by a 16th-century maritime Norse woodcut. This was also to match the spirit of the original name: "Starbuck", a character in Melville’s famous Moby Dick.

The logo of the two-tailed siren has evolved since the brand’s creation in 1971. You’ll notice that the official version until 2011 used to have the Starbucks text wrapped around it. The need for text became less relevant with the international success and fame of the brand. Now, the smiling siren alone is enough to represent Starbucks.

Land, sea, and air: Those were the three terrains Mercedes-Benz hoped to dominate. The three-pointed star that is the emblem of all its vehicles symbolizes the company’s prowess at building motors for transportation in the three fields.

The logo was designed by Paul and Adolf Daimler, the sons of Mercedes’ co-founder, Gottlieb Daimler. They based the idea on a star their father had once drawn on an old postcard, marking their home: to them, this stood as an inside wink to their family. For a few years, the logo incorporated a laurel ring around the star representing victory. This was eventually replaced by a simple circle, which led to the enclosed three-pointed star we know today.

Can you see the bear? In case you never noticed, there’s one hidden in the shading of the mountain. When Toblerone was introduced in 1908, co-creator Theodor Tobler stated that the Swiss Alps had inspired him to give the chocolate bars their iconic triangular motif. The bear was incorporated in honor of the heraldic emblem of Bern, where the chocolate was produced. Its figure is hidden in the design, which allegedly represents the iconic Matterhorn mountain.

Unfortunately, in 2023, the brand announced its need to modify its legendary logo. Switzerland no longer allowed the inclusion of national symbols in the brand when the company relocated its production to Slovakia.

Have you ever been intrigued by the logo of one of the most famous media brands in the world? Why does it look like a buzzing neon sign?

Since its inception, TikTok has sought to inspire creativity and connection in its users. Because it was, at its core, a music-based platform where people would dance, move, or sing, the logo was purposely designed to evoke the feel of music, rhythm, and movement. Hence, the "T" shaped like a musical eighth note and the vibrant lines on its sides. These were added to recall the sensation of joy and dynamism of live concerts and to emphasize the concept of TikTok as a "stage."

The French luxury sports fashion brand is easy to spot. The green crocodile always stands out in their famous plain tennis shirts.

But why a crocodile? The symbol is straightforward. Creator René Lacoste was a famous French tennis player. One time, before a match, the athlete bet his team captain a crocodile-skin suitcase that he would win. After this, the American press jokingly nicknamed him "The Crocodile." French fans continued to call him that, admiring his attitude on the tennis court. Eventually, Lacoste designed and wore the iconic tennis shirt with an embroidered crocodile, which he later sold as a product, giving birth to the company.

The pink-and-brown logo of Baskin-Robbins might remind you of strawberries and chocolate, but more flavors are hidden in it. 31, to be precise. The pink digits in the "B-R" are there to remind you of the 31 different ice creams the company had to offer when it was born, back in 1945. 31 was the resulting number after brothers-in-law Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins merged their respective ice cream parlors.

Still, since its creation, the company has gone from having one flavor for each day of the month to developing an array of over 1,400. That’s around one flavor for each day for three years and seven months.

The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) didn’t need an eye-catching logo back when it was just a radio network. There was a time when the black serif letters "NBC" were enough to represent it. It all changed, however, in the 1950s when TV programming in color emerged, and RCA, which owned NBC, wanted to promote the purchasing of color TV sets.

To symbolize the new era of TV, NBC transformed its logo into one featuring a peacock surrounded by vibrant, multicolored feathers. The original version showcased a rainbow of 11 hues. Years later, the drawing was simplified and the feathers were reduced to 6 so that each would represent a different division of the network: news, sports, entertainment, stations, network, and productions.

Guinness beer has been produced in Irish territory since 1759. Back in 1862, the company chose the heraldic symbol of Ireland to label their ales. The design is that of a specific harp, called the "Brian Boru harp," which is on display at Trinity College Dublin today.

Guinness as a symbol is so ingrained in Irish culture that by the time the country was independent and the Free State Government of 1922 had to officialize the State emblem, the particular image of the Irish harp was already taken. If you pay attention, you’ll see that the harp in Irish coinage has its straight edge facing right, and Guinness’s has its edge facing left. This was the solution they arrived at.

Have you ever seen the very first Apple logo? It was created in 1976 by co-founder Ronald Wayne. It was a sketch illustration in full detail of Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree, in front of a radiant landscape, surrounded by a flowing ribbon with the words "Apple Computer Co."

Beautiful as it was, the image was hardly representative of an innovative technology-developing company. A year later, designer Rob Janoff reduced the whole concept to the now iconically simple outline of the bitten apple that we all know. The detail of the bite was just added for scale so that people wouldn’t mistake the fruit for a cherry.

Very few brands have a logo so famous that it gets its own name. But that’s the case for Adidas’ "Three Stripes." The trademarked symbol of three parallel lines already traced the sporting footwear designed by Adolf Dassler’s brand in 1949. Although this was initially an aesthetic decision to make the shoes stand out, eventually the three bars were incorporated into the logos.

Over the years, Adidas has created different logos to represent its different branches, like its Originals or Performance products. Whether it be the staggered lines symbolizing the challenge of climbing a mountain or the trefoil version representing the brand’s diversity of apparel, every image of Adidas is crossed by the three iconic lines.

Decoding

Being a "treasured guest" is not a compliment. This is the hidden meaning

Have you ever heard "Code Adam" while shopping for groceries at Walmart? Or maybe you’ve heard how "Dr. Firestone" was being paged during a routine hospital visit. They sound like harmless announcements. But behind these ordinary words are secret codes staff use to signal emergencies without causing panic. From hospitals and supermarkets to airports and Disney Parks, these phrases quietly warn employees that something is happening. You hope you never hear them, but if you do, it helps to know exactly what they mean.

We all love getting special attention at airports or hotel desks, but if you hear the clerk call you a "treasured guest," don’t feel so flattered. You may not be as VIP as one could think.

In the hospitality industry, "treasured guest" has become a humorous bit of industry folklore to describe someone causing trouble. Maybe a customer yelling at staff over expired coupons, demanding impossible accommodations, or throwing a full-blown tantrum at the front desk. Whatever it is, the phrase has become the staff’s secret way to warn co-workers without escalating the situation in front of the customers. Most guests don’t realize the meaning, but once you know it, you may start hearing it more often. We just hope it’s not about you.

Imagine you’re pushing a shopping cart through Walmart when suddenly the overhead speaker announces, "Code Adam." You can easily assume it’s some kind of employee meeting or cleanup request. But when you see them start locking the exits and moving around, you know something’s wrong.

This code was created in 1994 by Walmart in collaboration with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), in memory of the tragic case of 6-year-old Adam Walsh. Adam was abducted from a Sears department store in 1981 while shopping with his mother. His father, John Walsh, later became famous for hosting the TV program America’s Most Wanted and advocating for missing children. Even if Adam’s story ended in tragedy, Walmart created the emergency system in Adam’s memory, and other retailers soon adopted it nationwide, intending to have a quick response to missing or abducted children.

You’re sitting in a hospital waiting room during a routine check-up when you suddenly hear "Code Blue, Room 214." Most people immediately know it sounds serious, even if they are not entirely sure why.

The phrase "Code Blue" is used at hospitals to draw the necessary staff and equipment to perform a resuscitation. It was created in the early 1960s at Beathany Medical Center by Dr. Hughes Day. Before then, hospital resuscitations were often chaotic and poorly coordinated. In 1961, Dr. Day received a grant to build one of America’s first cardiac care centers, and he developed both the Code Blue alert system and the modern crash cart to improve survival rates during cardiac emergencies. Today, the system is used in hospitals across the country, sometimes with specialized versions like "Code Blue Pediatric" or "Code Blue Neonate."

Imagine visiting a loved one in the hospital when the intercom calmly announces, "Paging Dr. Firectone to the third floor." Your head surely goes, "Dr. Firestone’s probably having a busy day up there." He is, but it’s not what you think.

The phrase is actually a discreet fire alert used to warn staff about smoke, flames, or overheating equipment without frightening patients and visitors. Hospitals adopted these coded announcements after realizing that openly yelling "fire" over loudspeakers could create panic, especially among patients who aren’t able to move quickly. "Code Red" is an alternative used by many health centers today, but it also hints at the situation while keeping hallways calm.

You’re standing at a checkout counter when the cashier picks up the phone and quietly says, "I need a Code 10 authorization." If you think that’s just another way to get a supervisor’s approval or technical issue, think again. In reality, the cashier may suspect the credit card is stolen or fraudulent.

Code 10 was developed through a cooperative effort between major credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard, along with international standard organizations. As credit cards became more common in the 1960s and 1970s, stores needed a discreet way to alert banks about suspicious activity without directly accusing customers and potentially putting employees at danger. When a cashier requests a Code 10, the bank’s operator begins asking yes-or-no questions to assess the situation and guide the employee on what to do next.

You’ve probably experienced those long airport security lines. The wait is usually uneventful. But sometimes, you can hear "Code Bravo" over the speakers. Maybe it’s a delay, or maybe it’s an issue with luggage. Within seconds, people stop moving, the security line freezes, and exits may even close. It’s something bigger.

Code Bravo is the emergency phrase used by airport security and the Transportation Security Administration to signal a serious security threat, such as an unattended bag, a breach at a checkpoint, or someone slipping into a restricted area. The term comes from the international phonetic alphabet used in aviation and military communications, where "Bravo" represents the letter B. When this is called, security staff immediately lock down affected areas, stop screening lines, and search for the source of the threat. To passengers, it’s sudden and confusing, but to security, it’s a carefully rehearsed response.

You are heading back to your cabin on a cruise ship when the speakers announce, "Code Alpha, Deck 7." You may think Alpha is related to the captain, but that’s not the case. It means someone on board is suffering a medical emergency.

The phrase comes from the NATO phonetic alphabet, where "Alpha" represents the letter A. In maritime emergency jargon, it became shorthand for a Priority A medical situation requiring immediate response. Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line commonly use the term, though some ships use variations like repeating "Alpha" three times. Once the code is announced, onboard medical teams rush toward the specified deck or cabin. If necessary, stretcher crews are mobilized, and in severe cases, the ship may even divert course toward the nearest port for emergency evacuation. Passengers are enjoying the views, but the staff is running to save a life.

Anyone who remembers the CB radio craze of the 1970s probably smiles when they hear "10-4." Movies, truckers, and radio fans turned those number codes into a part of American culture. So if you overhear "10-33" on a police scanner, you might assume it’s just another routine message. But it’s not as simple as it sounds.

The 10-code system was first created in 1937 by Illinois State Police communications director Charles Hopper and later standardized by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, better known as APCO. Officers needed short phrases they could understand clearly over crackling radio signals. The 10-33 code commonly means an officer needs emergency assistance. In some departments, it also signals radio silence so dispatchers can focus on the crisis unfolding in real time.

Disney World is amazing, the parks offer something for everyone, and there are things to see wherever you look. But that’s exactly the kind of place where a child can easily disappear into a sea of strollers, balloons, characters, and crowds. For that reason, Disney has developed the "Signal 70," which alerts cast members and security that a child has become separated from their family.

The number comes from older police and emergency radio systems, where "70" was commonly associated with missing persons. Disney adopted the phrase because it allows employees to communicate discreetly without frightening or alarming nearby guests. If a member finds the child, they gently -and magically- escort them to Baby Care Center, where they coordinate the reunion.

Cruises are great to relax, enjoying a good book under the sun with a nice drink by the side. Until you hear "Echo, echo, echo" on the speakers. If you do, something is happening somewhere else on the ship.

The code is used among cruise employees to signal that dangerous winds or a navigational hazard are affecting the ship. It comes from the international maritime phonetic alphabet, where "Echo" stands for the letter E. In maritime signalling, the letter traditionally means "I am altering my course to starboard." And, in time, the phrase became associated with urgent ship maneuvers and weather-related warnings. However urgent, the repetition of the word by three doesn’t represent life-threatening situations. It alerts the crew of a certain hazard to prepare while avoiding panic among passengers.