The logos are instantly recognisable, but do you know the real stories behind famous logos? Some of them might surprise you, as well as telling you lots about the company that you might not realise! These stories behind famous logos are interesting and unexpected, and I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on them!
1 Baskin Robbins
We all know and adore Baskin Robbins’ ice cream, founded in 1945 in California by Mr Baskin and Ms Robbins. Their slogan has changed many times over the years, but it often mentions their famous 31 flavours: “31 Flavours of Fun,” “31 Flavours at Their Best,” “Trust 31” and “Celebrate 31,” just to name a few. In the logo, you can also see the number ’31’ in pink in the Baskin Robbins logo, just one of many stories behind famous logos.
Frequently asked questions
2 Apple
The Apple logo is well-known worldwide, but did you know that it was created because Steve Jobs had just come back from an apple farm after starting a fruitarian diet? The Apple logo was first rainbow-coloured to show that Apple products could create colour graphics. The bite was taken out of the apple because Steve Jobs was worried that people would think it was a cherry!
3 Nike
The logo for Nike, otherwise known as the ‘swoosh,’ was created by a lady called Carolyn Davidson in 1971, after she was chosen while working on a graphic design assignment at school. She wasn’t initially happy with the design, stating, “I don’t love it, but it will grow on me.” She was paid $35 for the design, which is crazy considering what it would be worth today!
4 Starbucks
If you look at the original design of the Starbucks logo, you might be shocked - it’s a shirtless mermaid with two tails sitting in a surprisingly sexual way! It is thought that the mermaid is one from Greek mythology. This mermaid design was often criticised due to its sexual nature, so it was adapted and changed to what it is today.
5 Pepsi
The colours in the Pepsi logo are meant to represent the colours on the American flag, showing the company's patriotism and pride. That’s not the end of it, however - apparently the Pepsi logo represents feng shui, the Pythagorean theorem, Einstein’s theories, the Earth’s magnetic field and so much more. How? Your guess is as good as mine.
6 Chupa Chups
The logo for the famous lollipop brand, Chupa Chups, was designed by the wacky painter known for his melting clocks, Salvador Dali, in 1969. The colours for the design were taken from the Spanish flag, because the name ‘Chupa Chups’ comes from the Spanish word chapur, meaning ‘to suck.’ The logo was designed in an hour while Dali sat in a cafe with a friend.
7 Mercedes Benz
Essentially, the Mercedes Benz logo was designed to tell everyone how wonderful they are! The three points on the logo are meant to represent three elements - water, air and earth - and Mercedes Benz’s dominance over all three (due to their boats, airplanes and cars). Modest!
It’s easy to see these logos every day of your life, but be so unaware of how they came to be! There are so many interesting stories behind all kinds of famous logos, it’s definitely worth checking them out. Did you know any of these? Which other logo origins do you know of?
