10 iconic logos with hidden meanings

There's little that gives us more joy than logos with hidden meanings – the pinnacle of clever design work. It goes without saying that creative professionals are adept at spotting the intricacies of design and details other people often don't notice. A weird choice of font on a shop sign. An expert use of motion graphics on an app loading screen. The list goes on. 

But there are plenty of iconic logos you've probably seen a zillion times and never spotted the genius hidden meanings contained within them. Of course, you all know about the FedEx arrow, and the Amazon smile. But there are a plethora of examples besides those.

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Tom May
Freelance journalist and editor

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and author specialising in design, photography and technology. His latest book, The 50th Greatest Designers, was released in June 2025. He's also author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine.