How can you tell if a company is global, friendly, or fast? One way is to take a look at their logo! Hidden symbolism is common in logos to hint the motive of the company without giving it away directly. The symbolism is done in a subliminal way, hidden in the negative space of the letters, or a slight emphasis on a character, or an underline or mark above the word.

Below are the top 10 examples of logos that used symbolism to become strongly associated with their company's identity:

1. Amazon.com- Why is there an arrow underneath? It is not just a decoration. The arrow points from the A to the Z signifying that their site carries everything from A to Z! It also serves as a hint of a smile.


2. McDonalds- Why does everyone love McDonalds? Maybe it's because the golden arches, or curved yellow "M" mimics a smile. The logo is also done in casual lower case letters, showing that their restaurant caters to everyone.

3. Sun Microsystems- The 4 "un"s spell sun in each direction, using symmetry at its best, indicating the precision of the company's products.

4. Citi Bank- Why is Citi Bank one of the biggest banks in the world? It can be inferred through the logo that the company is global. The "I"'s mimic city buildings, making the bank seem united to all cities. The "I's are also connected by a friendly umbrella-like curve. 
 

5. FedEx- Did you notice the hidden arrow? Thy subliminal imagery used here in the negative space between the "E" and "x" allows you to think of motion- which works well for this delivery giant.

6. Huntington Hospital- Can you see the cross inside the 3 dimensional "H"?

7. Direct TV- The loops mimic the look of a satellite, and the "D" at the same time.

 

8.Families Logo- the "ili" are make into people, the "i"s being the kids, the "l" being the parent.

9. Obama Logo: Modern, Simple and Streamlined, Patriotic. The "O" mimics the sun rising over America signifying the campaign theme of Hope. Combined with the "yes we can" slogan that suited the times, it proved one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history. Could this clever marketing scheme have helped Obama in the election?