12 company logos and their curious history

Apple, LG, Amazon - everyone knows the logos of the big technology companies. But behind many there are strange stories. Some even contain hidden messages. In this article, we have analyzed the best company logos down to the smallest detail.

1. Apple: The juicy bite of hope

What do you think of when you bite into an apple? To the fruit department in the supermarket, the biblical fruit or the technology company Apple with an almost biblical discipleship? After the huge success of the group in recent years, the nibbled apple became more and more a status symbol.

• This is thanks to Apple, among others, Rob Janoff, who designed the company's logo in 1977. Previously, Ron Wayne had designed a classic logo that Isaac Newton depicted under an apple tree. There hung the "Apple", which ultimately inspired Newton to the laws of gravity. As a company logo, the idea was quickly discarded.
• Instead, the bitten apple has shaped the products to this day. Rob Janoff said in an interview that the bite should make it clear that it was an apple and not a cherry. In addition, everyone could do something with the idea of ​​heartily biting an apple.
• Not confirmed, but still a very strange coincidence: The bite in the apple translates to "Bite", which is similar to the English "byte", the size unit of hard drives and USB sticks. An allusion to the father of computer technology, Alan Turning, is also conceivable. The latter died of cyanide poisoning after biting an apple.
• Another unconfirmed theory for the apple: Jef Raskin's favorite apple variety, who was involved in the development of the Macintosh, is said to have been the “McIntosh” variety. Steve Jobs was also a frutarian shortly before Apple was founded. So he only lived on fruit, which ultimately led to the name Apple.
• While the rainbow colors of the first Apple logo should above all show hope and visions, the company has relied on classic silver since 1999.

2. Google: Success with rainbow doodles

From Apple it goes to the direct competitor Google. Stanford professor Ruth Kedar was responsible for this logo.

• Unlike Apple, Google has kept its rainbow colors. According to Kedar, the color sequence even has a special meaning:
• The rainbow served as the basis of the logo. For the first three letters, Kedar relied on the color sequence from blue to red to yellow. But instead of repeating this for the last three letters, she inserted a green "L".
• This unexpected twist should express that Google is not playing according to the general rules.
• In addition to the normal Google logo, the search engine giant sets itself apart from other companies with special doodles. On certain holidays, you will often find customized logos on the Google page.

3. Facebook: social network in red-green? No thanks!

The blue and white Facebook logo also has a special story:

• Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, found in an online test that he had a red-green weakness.
• Since he can still recognize the color blue best, today's CEO decided on the combination of blue and white in the Facebook logo.

4. Twitter: basketball player with wings

The chirping of birds in the morning is no longer just from the forest. Since 2006, the "Tweets" have also been heard on the PC and on smartphones and tablets. The company logo is of course designed to match this: a blue bird on a white background.

• But the blue sparrow is more than just a marketing strategy: it was named Larry Bird when it was founded. He is named after the former American basketball player.
• However, it became even more curious in 2012: This is where Twitter changed its logo for the first time. The bird, which was once seen horizontally on the emblem, now looks up into the sky to the right. It is intended to show that the company wants to continue to rise.
• The in-house company blog states that the new bird was created out of love for ornithology, the design within creative restrictions and simple geometry. It was developed from three overlapping circles, which represent the social connection between networks, interests and ideas of the community.

5. Amazon: Happy shopping from A to Z.

With annual sales of just under $ 89 billion, Amazon is one of the most successful online shops in the world. The company logo is particularly recognizable.

• While there are no secrets behind the "amazon" lettering, the yellow arrow is full of surprises. This is to underline the company's variety of products.
• The arrow points from the letter "A" to the letter "Z" - the Amazon offer from A to Z. Alternatively, the curved arrow can be interpreted as a smile. After all, Amazon customers should be happy.

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6. Pinterest: company logos to pin on

• With Pinterest you can post your photos and experiences on a virtual pin board. The logo is designed to match:
• The "P" tapers at the bottom, so you could pin it too. A nice gag from the developers.

7. LG: Smiling smartphones

For a change there is something easy again: a smile is hidden in the logo of the well-known smartphone manufacturer.

• The picture is intended to convey friendliness and accessibility, whereby the eye should stand for LG's profile: goal-oriented, focused and confident.
• However, according to LG, the remaining elements also have a certain meaning: the circle represents the globe and symbolizes the world, all of humanity as well as youth and the future.
• The upper right area of ​​the LG logo, on the other hand, was deliberately left blank. This should create an asymmetry that should express LG's creativity and adaptability.
• Even the color was carefully selected: According to the company, the "LG Red", which is the main color here, reflects the friendliness and commitment to best performance. The "LG gray", on the other hand, represents technology and reliability.

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8. Sony Vaio: cryptic signals in the notebook logo

While there are no secret messages hidden in the actual Sony logo, the company has delved deeply into the bag of tricks for its Vaio product range:

• The logo was created by Timothy Hanley and represents the combination of analog and digital technology.
• The "VA" shows an analog waveform and the "IO" at the end represents digital technology with code values ​​0 and 1.

9. Sun Microsystems: Sun in all directions

The ambigram of the Sun Microsystems logo is somewhat more obvious. It was designed by Vaughan Pratt at Stanford University in 1982.

• You can read the term "SUN" in all directions. The interesting thing: Pratt managed this illusion without using the letter "S".
• Instead, the logo only consists of the letters "U" and "N", which are intelligently placed next to each other.

10. Cisco: love of home in name and logo

The US telecommunications company "Cisco" was founded in San Francisco in 1987. Both the name and the logo are reminiscent of this location:

• The company name is made up of the last two syllables of the founding city of San Francisco.
• The vertical lines of the logo show the comb spectrum of a periodic signal, which has the shape of the Golden Gate Bridge.

11. Cologne Zoo: animals in animals

At first glance, the Cologne Zoo logo, which has been in effect since 2007, shows an elephant. But take a closer look, there is even more behind the logo, which the zoo management can justify well and in detail in a press release.

• Sure, you can see the big elephant first, for a simple reason: Cologne Zoo shines with a 20, 000 square meter elephant park - the largest north of the Alps.
• In the elephant is a - admittedly somewhat deformed - giraffe, between the two front legs of the pachyderm. This symbolizes foresight and exoticism.
• A rhino can also be seen between the two front legs and the two rear legs. The rhino stands for strength and adventure, as the zoo announced in a press release.
• Between the two hind legs of the elephant you can also see a tribute to the beloved Rhine metropolis, in which the zoo is located: The Cologne Cathedral naturally symbolizes the city of Cologne.

12. Toblerone: The Bärliner Bärg

Sure, the mountain in the logo of the popular Swiss chocolate brand is none other than the Matterhorn. But something is also hidden in the Toblerone logo. Do you recognize it?

• If you take a closer look, you will not only see the snow on the Matterhorn, but also a bear.
• The bear is the symbol of the city of Bern, where Toblerone is produced.

Once you have recognized all the logos in the pictures, you are already familiar with the world of technology. But what about other company logos? You can test your knowledge in the free "LogoQuiz" app.