Logos and Visual Signifiers

Abstract

I describe logos as visual signs used by corporations in advertising and marketing. I discuss Naomi Klein’s book No Logos and her thesis that corporations sell brands rather than products. This leads to an analysis of Starbuck’s logos and whether they have evolved over the years. I suggest that logos are like icebergs and their meanings are connected to the cultures and subcultures in which people live. This discussion parallels my use of the iceberg metaphor to deal with the human psyche. I use Peirce’s trichotomy of different forms of signs—icon, index, symbol—to discuss logos and consider a number of iconic logos, such as the Michelin Man, Viking Cruises, and the Mercedes Benz three-pointed star. I conclude with a discussion of the use of logos by apps on our smartphones.

Logos and their colors—whether expressed as symbols (like Nike), logotypes (unique typographic treatment of the name, such as the FedEx identity of upright Roman letters designed by Landor), or a combination of both as in the case of the AT&T logo)—have been an essential part of all major branding strategies since the middle of the last century, Coca-Cola, IBM, and Mercedes are examples of successful identity programs that have withstood the test of time. Coca-Cola’s particular typographic script and powerful red color are unmistakable and memorable; the IBM logo—it its distinct blue—is recognizable worldwide. Mercedes three-pointed, encircled star logo is not only seen as a guarantee of superior engineering, but acts as a signature cachet value of the automobiles and translates easily into a sign of good taste and status for the cars’ owners.

Mark Gobe, Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People

Originally brands referred to producers. They had generally served as a trademark or a “maker’s mark” that worked to guarantee quality or give the potentially anonymous mass produced commodity an identity by linking it to an identifiable (if often entirely fictional) producer or inventor or a particular physical place. Now the brand, or the “brand image” began to refer instead to the significance that commodities acquired in the minds of consumers.

Adam Arvidsson, “Brands: A Critical Perspective”