Right now, photoreceptors in your retina are processing various wavelengths of light and translating them into colors. Your mind perceives these colors in a way that is very profoundly entangled with emotions. You may not be aware of this, but those who are in charge of making recognizable logos for brand-name products are highly skilled at manipulating us through our senses. With that in mind, here are some of the most recognizable logos in today's culture:
McDonalds
McDonalds is a prime example of a logo which utilizes color theory in order to manipulate their target audience (everyone). Like almost every other fast food company, they use red and yellow in their emblem. These are both colors that effectively speed up one's metabolism. Red especially is ideal for these companies because it encourages customers to speed up their actions, therefore inspiring them to order, eat and leave quickly. Also, the white included in the sign indicates that McDonalds is pure in nature, which isn't necessarily the truth. But the subconscious is identifying with these colors without any effort on your part; therefore it is best to be aware of the tricks that marketing divisions spend millions of dollars on every year to impose on you.
Apple
Apple's design for their insignia is among the most well-known. According to color theory, they are appealing to the consumer's sense of purity. In this case, they are also seeking simplicity, which the logo successfully conveys. Unlike their counterpart, Microsoft, the simplicity of their products is what people seem to respond to the most. The "idiot-friendly" interface is conveyed through their logo and therefore appeals to a larger mass of people. Not to mention that no matter what language you speak, an apple still looks like an apple.
Microsoft
Microsoft is sporting a relatively new logo, which they updated last year. Many are supportive, as the design is very minimalistic and appealing. It is simply the word "Microsoft" with a square split up into four red, green, blue and yellow quadrants. The colors represent the diverse array of products offered by the company.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola hasn't changed their logo too much since they started selling soda in 1886. Once again we see red in this logo, which encourages quick decision making. Therefore it seems more appealing to vulnerable consumers passing a vending machine with the logo displayed all over it. One would probably not be inclined to think "Hey I want a soda" on their own, but the bright red vending machine psychologically encourages impulsive behavior.
IBM
The logo for IBM has meaning behind it that one might not catch at first glance. In the bottom right you will notice an "equals" sign is formed by the horizontal lines that make up the letters, giving customers a notion of equivalence. Also, the blue gives a sense of ease, and debatably of trust between you and the company.
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz has a relatively simple logo, which features a three-pointed star. This represents their company's supremacy on land, sea and. air.
FedEx
One might overlook FedEx's logo at first glance as just another logo, but if you focus on the negative space between the ‘E' and ‘x' an arrow is formed. This represents the company's motive to always move forward, and to get items from one place to another.
Amazon
Amazon has a relatively simple and straight-forward logo. There is an arrow between the letters ‘A' and ‘z' to indicate that they have everything you need, from ‘a' to ‘z'. Also, the arrow arguably makes a smile or smirk.
Goodwill
A very simple yet effective logo is the one for Goodwill. With a quick scan, one might not notice that the ‘g' is repeated above the word ‘goodwill' and is also the right half of a smiling face. In addition, the blue background of the logo is appropriate and suggests a peaceful energy emitting from the company.
Tostitos
The logo for Tostitos is very creative. It features two people sharing a chip over a bowl of salsa. This indicates that eating Tostitos is a group activity, and you will gain something by using their product. Also, the colors used are yellow and red, which stimulate appetite and hasty decision making.
This article was written and published on behalf of Mr. Rex Hammack, blogger for Virtual Web Productions. Rex is an avid blogger who has passion for truth and knowledge.
