Symbols are one of the earliest forms of written communication.
From cave walls to hieroglyphics to the printed word as we know it today, symbols are a powerful way to communicate concepts at a glance.
The ability of symbols to convey information, culture, and identity has made them an invaluable part of our shared visual language.
This is true not only in popular culture but also when it comes to business.
We live in a world where people and companies are recognized more for what they represent than for who they are. This makes symbols used in a company’s brand identity a powerful and effective way of communicating.
As we emphasized in our guide on how to start a business,
A strongbrand identityis the most effective way your new business can gain a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Why use symbols in design?
Symbols can help customers understand your brand. As we wrote,
You can communicate a lot – and do it efficiently and effectively – if you understand your brand and make informed, thoughtful choices regarding fonts, shapes, lines, colors, and composition.
Logos, color, graphics, and text are used throughout our daily life as symbols to communicate deeply held meaning, often at a subconscious level.
Think about this effect when you see a red octagon or an X on a map. These symbols speak to us on an almost primitive level.
As people interact with a symbol, it becomes filled with meaning.
When you see a person wearing a white coat and stethoscope, you probably think that person is a doctor. The white coat and stethoscope are symbols of the medical profession.
This recognition and how quickly they can communicate an idea or concept that makes them so powerful.
How symbols influence branding
Companies use logos as symbols for their brand identity and to connect related brands and sub-brands to each other. As we wrote,
Your company’s logo is the visual figurehead of your brand. It’s important to get it right.
Whether every detail of a logo is intentional or not, every detail will influence people who see that logo.
Nothing should be arbitrary.
It’s in your best interest to make sure that every logo design choice is intentional and communicates the message you want to convey.
Thoughtless design choices lead to misleading or confusing logos. Or, even worse, logos that don’t say anything at all.
Symbols are a visual shorthand that businesses can use to imbue their brand identity with a deeper meaning.
While great business names can create a deep meaning too, symbols can be more consequential. You know the saying … a picture is worth 1,000 words.
Symbols create connections between your company and the ideas you want people to associate with your company.
Careful use of a symbol in your brand identity, including your company logo, can have a subtle or powerful effect (or both!).
It all comes down to what you want your brand to stand for and what you want to say.
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Symbol examples
Symbols are everywhere – you can find them on street signs, food products, sports teams, even on the laundering instructions tag inside your favorite shirt.
Not sure which one to use for your business? We’ve gathered a list of the more common ones (and their possible meanings) here.
Rose
Besides love and romance, roses also can represent appreciation, friendship, passion, and much more. Here, the color of the rose is just as important as the flower itself. Roses have experienced a resurgence in popularity; the symbol has emerged at the forefront of many modern designs.
Fire
Fire conjures up thoughts of anger, passion, and destruction. It can also signify rebirth (as in the myth of the Phoenix). Fire can also convey a blaze – of energy, speed, and bright, burning passion. Look no further than the iconic Firefox, the Mozilla logo that communicates a brand dedicated to speed and durability.
Lion
The “King of the Jungle” carries with it authority, strength, royalty, and steadfastness. The power and force that a lion communicates make it a go-to choice for any business looking to demonstrate a respectable, strong standing in their marketplace.
Wolf
The wolf is often used to show independence, freedom, the wild, strength, and guardianship. Logos that use a wolf in their design demonstrate ferocity, agility, and clever edge that work exceptionally well for sports-related logos.
Triangle
The triangle is connected to ideas like stability, power, harmony, women’s health, and illumination. A dynamic shape, the triangle conveys focus, balance, and innovation. When shown oriented base-down, stability and strength become clear. However, when shown at an angle, it relays an energized, spontaneous feeling instead.
Circle
Circles can evoke the concepts of wholeness, completion, infinity, cycles and also represent the self. The cyclical, inclusive feeling a circle lends a business is a compelling symbol for many companies – Google Chrome notably uses it to significant effect.
Dragon
Dragons are especially revered in Asian culture and are often used to represent strength, wisdom, good luck, and potency. Dragons are commonly used in businesses looking to convey a nearly mystical power, unearthly wisdom, and fierceness that every viewer intuitively understands.
Tree
Trees are a common symbol for life and the outdoors. They can also signify fertility, good health, and calm. It’s a popular design symbol for a reason and can be found in many businesses seeking to emphasize their nature-oriented products and services.
Arrows
Arrows can mean direction, speed, progress. They can also point out that something is essential. They reinforce the idea of movement and are great for conveying expedient service – like FedEx’s iconic negative space logo (notice the white arrow between the E and x).
Sun
The sun is a potent symbol of life, power, glory, and energy. The sun’s image’s heat and intensity communicate to a viewer create a lasting impression of warmth, endurance, and limitless power. Businesses focusing on stamina, eternity, and prosperity are quick to incorporate the sun in their logo designs.
Moon
The moon represents the rhythm of time, peacefulness, femininity, eternity, and enlightenment. The moon can be used by a company seeking to demonstrate an ongoing relationship with its customers. P&G notably uses a crescent moon to reflect their steadfast devotion to their customers through all of the phases of their days, weeks, and lives.
Flag
Flags can have many different meanings depending on the context and what color they are. White flags can mean surrender or peace, red can mean warning, attention, or caution, and blue often symbolizes freedom. Using a flag in a design can, therefore, represent several meanings – be careful that your color choice doesn’t send a potentially conflicting message about your brand.
Owl
Owls are synonymous with wisdom, insight, the night, grace, mystery, and learning. Education and literacy institutions are quick to adopt the owl into their organizations. The wise owl is famously used in Wise Foods’ logo – a bold decision to inspire confidence in consumer snacking habits.
Water
Water can represent life, cleaning, creation, and purity. The cleanliness and health water conveys is powerful and can be used in various forms: water droplets, waves, and rain showers are commonly used in businesses seeking to demonstrate environmental, calming, or cleansing brand values. Method incorporates the water drop shape directly into its packaging for more significant impact.
Clouds
Clouds are commonly used by climate/weather businesses, but they have recently become a significant symbol of online storage. Any company that uses cloud imagery should consider its specific marketplace. Using a less literal representation is effective with technologically oriented businesses. A more on the nose approach would be appropriate for a company that deals in weather, climate, or other traditional associations.
Heart
Hearts are a straightforward way to demonstrate love, romance, and enthusiasm – the retail industry, in particular, uses hearts in product packaging, package graphics, and product design to significant effect (especially on Valentine’s Day). Other businesses focused on health, vitality, and emotional welfare also use the symbol to great effect. Hearts are a universal symbol and are an increasingly popular choice for a wide range of businesses.
Tips on using symbols in logos and brand identities
There are some essential considerations if you want to incorporate symbols into your brand identity.
As symbols often come loaded with meaning, their use and how they can be interpreted should be weighed against your branding goals.
Here are some things to keep in mind.
Tell a story
Not all symbols are equal! You must do your research to ensure whatever symbols you choose are clear and concise and add to the narrative that is your brand.
Don’t choose solely based on visual or aesthetic beauty. Tell a story.
Think internationally
Symbols can mean different things in different cultures and countries.
For example, the bald eagle may be a symbol of the United States of America to most, but to Native Americans, it is a symbol of nature and a messenger from the Creator.
Colors are another excellent example of a symbol that can have many meanings. As we wrote in our look at what colors say about your small business:
Culture and context can also influence how a color is interpreted. Therefore, do your due diligence and research your audience so you can make the best choices based on their specific backgrounds.
Doing some due diligence before you choose a symbol is especially important if you run an international business.
Avoid conflict
Choosing multiple symbols for your brand can have its pitfalls. You don’t want to select symbols that have conflicting or unexpected ideas.
Symbols can be combined in compelling ways, but research is again your best protection against unfortunate combinations.
Ultimately you want your brand to have a unified message, and whatever symbols you choose should help and not hinder this.
Be intentional
Successful logos have a meaning behind them.
These powerful logos make a lasting impact because they communicate your brand’s message in a compelling, effective way.
A thoughtfully used symbol gives your logo the powerful impact your brand needs to stand out in the marketplace.
Ensure that you choose a symbol or two that form a solid connection to your brand’s values, mission, and personality. If you aren’t careful and considered in determining a symbol for your logo, you risk sending confusing, mixed, or even negative messages to your customers.
Be intentional with the symbol you choose and that it supports the brand persona you’re presenting.
Conclusion
Symbols are powerful, and they can evoke almost subliminal connections and meanings. For companies eager to join unique concepts with their businesses, symbols can create brand equity. As David Asker wrote in Managing Brand Equity:
When products and services are difficult to differentiate, a symbol can be the central element of brand equity, the key to differentiating characteristics of the brand. The symbol can by itself create awareness, associations, and a liking or feelings which in turn can affect loyalty and perceived quality.”
If you’re looking for ways to connect your brand message on a deeper level with your consumers, symbols may be just what you’ve been looking for.
