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If you see strange things in logos, your eyes don’t deceive you. Companies play tricks on us all the time. Can you point out FedEx’s award-hogging hidden arrow? How about Hershey’s sweet sideways “kiss”? Ever notice Gillette’s razor-sharp covert blade?
The use of subliminal imagery is old hat for big brands. When it comes to logos, the most common form is the manipulation of negative space to reinforce core brand themes and key products and services. The hope, though often refuted by psychologists, is that hidden visuals will keep brands forefront in our mind’s eye, all the way to the checkout.
This story originally appeared on Entrepreneur
