--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A logo doesn't need to say what a company…" description: "\"A logo doesn't need to say what a company does. Restaurant logos don't need to show food, dentist logos don't need to show teeth, furniture store logos..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/005/david-airey-52630_airplane_a-logo-doesn-t-need-to-say-what-a-compan_2506738.jpg" --- # A logo doesn't need to say what a company does. Restaurant… ![“A logo doesn't need to say what a company does. Restaurant logos don't need to show food, dentist logos don't need to show teeth, furniture store logos don't need to show furniture. Just because it's relevant, doesn't mean you can't do better. The Mercedes logo isn't a car. The Virgin Atlantic…” quote by David Airey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/005/david-airey-52630_airplane_a-logo-doesn-t-need-to-say-what-a-compan_2506738.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/005/david-airey-52630_airplane_a-logo-doesn-t-need-to-say-what-a-compan_2506738.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/005/david-airey-52630_airplane_a-logo-doesn-t-need-to-say-what-a-compan_2506738.jpg) > “A logo doesn't need to say what a company does. Restaurant logos don't need to show food, dentist logos don't need to show teeth, furniture store logos don't need to show furniture. Just because it's relevant, doesn't mean you can't do better. The Mercedes logo isn't a car. The Virgin Atlantic logo isn't an airplane. The Apple logo isn't a computer. Etc.” [David Airey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-airey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective logos convey brand essence without literal illustration, allowing abstraction and stronger recall. **In simple terms:** Logos work better when they’re abstract, not literal. Key Takeaway Focus on essence, not literal depiction. Themes branding design abstraction visual identity creativity Mood thoughtful strategic Type guideline inspirational When to use this quote - new business branding - rebranding - product packaging - marketing campaigns Key Concepts semiotics symbolism brand strategy Questions to Reflect On - How can you capture brand personality without using obvious images? - What risks does abstraction pose for brand recognition? A Different Perspective Abstract symbols may be misunderstood without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Furniture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/furniture/) [Logos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logos/) ## Related quotes > [A poor logo doesn't mean a business will fail, and a good logo doesn't mean it will succeed - it just helps. Ultimately a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mickiewicz/a-poor-logo-doesn-t-mean-a-business-will-fail-and-a-good-logo-doesn-t/) [Matt Mickiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mickiewicz/) > [The precarious ontological link between Logos and Eros is broken, and scientific rationality emerges as essentially neutral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-precarious-ontological-link-between-logos-and-eros-is-broken-and/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [We often treat children as if they're not very competent to do anything on their own. So we make them stop learning in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-papert/we-often-treat-children-as-if-they-re-not-very-competent-to-do/) [Seymour Papert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-papert/) > [Social media is about people, not logos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-baer/social-media-is-about-people-not-logos/) [Jay Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-baer/) > [Being creative and playing with your content during the holidays is a great idea. But straying too far from your fundamental brand (from address,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ford/being-creative-and-playing-with-your-content-during-the-holidays-is-a/) [Paul Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ford/) > [“A distinctive appearance and a simple set of characteristics lead to an extremely flexible brand. (pg. 38)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-phoenix/a-distinctive-appearance-and-a-simple-set-of-characteristics-lead-to/) Woodrow Phoenix > [There are some teams and logos you see, no matter where you are in the world, and you know exactly who they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/there-are-some-teams-and-logos-you-see-no-matter-where-you-are-in-the/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [The Logos came down out of love for us. Let us not keep Him down permanently, but let us go up with Him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/the-logos-came-down-out-of-love-for-us-let-us-not-keep-him-down/) [Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/) > [A lot of times, you design a logo to be timeless, but with something like the Olympics, timelessness is maybe not something you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bierut/a-lot-of-times-you-design-a-logo-to-be-timeless-but-with-something/) [Michael Bierut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bierut/) > [During the Olympics they're really strict about what you're allowed to wear. You get a lot of clothes, but everything is pre-ordered. We had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-lundqvist/during-the-olympics-they-re-really-strict-about-what-you-re-allowed/) [Henrik Lundqvist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-lundqvist/) > [“Within certain limits terminology is always arbitrary. But the definition of being-true as unveiling, making manifest, is not an arbitrary, private invention of mine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heidegger/within-certain-limits-terminology-is-always-arbitrary-but-the/) [Martin Heidegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heidegger/) > [Ultimately a good logo is something that people recognize instantly and relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mickiewicz/ultimately-a-good-logo-is-something-that-people-recognize-instantly/) [Matt Mickiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mickiewicz/) > [Just when you thought multi-nationals and crazed consumerism were too big to fight, along comes Naomi Klein with facts, spirit, and news of successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/just-when-you-thought-multi-nationals-and-crazed-consumerism-were-too/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Each team always has that one power player, even Carmelo. Those are the guys who would represent the logo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/each-team-always-has-that-one-power-player-even-carmelo-those-are-the/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [If you want to live a meaningfully better life, you're going to have to make the dangerous choice to dissent. A life lived meaningfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/if-you-want-to-live-a-meaningfully-better-life-you-re-going-to-have/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) ## More by David Airey > [A logoless company is a faceless man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-airey/a-logoless-company-is-a-faceless-man/) [David Airey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-airey/) > [“Confidence means believing in yourself. If you don’t believe that what you have to offer is of any value, well, no one’s going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-airey/confidence-means-believing-in-yourself-if-you-don-t-believe-that-what/) [David Airey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-airey/) > [Do not seek to change what has come before. Seek to create that which has not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-airey/do-not-seek-to-change-what-has-come-before-seek-to-create-that-which/) [David Airey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-airey/) > [Without professionalism I'd be an amateur, and the clients I want don't hire amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-airey/without-professionalism-i-d-be-an-amateur-and-the-clients-i-want-don/) [David Airey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-airey/) > [“When you give a client something for free, you send the signal that everything will be free (or at least hugely discounted). And that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-airey/when-you-give-a-client-something-for-free-you-send-the-signal-that/) [David Airey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-airey/) [Explore all 6 David Airey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-airey/) ## More Airplane quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I've jumped out of an airplane 34 times. I've dove 212 feet under water. I've done a lot of things that defied death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-ve-jumped-out-of-an-airplane-34-times-i-ve-dove-212-feet-under/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I believe that anyone who flies in an airplane and doesn't spend most of his time looking out the window wastes his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-reisner/i-believe-that-anyone-who-flies-in-an-airplane-and-doesn-t-spend-most/) [Marc Reisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-reisner/) > [We live in a world where it has become politically correct to avoid absolutes. Many want all religions to be given the same honor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-world-where-it-has-become-politically-correct-to-avoid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the second airplane to france and we're done ! yeyyyyyyyyy !! this one was more full :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmmopy/on-the-second-airplane-to-france-and-we-re-done-yeyyyyyyyyy-this-one/) Shmmopy > [The way I see it, you can either work for a living or you can fly airplanes. Me, I'd rather fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-morgan/the-way-i-see-it-you-can-either-work-for-a-living-or-you-can-fly/) Len Morgan > [I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. Even so, I figured out how to make an Internet that they can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/i-m-17-years-old-i-m-not-a-straight-a-student-or-anything-even-so-i/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [From computers to information technology to airplanes, it has been America's unique blend of republican government and free-market capitalism that has allowed us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nethercutt/from-computers-to-information-technology-to-airplanes-it-has-been/) [George Nethercutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nethercutt/) > [I've been racking my brain. I've been trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane...I told the doctor, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ve-been-racking-my-brain-i-ve-been-trying-to-figure-out-how-bob/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Sometimes life is like being stuck in the middle-seat of an airplane, next to a ridiculously fat person and a crying baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-is-like-being-stuck-in-the-middle-seat-of-an-airplane/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm sure the most favorite airplane in my career would still be the Sabre F86 cleft wing , which allowed me to be credited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-m-sure-the-most-favorite-airplane-in-my-career-would-still-be-the/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [I do not use airplanes. They strike me as unsporting. You can have an automobile accident-and survive. You can be on a sinking ship-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-do-not-use-airplanes-they-strike-me-as-unsporting-you-can-have-an/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [John Travolta said he sometimes lets his friends take control of his airplane even though they don't know what they're doing. Then Travolta said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/john-travolta-said-he-sometimes-lets-his-friends-take-control-of-his/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) Browse all 935 Airplane quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A logo doesn't need to say what a company does. Restaurant logos don't need to show food, dentist logos don't need to show teeth, furniture store logos don't need to show furniture. Just because it's relevant, doesn't mean you can't do better. The Mercedes logo isn't a car. The Virgin Atlantic logo isn't an airplane. 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