25 fascinating facts about famous brands: Strategic lessons in identity
- Ian Morris
- Aug 4, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 12
They are the names of the most famous brands in the world, yet behind each famous branding face lies a compelling story of evolution. This round-up explores the snippets of brand history you might not be familiar with, offering a unique look at how global icons were forged through trial, error, and creative genius.
Pivotal brand history: Companies that changed direction
Many global leaders started in industries entirely removed from their current market. This adaptability is often the hallmark of a resilient brand strategy.
McDonald’s: Before dominating the burger market, the Golden Arches originally sold hot dogs.
Ben & Jerry’s: Now synonymous with premium ice cream, the founders originally planned to launch a bagel company.
Lamborghini: This symbol of luxury supercars began as a manufacturer of sturdy farm equipment and tractors.
Samsung: The tech giant initially traded in dried fish and groceries before pivoting to smartphones and televisions.
Market dominance: The super sellers
Understanding the scale of these brands helps categorise their influence on global consumer habits.
Nutella: One jar of this chocolate spread is sold every 2.5 seconds globally.
Rubik’s Cube: Despite the digital age, this remain the best-selling toy of all time.
Coca-Cola: Consumers drink more than 8,000 glasses of this beverage every second.
Starbucks: The coffee giant uses over 93 million gallons of milk annually, which is enough to fill 155 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Strategic investment: The cost of a logo
The value of a brand identity is rarely determined by its initial price tag, as these contrasting figures demonstrate.
Nike: The famous "Swoosh" logo cost just $35. The design student who created it was later gifted a diamond-encrusted ring by the company.
BP: In a massive corporate rebranding effort, BP spent $211,000,000 on their logo redesign.
Coca-Cola: The company spends an average of $4 billion on branding annually, ensuring 94% of the global population recognises their visual identity.
→ How does your brand compare to these icons? Understanding the history of these giants is fascinating, but knowing where your own brand stands is essential for growth. Use our Brand Health Scorecard to get a clear, professional assessment of your brand’s current performance and identify areas for strategic improvement.
Hidden meaning: The secrets behind the logos
High-performing brands often embed subtle messages within their visual assets to create a deeper connection with the audience.
Amazon: The arrow beneath the name points from A to Z, signifying that they sell every product imaginable.
Toblerone: The logo contains a hidden bear within the mountain silhouette, a nod to Bern, the Swiss "City of Bears."
Brand identity: Names and origins
A name is the cornerstone of brand recognition. These origins reveal the human stories behind the corporate masks.
Twitter: The iconic blue bird was officially named Larry.
Barbie: The doll’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
M&M’s: These letters represent the initials of the inventors, Mars and Murrie.
Yahoo: This is actually an acronym for "Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle."
Cultural adaptability and global flavours
Successful brands localise their offerings to resonate with specific regional demographics.
Jack Daniel’s: Employees receive a bottle of whiskey on payday as a traditional perk.
Guinness: Pouring the perfect pint requires exactly 119.5 seconds at a 45-degree angle.
Johnnie Walker: The founder of the world’s most famous whisky brand was actually teetotal.
Baskin Robbins: They once experimented with a ketchup-flavoured ice cream.
Kit Kat: Nestle found immense success in Japan by launching green tea-flavoured variants.
Tyrrells: This British crisp brand once offered a bizarre raspberry bellini flavour.
Competitive Evolution: Brotherly Rivalries
Some of the world's greatest brand rivalries began with family ties.
Puma and Adidas: These companies were founded by brothers who split their original shoe business to become fierce competitors.
Domino’s Pizza: One of the founding brothers famously traded his half of the business for a used Volkswagen Beetle just eight months after starting.
→ How does your brand compare to these icons? Understanding the history of these giants is fascinating, but knowing where your own brand stands is essential for growth. Use our Brand Health Scorecard to get a clear, professional assessment of your brand’s current performance and identify areas for strategic improvement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most recognised logo in the world?
Coca-Cola is widely considered the most recognised brand identity, with an estimated 94% of the global population identifying the red and white logo.
Which famous brands were founded by brothers?
Adidas and Puma are the most notable examples of rival brands founded by brothers, following a split in their original German footwear company.
Why does the Amazon logo have an arrow?
The Amazon logo features an arrow pointing from A to Z to represent the brand’s vast inventory, while the curve simultaneously mimics a satisfied smile.
Change happening? Growth on the horizon?
Threerooms is a multi-award-winning brand and creative agency with 20+ years of experience transforming brands at critical moments. We help organisations stand out, realign and succeed – with strategy that’s sharp and design that cut through.
From new brand creation to meaningful evolution, we work as a true extension of your team.
Read more: What a branding agency actually does
