Ah, the infamous golden arches, more recognizable than The Cross, this iconic logo is a fast food staple and is known to most. When one sees the glimmering yellow M raised high for all to see, most think of French fries, Big Macs, and tasty Shamrock Shakes. However, very few know that this fast food empire has other, shockingly sexual, ideas in mind.
The 1960s marked the creation of the Golden Arches logo we know and love today. However, before that logo came to be, Mickey D’s tried and failed with several other logos. Just when they were about to get rid of the iconic Golden Arches, acclaimed psychologists and marketers told them that was a no-go.
In the ’60s, McDonald’s hired psychologist and design genius, Louis Cheskin, who used his knowledge in psychology and design, to explain the significance of the current Golden Arches. He explained to McDonald corporates how the breast-shaped logo had major Freudian significance, which could actually boost sales.
This breast shaped logo was said to represent “Mother McDonald’s Breasts,” which indeed holds an important Freudian significance in the mind of consumers (philosophy majors, you know what I mean). In other words, people are drawn to sexual symbols, such as a woman’s breasts, even if it’s in hopes of selling more French fries.
Still don’t see the “M” as a pair of filled out breasts? Flip it over, and it all becomes much more clear…
This isn’t the first of sexual marketing stunts. In fact, many brands choose (or accidentally choose) logos that explicitly represent sexual figures (like these 25 companies).
Sexual or not, Cheskin’s ideas about the Mickey D’s logo has proven true, and has done McDonald’s wonders. After all, they pull over 25 billion dollars in revenue annually, and are the MVP of the fast food chains. Whether you think it’s due to the Freudian sexual logo, the tasty Big Macs, or the unbeatable prices, one thing that’s for sure is that McDonald’s has been killing the game for years now, and I don’t see any end in sight.