Do you know the surprising secret behind Australia Post's logo?
- Replies 5
It’s normal to not think too much about the things we see everyday, let alone what they represent. But it’s always fascinating when we take a closer look and realise there’s much more to them than meets the eye.
That’s exactly what happened this week when one man revealed the hidden meaning behind this iconic Aussie logo that had people ‘gobsmacked’.
Julian O’Shea, a Melbourne man passionate about educating people on designs, cities, and interesting places, revealed the hidden meaning behind the Australia Post logo.
In a video he posted on TikTok, Julian asked his followers if they’ve ever wondered what the Australia Post logo means.
Well, now we’re wondering…
'Now clearly the “P” is trying to represent “P” for “Post” but what is this thing all about?' he said, referring to the horn-like circle on the right side of the design.
As it turns out, the shape is based on the post horn, which was an instrument used to signal the arrival or departure of a post rider or mail coach.
‘It was used in the 18th and 19th century but notably, the symbology has been used for a lot longer,’ he explained.
While the symbol inspired the Australia Post logo, Mr O’Shea explained that it’s also been used in plenty of other countries.
‘This shape is in a whole lot of mail service logos, from Argentina to Germany to Iceland – they all use this symbol,’ he said in the clip. He also stated that people will see similar things with ‘phone’ symbols.
The original Australia Post logo was designed in 1975 by Pieter Huveneers, a renowned graphic designer from the Netherlands.
Mr Huveneers created several designs and posters throughout his career for various businesses, corporations, government services and charities not just in the Netherlands, but also in the UK and Australia.
After moving to Australia, he was tasked to create more than 70 logo designs for Australian businesses and corporations, such as Telecom Australia, Westpac, ACI, Colonial Mutual Life, Myer, TAA and Tooth and Co.
Mr Huveneers designed the Australia Post logo after the split of the Postmaster General’s Department, which coincidentally formed Telstra Corporation as well. It is believed that the colour red is used in the logo because it is usually associated with post services.
Mr O’Shea’s video was viewed more than 98,000 times, with many expressing their surprise upon learning about the inspiration behind the postal design.
‘This is crazy! How did I never know this?’ one person wrote.
Another quipped: ‘This fact just blew me away.’
‘I thought it was just a P in a circle,’ a third shared.
You can watch Mr O’Shea’s video below:
One person claimed that the Australia Post logo was allegedly used in the movie Star Wars on a set of Clone Trooper armour. ‘Nice tribute to Sydney, where it was filmed;’ they added. Apparently, this was mentioned in a behind-the-scenes video on the Revenge of the Sith DVD.
We’ve written about the history of some iconic logos and their ‘hidden meanings’ before. ALDI’s logo symbolises the retailer’s commitment to smart savings and providing an ‘easy shopping journey’ for their customers. The name ‘ALDI’ is said to stand for ‘Albrecht’, which is the founders’ last name, and ‘Discount’. You can read the full story here.
There’s also a secret hiding in plain sight in Bubble O’Bill ice creams. More details about this ‘secret’ are revealed here.
Popular chocolate treat Twix also has a ‘hidden message’ hiding in its logo – and it’s one that’s easy to miss. However, it’s connected to the chocolate’s advertising campaign from years before, which was: ‘When you need a moment, chew it over with Twix.’ Discover the meaning behind it here.
Do you know any more secrets behind everyday logos? Share them with us in the comments!
That’s exactly what happened this week when one man revealed the hidden meaning behind this iconic Aussie logo that had people ‘gobsmacked’.
Julian O’Shea, a Melbourne man passionate about educating people on designs, cities, and interesting places, revealed the hidden meaning behind the Australia Post logo.
In a video he posted on TikTok, Julian asked his followers if they’ve ever wondered what the Australia Post logo means.
Well, now we’re wondering…
Do you know what the logo means? Credit: Australia Post
'Now clearly the “P” is trying to represent “P” for “Post” but what is this thing all about?' he said, referring to the horn-like circle on the right side of the design.
As it turns out, the shape is based on the post horn, which was an instrument used to signal the arrival or departure of a post rider or mail coach.
‘It was used in the 18th and 19th century but notably, the symbology has been used for a lot longer,’ he explained.
While the symbol inspired the Australia Post logo, Mr O’Shea explained that it’s also been used in plenty of other countries.
‘This shape is in a whole lot of mail service logos, from Argentina to Germany to Iceland – they all use this symbol,’ he said in the clip. He also stated that people will see similar things with ‘phone’ symbols.
Can you see the resemblance? Credit: Anaterate/Pixabay
The original Australia Post logo was designed in 1975 by Pieter Huveneers, a renowned graphic designer from the Netherlands.
Mr Huveneers created several designs and posters throughout his career for various businesses, corporations, government services and charities not just in the Netherlands, but also in the UK and Australia.
After moving to Australia, he was tasked to create more than 70 logo designs for Australian businesses and corporations, such as Telecom Australia, Westpac, ACI, Colonial Mutual Life, Myer, TAA and Tooth and Co.
Mr Huveneers designed the Australia Post logo after the split of the Postmaster General’s Department, which coincidentally formed Telstra Corporation as well. It is believed that the colour red is used in the logo because it is usually associated with post services.
Mr O’Shea’s video was viewed more than 98,000 times, with many expressing their surprise upon learning about the inspiration behind the postal design.
‘This is crazy! How did I never know this?’ one person wrote.
Another quipped: ‘This fact just blew me away.’
‘I thought it was just a P in a circle,’ a third shared.
You can watch Mr O’Shea’s video below:
One person claimed that the Australia Post logo was allegedly used in the movie Star Wars on a set of Clone Trooper armour. ‘Nice tribute to Sydney, where it was filmed;’ they added. Apparently, this was mentioned in a behind-the-scenes video on the Revenge of the Sith DVD.
A Clone Trooper of the 91st Legion. Credit: Reddit
We’ve written about the history of some iconic logos and their ‘hidden meanings’ before. ALDI’s logo symbolises the retailer’s commitment to smart savings and providing an ‘easy shopping journey’ for their customers. The name ‘ALDI’ is said to stand for ‘Albrecht’, which is the founders’ last name, and ‘Discount’. You can read the full story here.
There’s also a secret hiding in plain sight in Bubble O’Bill ice creams. More details about this ‘secret’ are revealed here.
Popular chocolate treat Twix also has a ‘hidden message’ hiding in its logo – and it’s one that’s easy to miss. However, it’s connected to the chocolate’s advertising campaign from years before, which was: ‘When you need a moment, chew it over with Twix.’ Discover the meaning behind it here.
.png){kind=icon}
