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Surprising hidden meaning behind Australia Post logo revealed

A researcher and engineer has shared the history of the Australia Post logo, leaving Aussies everywhere shocked. Julian O'Shea revealed the inspiration behind the postal service's logo in a video posted to his popular TikTok account, which has since gone viral. Mr O'Shea has dedicated his social media channels to educating people on the history behind designs, buildings and cities. He explained that the Australia Post logo was established to look like the post horn that was used by guards of mail coaches throughout Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. "Ever wondered what's going on with the Australia Post logo?" Mr O'Shea says in his video as he stands in front of a post box. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #323338; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, Rubik, 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; outline: none !important;">"Now clearly the P is trying to represent P for post, but what is this thing all about?" he continues, pointing at the white half-circle design on the right of the logo. <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 617px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7193652087022963969&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40julianoshea%2Fvideo%2F7193652087022963969%3Fembed_source%3D121331973%252C120811592%252C120810756%253Bnull%253Bembed_name%26refer%3Dembed%26referer_url%3Dwww.dailymail.co.uk%252Fnews%252Farticle-11699725%252FAustralia-Post-logo-history-revealed-viral-TikTok-shocking-customers-mail-service.html%26referer_video_id%3D7193652087022963969&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoofR1DwnAGfFPgB8buPGGCAWQPpIHUg1fesGdA%3Fx-expires%3D1675328400%26x-signature%3DaHhgP0gMHHN48wWlEwaUCjUnUXM%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #323338; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, Rubik, 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; outline: none !important;">"This shape is based on the postal horn and this was an actual instrument that would be blown to let people know that the mailman was here to come down and bring down your packages." He also revealed that a similar design has been used for national postal services in countries such as Argentina, Germany and Iceland. "So you might think letters and mail are out of date, but the logos they use are even more so," the online educator added. The original Australia Post logo was designed in 1975 by Pieter Huveneers, a renowned graphic designer from the Netherlands. Mr O'Shea's video was flooded with comments from Aussies who were shocked to learn the meaning behind the iconic symbol. "Ok this is something they should teach us in Primary school," wrote one viewer. Another said, "I've always thought it was a P inside an O that was just kinda stylised." "I always assumed it was a keyhole," added a third. "I've learnt something today! Cheers," said another. Image credits: TikTok / Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Fury over "insulting" X-rated logo for Women's Network

The logo for the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (PM&C) new “Women’s Network”, which is intended to promote gender equality, has instead been lambasted online for its overtly phallic appearance – an outcome which has enraged many people as it detracts from the program's core and valuable focus. A description for the Network says that it “champions equal opportunity on behalf of its members and is an inclusive, volunteer-based organisation built by members, for members”. “The Women’s Network assists PM&C and is enabling cultural change aspirations expressed in the Department’s 100-1000 day plan for transformational change by helping implement PM&C’s Gender Equality Action Plan and Embracing Inclusion and Diversity Program,” the description continues. “The Women’s Employee Network promotes gender equality and supports members to succeed in their personal professional lives. The network priorities are founded on driving cultural change and encouraging men to drive this cultural change, particularly in areas where men can make a significant contribution. “The network promotes women’s career success by facilitating opportunities for learning, networking and career mobility and encouraging flexible approaches to work.” Of course rather than focus on the purpose of the Network, social media users instead fixated on the logo for it which many at first assumed was a fake because of its overt resemblance to a penis. “I really thought this logo for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinets women’s network was fake but uh … do they know?” wrote one Twitter user alongside an image of the logo. “Why have the juvenile idiots in your department made male genitalia out of the Women’s Network logo?” political and social commentator Ronni Salt <a href="https://twitter.com/RonniSalt/status/1503145864633626628" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. “How hilarious. Let’s degrade women. Again. Anybody who understands graphic design knows this is deliberate. Anybody who didn’t catch this isn’t doing their job.” Salt shared a screenshot of one graphic designer’s response to the logo, who in their tweet noted that “the designer knew EXACTLY what they were doing from font choice to layout to colour”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Either someone has a very dark sense of humour, or…. (From the PM&C website) <a href="https://t.co/Pru8o2a4jy">pic.twitter.com/Pru8o2a4jy</a> — Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmyRemeikis/status/1502896136222240770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2022</a></blockquote> “This isn’t a mistake. It reeks of teenage boy malevolence,” the graphic designer added. Reddit users echoed the sentiment, with one commenting that “at this stage I think [the Federal Government] are just taking the p*ss”. “I’m honestly at a point where I don’t know if they are just so incredibly stupid or if they are doing it intentionally because they are just so misogynistic,” wrote another. “Honestly I don’t even think this could be a case of seeing what you want to see. That’s just straight up almost a picture of a d*ck,” commented a third person.

News

Coles shopper disappointed by fine print on Australian Made logo

A disgruntled shopper at Coles has asked anyone if they’ve checked the fine print besides the Australian Made logo lately as there’s something there that they’re bound not to like. They shared a post that noted that beside the Australian Made Logo, the product of streaky bacon from Coles stated that only 10 per cent of its contents were sourced from Australia. “How is that Australian Made???” the post questioned. “With African Swine Flu at our doorstep, why the hell are we accepting foreign pork products into the country,” the post continued. “Support our Aussie Pig farmers and Pork industry, and don't be fooled by the Australian Made symbol!” <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D2518242698412213%26set%3Da.1635186646717827%26type%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="492" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Coles quickly responded to the photo shared, saying that while 85 per cent of its own brand products were sourced in Australia, if local supply doesn’t meet current demand, it’s difficult to ensure low prices for shoppers. “We do source some items from overseas when there is insufficient supply to keep prices low in Australia,” a Coles spokesperson said online. “We'll share your concerns with our Merch Team to make them aware and they'll take them into consideration next time they review our product range.” Many posters were shocked at this, saying that they’ve checked their own meat products at home to look at the sliding scale and were annoyed at what they saw. “After I saw this post, I looked at all the meat in the deli section in Coles and other than triple smoked ham all the items contained only 15 % Australian items!! Check for yourself!” one person wrote. “Less than 10% ! Really that’s just the package,” another angrily stated.

Food & Wine

Facebook unveils “empathetic” new logo that’s designed to promote “clarity”

Facebook has taken the need to rehabilitate its image quite literally and unveiled a new corporate logo. The company, which also owns other platforms such as Instagram and encrypted messaging site WhatsApp has released a new logo that it can use to differentiate itself from the social media site that shares the same name. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832331/body-facebook.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7728c133ea8f44fc92f9f8fd49f36b30" /> The company is planning to introduce clearer Facebook branding on the other two popular social media channels it owns and use the new block lettering logo to show the difference. Facebook’s chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio announced the reasoning behind the change. “The new branding was designed for clarity, and uses custom typography and capitalisation to create visual distinction between the company and app,” he said. “People should know which companies make the products they use … this brand change is a way to better communicate our ownership structure to the people and businesses who use our services to connect, share, build community and grow their audiences,” Mr Lucio said in a statement. In a separate statement to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-04/facebook-adds-more-corporate-branding-to-instagram-whatsapp">Bloomberg</a>, he said that it was due to “emphatic” millennials. “All the research that we’ve had from Generation Z and millennials was all very emphatic as to they need to know where their brands come from,” Mr Lucio said. “We needed to be more transparent with our users in showcasing that everything is coming from the same company.”

Technology

Oo la la: “Sultry” Paris 2024 Olympics logo creates a stir

If the logo is anything to go by, the 2024 Olympics are going to be sultrier than anything. Paris introduced “Marianne” to the world this week – and she’s winning hearts around the globe. “It is a SULTRY logo,” wrote USA Today’s Nate Scott. “This logo will stub out a cigarette on the sidewalk in front of you, give you a coy smile, and haunt you forever.” Freelance journalist Megan Clement had her own thoughts. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> The French Olympic logo tumbles out of bed on a Parisian morning. She tousles her messy bob, dons breton stripes and ballet flats and whisks down the stairs from her fifth-floor apartment to grab a baguette before enigmatically texting two men who are pursuing her romantically. <a href="https://t.co/5R2PVaXaa6">pic.twitter.com/5R2PVaXaa6</a> — Megan Clement (@MegClement) <a href="https://twitter.com/MegClement/status/1186368272037494785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">21 October 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> The French Olympic logo has an expresso and a cigarette for lunch. She hops on a vintage bicycle and pedals past the Eiffel Tower on her way to a café where she will sit and read Baudelaire with her fluffy white dog at her feet. — Megan Clement (@MegClement) <a href="https://twitter.com/MegClement/status/1186369325113978881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">21 October 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> The French Olympic logo's child does not have tantrums. He eats dinner with her in restaurants at 10pm, and the French Olympic logo lets him have some of her wine, of course. — Megan Clement (@MegClement) <a href="https://twitter.com/MegClement/status/1186372456782729216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">21 October 2019</a></blockquote> The logo is comprised of the Olympic flame sitting inside a gold medal. It also includes the lips and outline of Marianne, the personification of the French Republic since the revolution in 1789. The circular design has generated quite a bit of noise for all the right reasons. The organiser said the three symbols combined to deliver a “simple and powerful” statement: “The gold medal, symbol of sport. The flame, icon of the Olympic and Paralympic movement. Marianne, image of France. These symbols reveal a face that embodies our ambition to put people at the heart of the Games.” They said it’s a “new phase” in the project where the objective was no longer the bid but the promotion of the Games themselves to the public and potential sponsors. “For the first time in the history of the Games, our emblem will be common to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games,” they said. “Because we are taking on both challenges with the same passion, the same determination, the same ambition. “Through this artistry, the emblem honours French culture and creativity. It expresses the pride of a country which will welcome the world in 2024, to its capital city, Paris.”

International Travel

10 logos that have hidden meanings

It’s almost impossible to walk down the street these days without being confronted with some huge logo as part of a store sign or street-side advertisement. What we often don’t realise however, is these logos often have secret, hidden meanings. From Toblerone to Toyota and everyone in between, we’ve highlighted 10 logos that have secret, hidden meanings. To see them all, scroll through the gallery above. Were you aware of the secret, hidden meanings in these logos?

Retirement Income

The problem with this new logo used by Wooolies

A new strategy to encourage Australians to recycle more, supported by supermarket chain Woolworths, has encountered a tricky problem in its first few weeks – councils asking households to recycle less. This is one of the latest ramifications of China’s “green sword” policy as they now strictly regulate the rubbish that the nation recycles. The problems surrounding the recycling market are so bad, one of Australia’s largest recyclers Visy has said it will no longer accept kerbside recycling in some council areas from the end of next week. This week, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) launched a new logo to encourage consumers to recycle. The new Australian Recycling Label (ARL), supported by retailers such as Officeworks, Unilever and Nestle, aims to clearly let consumers know what they need to do when they throw out a product. Chief Executive at Planet Ark Paul Klymenko has said the new label will make recycling easier to understand for consumers. “'Which bin do I put it in?’ is a question that confronts Australians every day,” he said. “The label gives clear instructions on how to correctly dispose of packaging. Its widespread adoption will help reduce consumer confusion about packaging recyclability and contribute to increased recycling rates and lower the amount of contamination to be dealt with by recycling facilities.” <img width="500" height="755" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7267777/1_500x755.jpg" alt="1 (86)"/> One label will have the normal recyclable logo, which means the product can be discarded in the household recycling bin. The second logo lets consumers know they need to double check locally if the product can be recycled. The bin logo lets consumers know that it can not be recycled and needs to be put in a bin. APCO Chief Executive Brooke Donnelly told news.com.au that it will be very clear for consumes what action they need to take when throwing out their product. “We really believe that this will help consumers to make active and informed choices, not only when it comes to recycling but when considering what products to purchase,” she said. While the new logos have been commended, the tough regulations in Beijing have caused a major issue for Australia’s recycling. From January 1, China banned 24 categories of recyclables and solid waste and also implemented stricter quality controls. These regulations closed the doors to most of the world’s rubbish. Some local councils are dealing with the international recycling debacle by stockpiling recyclable materials in the hope a market will be found later. Ms Donnelly told news.com.au that it is important to seek out the opportunities disguised in this challenging situation. “While there will undoubtedly be some short term challenges for the local recycling industry in dealing with the ‘green sword’, it also offers amazing opportunities to place a deserved focus on developing domestic markets and innovations here within Australia ... and create an end market for recycled materials," Ms Donnelly said. “One of the aims of the APCO Packaging Recycling Label Program is to encourage the industry to have greater transparency over the supply chain and work towards more sustainable packaging solutions,” she said.

Art

Do you know which movies these logos are from?

Movies immerse their audiences in story worlds full of interesting characters and sometimes even companies. These fictional organisations, both good and bad, each come with their own plausible logo and branding. Test your movie trivia by scrolling through the gallery above to see how many movie logos you can recognise. How many movie logos can you recognise?

Movies

Hidden meanings behind well-known logos

From Commonwealth Bank to Jetstar, there’s more than meets the eye to these well-known logos. Scroll through the gallery above to discover the secret meanings of famous logos. Did you know about these hidden meanings? Let us know in the comments below.

Art

Qantas unveils new flying kangaroo logo

Qantas has unveiled a new "flying kangaroo" logo to coincide with the launch of its 787 Dreamliner. Arriving next year, the new Boeing aircraft promises more space, better entertainment, technology and comfort. But the announcement of the new plane has been overshadowed by an updated logo. While the iconic flying kangaroo is still there, it has had a modern makeover. <img width="500" height="283" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/29317/1_500x283.jpg" alt="1 (135)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> "This new brand is more streamlined and the shading behind the kangaroo gives a better sense of movement and depth. A silver band now extends from the tail to the rear of the fuselage, to give a more premium feel," said the industrial designer Marc Newson. "This is a streamlined version of the kangaroo, it's a modern version. It's something that we believe is the evolution of an amazing brand and over the years we have changed this flying kangaroo five times," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said. <img width="500" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/29318/2_500x280.jpg" alt="2 (138)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> But many people were quick to point out something was missing… the kangaroo’s paws. One user wrote on Facebook: "It look like a Nike tick gone wrong." "Looks like something I drew in primary school!" wrote another. What do you think of the updated logo? Are you a fan or not? Share in the comments below. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/10/koala-and-butterfly-best-friends/">This koala and a butterfly are the best of friends</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/2016/08/10-best-bird-watching-spots-in-australia/">10 best bird watching spots in Australia</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/2016/08/breathtaking-images-of-flock-of-budgies/">Breathtaking images of flock of budgies</a>

News

The logo on this plumber’s truck will have you in stitches

When you’re a plumber you sometimes have to deal with some difficult situations while on the job, so it definitely helps to have a bit of a sense of humour. Nick Huckson, a plumber based in Ontario, Canada, has decided to use his sense of humour as a marketing ploy. And as you can see in the image below, it’s working. <img width="500" height="374" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/26677/plumber-in-text_500x374.jpg" alt="Plumber -In -Text" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Huckson’s clever (and hilarious) painting has locals talking and has really started to get word out there to potential clients. The image of his truck’s new design, created by local sign store Classic Signs, has since gone viral and business is booming. What an absolutely hilarious sign. Have you ever seen something like this that has made you laugh out loud? Let us know in the comments below! Image credit: Facebook / Classic Signs Inc. Related links: <a href="/news/news/2016/08/hilarious-video-captures-moment-dog-admits-to-chewing-up-slippers/">Hilarious video captures moment dog admits to chewing up slippers</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/08/sea-narrowly-escapes-pod-of-killer-whales/">Seal narrowly escapes pod of killer whales</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/08/victorian-man-finds-145-ounce-gold-nugget/">Victorian man finds 145-ounce gold nugget</a>

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Surprising hidden meaning behind Australia Post logo revealed

Fury over "insulting" X-rated logo for Women's Network

Coles shopper disappointed by fine print on Australian Made logo

Facebook unveils “empathetic” new logo that’s designed to promote “clarity”