People Are Spotting a ‘Hidden Detail’ in the Coca-Cola Logo
1. Origins
The Coca-Cola script was created in the 1880s by Frank Mason Robinson in the ornate Spencerian style.
There was “no memo, no design brief, no buried note hinting at a secret grin.”
It was decorative, not symbolic.
2. The Misread Smile
Still, the curve has gradually been interpreted as a smile.
The text notes that “over time, that curve has been adopted by our collective imagination as a smile.”
3. Why We See It
Humans naturally find faces and emotions in familiar symbols.
The brand’s long association with happiness encourages viewers to
project warmth onto a flourish drawn 140 years ago.
4. Meaning in the Viewer
Whether intentional or not, the smile persists because
“the ‘smile’ now exists where all powerful branding ultimately lives: in the viewer, not the file.”
