Through History

Instantly recognisable, symbols are an important part of daily life – from radioactivity to anarchy, male and female to Mercedes-Benz

© Alamy

Symbols are everywhere. Particularly useful in a capitalist society, they create instant brand recognition. If you happen to find yourself walking down your local high street and see a yellow letter M on a red background, you know what it means. Indeed, the McDonald’s arches are probably one of the most instantly recognisable and iconic company logos. However, symbols have far more relevance than simply helping to sell hamburgers. Societally, symbols such as the International Symbol of Access can be seen everywhere. Politically, symbols can be used during protests or other large events to immediately transmit a message of what the demonstration is about and who’s participating.